A Grand Exchange Across Ages and Departments! The Board Game Club Holds Its Annual Grand Thanksgiving Festival! | Club Activity Report

Hello, everyone! I am Kawakami, the Vice President of the Board Game Club.

Currently, a quiet trend is emerging within the SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP… yes, it is “Board Games”!

While they offer the simple joy of playing with anyone and casually interacting with members from various departments, only those who possess both luck and skill emerge victorious! Their popularity is skyrocketing among those seeking such exciting competition!!

This time, the Board Game Club held its annual Grand Thanksgiving Festival!

The first-place winner was to be presented with a luxurious prize. Who exactly claimed the crown…?

What are SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP’s “Club Activities”?

Main Activities of the Board Game Club

Once every two months, members gather after work over food and drinks to interact across generations and departments through various board games, such as the globally popular “Catan” and the quick-to-play “The Thief is Dancing.”

In the past, activities have been held in company meeting rooms as well as board game rental spaces for which SUNNY SIDE UP has handled PR and communications.

With various playstyles—those who fight with meticulous strategies, those who rely on momentum and luck, and those who skillfully deceive their opponents—heated games are played every day.

The Annual Grand Thanksgiving Festival

This time, the event was decided by a single call from the President of the Board Game Club, Iijima of SUNNY SIDE UP, who said, “I want to interact more across departments! Let’s hold a Grand Thanksgiving Festival!”

A total of 15 members gathered, ranging from junior members and mid-career hires to veteran management-class members from various group companies.

Once the sushi, Chinese food, and drinks were ready, the board games began with a toast!

A Continuous Stream of Intellectual Battles and Miraculous Luck Kept the Excitement High Throughout

The 15 players were divided into four teams to play four types of games carefully selected by the President that everyone could enjoy: “6 nimmt!”, “Halt mal kurz”, “Daruma Atsume,” and “Nana Toridori.” They aimed for the championship based on a point system.

With luxurious prizes for the winner on the line, the members were more motivated than ever.

The venue was filled with constant cheers and screams from every table!

A particularly memorable game was “Nana Toridori.” Despite the simple rule that “the player who gets rid of their hand first wins,” the appeal lies in the intellectual battle that goes beyond mere luck, involving strategic hand-building and bargaining with other players.

Since the first-place players from each table participated in this game, the most fierce competition unfolded.

Additionally, “Daruma Atsume” is a game akin to a game of chicken that tests a player’s courage. The series of unexpected miracles was so exciting that players from other tables even paused their own games to come and watch.

Finally, the final match was held among the top five point earners!

The chosen game was “6 nimmt!”, known for its engaging bargaining. This game has been a staple since the founding of the Board Game Club, and the seasoned experts were ready to show their skills.

The winner is…

The one who emerged victorious after the fierce battle was… Yuka Yoshida, a fourth-year employee!

Ms. Yoshida, the winner, was presented with a pair of tickets to a certain theme park.

With a broad smile, she commented, “It was so funny and I laughed so much I thought I was going to run out of oxygen (laughs). My fatigue has completely vanished!” She plans to use the tickets with a colleague from her starting year.

Ms. Yoshida and her colleague enjoying the theme park

And for the runner-up, Daiki Hosoi, a seventh-year employee, a Mölkky set—currently a popular trend—was presented.

This prize reflected the President’s wish that “because this is an indoor club, we should play outside once in a while.”

The one who secured third place was… none other than myself, the Vice President!

I received high-quality spicy cod roe (mentaiko) that the President had purchased in Fukuoka while on a business trip that day. The moment I opened the box, I was surprised by its size and luster! It was a masterpiece that conveyed the President’s great affection for the club members.

Great Interaction Across Departmental Boundaries

This Grand Thanksgiving Festival brought together a diverse group of members, transcending years of service and company boundaries.

Comment from the President:
“I am very happy to see the club members enjoying themselves and interacting harmoniously through board games. It is regrettable that as President, I could not win and lead by example, but I will definitely train hard and seek my revenge next time!

I hope to further expand the circle of club activities where people can immerse themselves and forget about work!”

During the games, titles and career history do not matter. Through serious competition, one discovers unexpected sides of others that are rarely seen in daily work, and the mysterious magic of board games naturally closes the distance between people.

The time spent sharing drinks while laughing and saying things like, “You tricked me back then! (laughs),” truly became a forum for communication across departmental boundaries. The connections born here will surely lead to excellent teamwork and the seeds of new ideas in work from the following day onward.

Look forward to the next activity!

That concludes the activity report for the Board Game Club!