Yokohama Toastmasters Club District 76, Division D, Area D1, Club #6995 | July 18 (Sat), 14:00–16:00 | Theme: “Wa (Harmony)”
The meeting opened at 14:00 with President TM HS calling the session to order and welcoming four guests: XG, SH, AK, and KK. In his opening remarks, TM HS spoke about seiza, the traditional Japanese sitting posture that originated in the Edo period on tatami mats, noting with humor that the biggest challenge of sitting this way is the legs going numb. The Business Session followed, during which it was announced that TM KT had completed a Toastmasters course, and TM MM made an announcement regarding membership payment. TM KS then presented the Word of the Day, “United,” before TM HA was introduced as Toastmaster of the Day. Role explanations rounded out the opening segment: Grammarian TM HN told stories about attending a Rakugo performance, Ah-Counter TM MS reminded members to “take a pause and remember, silence is power,” Vote Counter TM TT shared her belief that Wa (harmony) leads to peace, Timer TM KI suggested ways to create harmony and encourage active discussion in professional settings, and Website Reporter TM KY reflected on how the Japanese-style room reminded him of the ryokan his mother’s family used to run.
The Table Topics Session began at 14:14under Table Topics Master TM NM, who built the session around the theme “Different Kinds of Wa.” TM KT was asked how the club could strengthen harmony within Yokohama Toastmasters, and suggested that walking and hiking together in Kamakura would be a good way to build closer bonds. TM KK was asked which washoku dish he would recommend to foreign visitors, and answered sukiyaki, noting that while raw egg can be an initial hurdle for foreigners, it opens the door to learning about Japanese food culture. TM HK was asked which animal he would like to talk with, and chose the dog he had as a high school student. TM TMh was asked what aspect of Japanese culture she would most like to share with foreigners, and highlighted Japanese table manners and the way people express gratitude for food. TM JI was asked about the most meaningful advice he had ever received, and recalled his mother teaching him that 働く (working) means making things easier for others. TM MM was asked which Olympic event she would compete in, and said that although she isn’t athletic, she would choose the marathon, recalling how her school required a daily 15-minute morning run, and adding that she wants to stay healthy so she can keep drinking for the rest of her life. The segment closed with the Timer’s report and a vote for Best Table Topics Speaker.
The Prepared Speeches session ran from 14:35 to 15:13 and featured four female speakers. Speaker 1, TM EF, delivered “One Goal, Many Voices,” addressing four communication styles: direct, supportive, analytical, and initiating. She acted out each style to demonstrate the differences, noted that she finds direct communication the most effective, and admitted that the initiating style remains the hardest for her, expressing a goal of learning to flex between styles depending on the situation. Speaker 2, TM NQ, presented “The Power of Praise,” opening by sitting down and reading aloud from a picture book she had written, narrating it as though telling a story to children. The book’s protagonist, Nana, is told she needs to improve her communication, tries her best, but is ultimately laid off from work; Nana then discovers the practice of “affirmation,” learning to speak positively about herself, and finds the courage to join a Toastmasters club. TM NQ revealed that Nana represents herself, and that praise from TM YI gave her the confidence to keep going, closing with her core message: if you notice something good in someone, don’t keep it to yourself, because those words can give that person real confidence. Speaker 3, TM YA, delivered “Lose the Battle, Win the War,” recalling how a friend once asked whether she had ever experienced a true sense of accomplishment. She described placing fourth in a long-distance race during her school years and realized through that experience that a genuine sense of achievement and success comes from within, captured in the simple feeling of “yes, I did it.” Speaker 4, TM TS, gave “A Second Chance,” describing her move from Fukuoka to Fukui for her husband’s job, a move she had not chosen for herself. Isolated with no friends in Fukui, she decided to start a Toastmasters club and recruited her husband, TM NS, as a partner who was fluent in English, motivated, and trustworthy. Just days before the club’s demo meeting, at which seven guests were expected, TM NS informed her he had to travel to Tokyo for business; frustrated but out of time, she asked her English teacher to fill in, and the demo meeting succeeded. TM NS later became a diligent and dependable club member, and TM TS closed by reflecting that building a team sometimes requires cutting people slack and giving them room to grow. The session ended with the Timer’s report and a vote for Best Prepared Speaker.
Following an intermission from 15:13 to 15:23, the Evaluation Session opened with General Evaluator TM RK, who remarked that the Japanese-style room brought back memories of serving as MC at a gathering during his freshman year, where everyone had been drunk. TM TU, evaluating Speaker 1, praised TM EF’s clear delivery and natural storytelling, noting the speech had a consistent, unified structure, and suggested she vary her voice and facial expressions further when portraying different roles. TM EW, evaluating Speaker 2, said she was impressed by TM NQ’s preparation and the clarity of her message that words can give others confidence, and found the shift from sitting and reading a picture book to standing and delivering the message directly to be highly effective, suggesting more use of pauses and eye contact for further improvement. TM HAr, evaluating Speaker 3, noted that TM YA did an excellent job sharing her personal experience and sense of accomplishment from her long-distance running days, earning the audience’s trust, though she observed that the idea of achievement coming purely “from within” can be a difficult concept for some, since people often also need praise from their peers. TM KM, evaluating Speaker 4, described TM TS’s speech as elegant, with comfortable pacing, composed posture, and sophisticated phrasing such as “cut some slack,” and his only suggestion was to give her husband, TM NS, an opportunity to share his own perspective on the story. After the Timer’s report and the vote for Best Evaluator, reports followed: Grammarian TM HN noted the Japanese words used throughout the meeting and offered their English translations, Ah-Counter TM MS recognized members who had used pauses effectively, and TM KS was noted that the Word of the Day, “United,” proved a challenging word to weave into prepared speeches, though many had found ways to use it. TM RK then delivered the General Evaluation, remarking that the Japanese-style room made for a special but difficult note-taking experience on tatami, joking that the club should rent a yakatabune (traditional houseboat) next time, and expressing happiness at the turnout of 34 members, noting that YTMC remains the second-largest club in Japan.
The meeting closed between 15:49 and 16:00 with the Award Presentation, recognizing TM KK for Best Table Topics Speaker, TM KM for Best Evaluator, and TM TS for Best Speech. This was followed by TMOD TM HA’s closing comments, Bouquets & Brickbats, comments from guests and silent members, a group photo, and adjournment led by President TM HS.
