Posts from clubs
Nihonbashi Century Toastmasters Club chartered!
From Centuries of Tradition to Innovation
Ami Fujiyama
President of Nihonbashi Century Toastmasters Club, 2009-2010
President of Nihonbashi Century Toastmasters Club, 2009-2010
Nihonbashi Century Toastmasters Club (NCTMC), the first bilingual Club in the Chuo Ward of Tokyo, was chartered on September 15, 2009. We hold meetings every 2nd, 4th and 5th Thursdays from 19:00 to 21:00.The beginning years of the 21st century have special meanings for the Nihonbashi Bridge. 2003 marked the 400-year anniversary since the construction of the bridge. The year 2011 will be the 100th anniversary of the current stone bridge. In the traditional streets of Nihonbashi, you can see many shops and buildings that have been lasting since the Edo period. Like them, we wish our Club to last for century of years, hence naming our Club “Nihonbashi Century”.
Our Club concept is phrased as “From Tradition to Innovation(伝統と革新)”. Similar to the city development of Nihonbashi, we maintain the traditions of Toastmasters while we introduce new ways of doing things at the same time. As an example of “tradition”, NCTMC’s regular meeting agenda is true to the standards applied to many long-time Clubs. As examples of the “innovation” side, we have introduced charter membership campaign with special dues discount at the Club level, multiple-year budgeting for the Club funds and flexible reorganization of the basic agenda when sudden role cancellations occur.Here are three of the other strengths of NCTMC.
– Multi-nationality and multiculturalism. Currently at NCTMC, there are members with nationalities of Korea, Taiwan, China, Australia and Japan. Many of the Japanese members also have experience in living overseas, including the U.S., England, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Canada. Our speech topics are truly international at every meeting.
– Focus on prepared speeches. We have been assigning five prepared speakers a day for each regular meeting, but that is not enough! To accommodate the increasing needs of speeches and the members’ desire to grow, we conduct speak-a-thons once every two or three months.
– Strong relationship with Sponsor Clubs. Our Sponsor Clubs are Chiyoda and Tokyo International TMC’s. We are close families in that we are all weekday bilingual Clubs in or near the center of Tokyo. Therefore, Club visits are made actively among us and we have many dual or transfer members from these two Clubs.
– Multi-nationality and multiculturalism. Currently at NCTMC, there are members with nationalities of Korea, Taiwan, China, Australia and Japan. Many of the Japanese members also have experience in living overseas, including the U.S., England, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Canada. Our speech topics are truly international at every meeting.
– Focus on prepared speeches. We have been assigning five prepared speakers a day for each regular meeting, but that is not enough! To accommodate the increasing needs of speeches and the members’ desire to grow, we conduct speak-a-thons once every two or three months.
– Strong relationship with Sponsor Clubs. Our Sponsor Clubs are Chiyoda and Tokyo International TMC’s. We are close families in that we are all weekday bilingual Clubs in or near the center of Tokyo. Therefore, Club visits are made actively among us and we have many dual or transfer members from these two Clubs.
As an office worker of a traditional company headquartered in Nihonbashi, I am genuinely pleased to have this Club reach its Zero Milestone – i.e. charter. My heartfelt thanks go to all the Toastmasters who helped us out at our demo meetings by taking roles and introducing new guests. May Nihonbashi Century Toastmasters Club prosper for next centuries of years along with the district of Nihonbashi.
