Meeting #381

• Date: May 9, 2026 (14:00 – 16:00)

• Meeting Format: Hybrid (On-site & Online) *Utsunomiya special meeting

• Number of Guests: 0

• Word of the Evening: Refresh

 Meeting Summary

 Opening & Recent Updates

The ice-breaking session buzzed with Golden Week energy. TM H.S. kicked things off by sharing his early-morning escape to Miyajima — beating the crowds to find a parking spot, only to be greeted by deer and a sea of rainbow-colored cars. TM Y.T. took a different kind of adventure: diving into Claude Code, an AI tool, to experiment with automating club tasks — a sign that curiosity and innovation run deep in this community! Another member returned from a business trip to Bangladesh, where 36°C heat and Dhaka’s legendary traffic jams were no match for a workshop that wrapped up successfully. The stories were as varied as the members themselves — a refreshing reminder that life is full of adventures worth sharing.

 Table Topics Session

Table Topics Master: TM Y.T.

With Golden Week fresh in everyone’s minds, TM Y.T. built the Table Topics session around the theme of **”Traveling”** — asking members to dig into their best trips, dream destinations, and unexpected travel moments. Questions ranged from nostalgic (“Best place you’ve ever been?”) to philosophical (“Do you enjoy the journey or the destination more?”).

One standout response came from TM S., who was asked: *”If you had one month and enough money, where in the world would you go?”* Rather than naming a popular hotspot, TM S. spoke about South America — Machu Picchu and Cuba — inspired by a Japanese photographer’s photo book about Cuba. The specificity of the reference, and the quiet passion behind it, made the answer genuinely memorable. In impromptu speaking, that kind of personal anchor is exactly what separates a good response from a great one.

 Prepared Speech Session

1st Speaker: TM A.M.

TM A.M. delivered her Icebreaker speech, sharing the story of her journey toward passing a challenging exam and joining Visionaries as a full member. She spoke with warmth and genuine gratitude — to her mother for unwavering support, and to club members for their encouragement along the way. It was a personal and honest opening chapter.

2nd Speaker: “From Winning Arguments to Winning Relationships” — TM K.

TM K. delivered the evening’s most thought-provoking speech. Drawing on his background in competitive debate, he traced a personal arc from “winning arguments” to discovering that real communication is about connection, not victory. A pivotal moment: after giving his wife three logical solutions to her work stress, she said quietly, *”I’m not asking for solutions. I just want you to listen.”* That moment set him on a path to coaching school, where he learned three simple but powerful skills — acknowledgement, powerful questions, and genuine curiosity about the other person’s feelings. The results were concrete: relationships at work deepened, and his wife said it had become “much easier to talk” with him. The takeaway was clear and universal — the most powerful communication tool isn’t your tongue. It’s your ears.

 Evaluation & Feedback

Evaluator 1: TM M.

Provided feedback on TM A.M.’s Icebreaker, offering warm encouragement for her debut at the podium and noting concrete areas to build on as she continues through her Pathways journey.

Evaluator 2: TM S.H.

Praised TM K.’s speech for its attractive structure and crystal-clear central message. As a stretch suggestion, noted that when background noise disrupts a speech, a light acknowledgment from the speaker can help the audience settle and refocus — a high-level skill, and one that fits perfectly with TM K.’s own theme of reading the room.

General Evaluator: TM H.S.

Praised the TMOD’s consistently smooth facilitation, commended TM K.’s speech for showing how logical strength and empathetic listening can coexist rather than compete, and recognized TM Y.T.’s travel theme for Table Topics as a well-chosen fit for the special meeting location.

 Awards

• Best Table Topics Speaker: TM S.

• Best Prepared Speaker: TM K.

• Best Evaluator: TM M.

 Interested?

Do you ever freeze up when you need to speak English on the spot — in a meeting, on a call, or in front of an audience? That’s exactly what Visionaries Toastmasters Club is designed for. In a small, supportive group of business professionals in their 30s and 40s, you’ll practice impromptu speaking every single meeting — and receive the kind of honest, warm feedback that actually moves the needle.

Our next meeting is **May 23** (19:00–21:00, online via Zoom). Come and see for yourself — no experience needed, just curiosity. We’d love to have you!