Here’s a message for those, who are interested in building your communication skills to speak in front of public in English (or Japanese), enhancing your leadership skills, and enjoying cultural exchange with intelligent and kind Japanese and people from various countries. You can do all of those things at nominal cost but with great joy.

Have you ever heard of Toastmasters Clubs (TMC)? It is a group of speech clubs.
(quote from Toastmasters International official site at http://www.toastmasters.org/default.aspx)
“Most Toastmasters meetings are comprised of approximately 20 people who meet weekly for an hour or two. Participants practice and learn skills by filling a meeting role, ranging from giving a prepared speech or an impromptu one to serving as timer, evaluator or grammarian.

There is no instructor; instead, each speech and meeting is critiqued by a member in a positive manner, focusing on what was done right and what could be improved.”

“From a humble beginning in 1924 at the YMCA in Santa Ana, California, Toastmasters International has grown to become a world leader in helping people become more competent and comfortable in front of an audience. The nonprofit organization now has nearly 220,000 members in 11,300 clubs in 90 countries, offering a proven – and enjoyable! – way to practice and hone communication and leadership skills.”
(Unquote)

In Japan, 2,000 plus toastmasters (Japanese and non-Japanese together) are enjoying the activities at 77 clubs from Sapporo to Okinawa. Almost a half of the clubs are located in the Kanto area. I am sure you would be able to find a club convenient to you at the site of Japan District of http://www.district76.org/ If you join a bilingual club, you will be able to enhance both English and Japanese public speaking skills. How nice!

The costs for you are only USD 4.50 monthly dues (payable biannually) to the world headquarters and venue reservation costs at each club, if any. In return to the monthly dues to the HQs, you can obtain monthly magazine which is full of valuable information about communication and leadership skills.

In the District of Japan, we hold speech contests twice a year, in Fall and Spring.

The 2007 Fall contests are unique Evaluation Contests. Contestants compete on how his/her 2~3 minute evaluation speech for a test speech is good in terms of public speech (like logical structure, delivery, body language, etc.) and evaluation to help the test-speaker improve his/her speech.

Each contestant from a club meet at an area-level contest, and the winners compete at a division level, and the division winners meet at the all Japan contest.

Let me show you the schedule and venues of area and division contests in this Fall. Anyone interested in toastmasters activities are cordially invited. Reservation to a hosting club is recommended, but anyone without reservation is welcome. Depending on the venue costs, you may be requested to contribute Y 500 or so at the gate.

Attention:
Once a contest begins, the doors will be closed and no one out of the room is allowed to enter the room. Therefore, if you can join, please make it sure you finish registration at the gate a few minutes before the contest starts.

Kanto Area

Area 13
Saturday, September 29,
13:30 @ Sumida Sangyo Kaikan (South Exit, Kinshicho Station, JR Sobu Line)
3-9-10, Koto Bashi, Sumida-ku, Tokyo
http://www.sumidasangyokaikan.jp/data/accessmap.html
Hosting Club: Leadership Toastmasters Club
http://www.geocities.co.jp/HeartLand/7877/
and other two clubs

Area 32
Saturday, September 29,
14:30 @ Yokohama Kaiko Kinen Kaikan (700m south of South Exit, Kan’nai Station, JR Keihin Tohoku Line or Negishi Line)
1-6, Honcho, Naka-ku, Yokohama,
http://www.city.yokohama.jp/me/naka/renraku/kaikokinen/index.html
Admission for non-TMC Members: Y 500
Hosting Club: Minato Mirai Toastmasters Club
http://www.geocities.jp/hotmirai21/

Area 33
Saturday, September 29,
14:30 @ Midorigaoka Bunka Kaikan(7 minute walk from Jiyugaoka Station, Tokyu Toyoko Line or Oimachi Line)
2-14-23, Midorigaoka, Meguro-ku, Tokyo
http://www.city.meguro.tokyo.jp/syakyo/mi/index.htm
Hosting Club: Tokyo Bilingual Toastmasters Club
http://www.toastmasterstokyo.com/

Area 11
Sunday, October 7,
13:30 @ ＠Hachioji College Community Center（North Exit, Hachioji Station, JR Chuo Line）
9-1, Asahi-cho, Hachioji, Tokyo
http://www.hachiojibunka.or.jp/gakuen/gakuenn-top.htm
Hosting Club: Eight Prince Toastmasters Club
http://blog.livedoor.jp/eightptmc/

Division C (Areas 31-33)
Sunday, October 14,
14:00 @Werk Yokosuka（Kinro Fukushi Kaikan）（5min. Walk from Yokosuka Chuo Station, Keikyu Line)
1-5, Hinode-cho, Yokosuka
http://www16.ocn.ne.jp/~toshikou/file/shitei/shisetu/kinrou.html
http://www2.wagamachi-guide.com/yokosuka/apps/map2.asp?id=50&GALAY=00000000000000000000000000000000&gpos=139.67746,35.27714&gscl=4000&ssiz=500,500&sid=5009&f=FL1
Admission Free fro non TMC Members
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Hiro_Ichihara/mikasa.htm

Division A (Areas 21~23)
Sunday, October 14,
Timing Unknown @ Chiba City Life Long Learning Center
3-7-7, Benten, Chuo-ku, Chiba-City, Chiba
http://chiba-gakushu.jp/index.html
Hosting Club : ICF Chiba Toastmasters Club
http://icf-chiba.hp.infoseek.co.jp/

Area 22
Sunday, October 28,
12:00 @ Epochal Tsukuba Room 404 (10 min. walk from Tsukuba Station, Tsukuba Express Line)
2-20-3, Takezono, Tsukuba, Ibaraki
http://www.epochal.or.jp/eng/access/map_shuhen.html
Hosting Club: SAKURA Toastmasters Club
http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Canal/3322/index.html

Area 21
Sunday, October 28,
12:15 @ Epochal Tsukuba Room 406 (10 min. walk from Tsukuba Station, Tsukuba Express Line)
2-20-3, Takezono, Tsukuba, Ibaraki
http://www.epochal.or.jp/eng/access/map_shuhen.html
Hosting Club: Saitama Toastmasters Club
http://saitama.freetoasthost.net/

Division B (Areas 21-23)
Sunday, October 28,
15:15 @ Epochal Tsukuba Room 406 (10 min. walk from Tsukuba Station, Tsukuba Express Line)
2-20-3, Takezono, Tsukuba, Ibaraki
http://www.epochal.or.jp/eng/access/map_shuhen.html
Hosting Club: TsukubaToastmasters Club
http://www.kit.hi-ho.ne.jp/toastmasters/

Please note that the Japanese evaluation Speech Contest of Division B will be heldbetween13：40 and 14：50at Room 406 of Epochal Tsukuba. You will be able to enjoy the both Japanese and English contests in the afternoon.

Out of Kanto

Area 42
Sunday, September 30,
Timing unknown, Kyoto Campus Plaza (In front of Kyoto Station, JR Tokaido Line)
939 Higashi-Shiokoji-Cho, Nisino-Toin-Dori Shiokoji Sagaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto
http://www.consortium.or.jp/english/index.html
Hosting Club : Speak-up Toastmasters Club
http://www.bizemail.jp/speakup/

Area 43
Sunday, October 14,
13:30 @ Tokushima Kyodo Bunka Kaikan (8 min.walk from Tokushima Station, JR Kotoku Line)
2-14, Aiba-cho, TokushimaCity, Tokushima,
http://www.kyoubun.or.jp/map/index.html
Hosting Club : Tokushima Toastmasters Club
http://tokutmc.hp.infoseek.co.jp/

Division D (Areas 41~43)
Sunday, November 4
Timing unknown, @ ZhonghuaHuiguan (8 min. from Motomachi Station, JR Tokaido Line, or Hanshin Line. 10 min walk from Sannomiya Station, JR Tokaido Line, Hankyu Line)
2-13-9, Shimo-yamate Dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo
Hosting Club : Kansai Toastmasters Club
http://www.geocities.jp/kansaitmc/

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