STORY (Outline) ~ This is a story in which the project team struggled with planning the F&P’s 15th anniversary party held in Tokyo Disneyland on Saturday, 28, 2017. ～

Fukuda and Partners is a company founded on the passion of “Fukuda and the partners traveling together” “to be a specialized partner that is treasured by customers”. Based on the intention that “everything starts from passion” and “where if there’s a will, there’s a way. “, F&P, which President Fukuda started with 3 desks and a rent of 30,000 yen, celebrated its 15th anniversary with a team of more than 100 colleagues.
We have created a history as a new style of construction and a real estate service company by accumulating useful results to our customers while overcoming issues and problems together with our customers. “We are grateful for the efforts of our partners who have worked together over the past 15 years, and we want to show our gratitude to the families who have supported our colleagues.” A project team was set up to realize such aspiration.
The location chosen was the Disneyland Hotel. Approximately 200 people gathered together, and together with a delicious meal, many exciting events such as video shows, band performances, and game tournaments were included, and was designed to develop fun memories. At the end of the party, we all sang the F&P theme song each with one arm over the other’s shoulder, and all the participant’s feeling came together as one. The project team was deeply impressed by the participants of the party, saying, “Thank you” and “I enjoyed it!” and was filled with a sense of accomplishment and pleasure that come from the challenging mission.
The party was a great success, and Fukuda and Partner’s journey of creating good memories will continue.

Project Name

Challenging Project in which the project team united and did not compromise to accomplish the goal!

Project Team

Task force team with 13 members, led by the management headquarters was established to successfully carry out the project.

Mission

1. To show “gratitude” to employees and their families and make fun memories.
2. To show to the family that F&P is a company where one can work with peace of mind.

Project Team Planning Content

1. Plan details to express “gratitude” to employees and their families to enjoy the party

• Selection of party location
  Disneyland Hotel, the kingdom of dreams and magic, was chosen as party location so that all the employees from outside the Tokyo region and their families including children, would enjoy the event.
• Creation of invitation letters and paper essentials
  Created paper essentials (seat cards, seating tables, thank-you letters) to express feelings of gratitude and the excitement of the event, celebrating the 15th anniversary.
• Event description
  An event to show F&P’s spirit and gratitude that everyone can enjoy.
  The event began with the greeting by the executives at the entrance, a Disney character show, band performance, Janken contest by President Fukuda, closing with souvenir gifts. Party was devised in a short time of three hours. The flow was devised so that the main event, the Janken contest, would be the most excitement. Everyone enjoyed their meals while listening to the band’s performance and the main dishes were served before the event, so that the attendees could concentrate in the event. The team worked out a detailed time schedule while simulating the flow of the day so that the progress would go smoothly at a good rhythm.

• Souvenir gifts
  Along with a thank-you note, the souvenir gifts included a “sake-nomi baumkuchen” from Hakkaisan Brewery, a long-established sake brewery in Niigata Uonuma, and an F&P original mobile charger & AC adapter set.
  “Sake-nomi baumkuchen” is a popular product with a fluffy texture, moist and elegant sweetness, and a slight fragrance of sake lees.” It is an innovative product that has been challenged beyond the framework of a brewery by the long-established Hakkaisan Brewery of Japanese sake .
  The F&P slogan of “Fun Innovation” and its spirit was express with baumkuchen.

2. Planning Detail to help families understand What we do

• Greetings from President Fukuda
• Creating two types of Promotion video
  １）F&P’s corporate videos: F&P company information, business introduction
  ２）F&P Team Video: Introduction of corporate culture

  Ms.Goto, a 5th year employee, personally made the video.
  The company introduction video was a challenge to bring together F&P philosophy, business content, and characteristics in 3 minutes, and took dozens of revisions to reach satisfaction. It is also used for recruitment activities and introductions to companies overseas (mainly in Southeast Asia).
  The team video set the theme as “～F&P’s journey sharing joy with teammates who work together～”” and devised easy-to-understand expressions and narration, subtitles, and scene development to match music, and the video was completed with a 15-year history and memories.
  The movie was about bonding between with colleagues who overcame the 15-year path and difficulties, company growth, and laughter of more than 100 employees.

• Creation of brochures (introduction of employees’ work performance and activities of departments)
• Tokyo Toy Museum (to show the culture of Myanmar, where F&P have business location)
• Commitment to game events
• Experiencing “chorus” and “Kanda ippon-jime” which is the F&P common culture

STORY (documentary)

Previous day

― Project team’s thoughts on the Disney character headband

One thought was born to our project team the day before event. “Let’s make everyone happy by becoming a cast of the country of dreams ourselves!” The team who have struggled to realize the wishes of President Fukuda, had the same feelings as President Fukuda. We decided to entertain the audience with Mickey and Minnie’s headbands.

Day of the Event

― 10:00 Pre-arrangement.

The team gathered three hours before the start time to prepare. “Up to the event, we have meticulously held meetings, and cooperated with each other to strengthen the team. Let’s make the most of our teamwork and make every effort to make our own decisions when problems arise,” the project leader, Hayashi said. The members of the team was thrilled to be trusted and given discretion. Preparations went smoothly thanks to the preparation time taken into the time schedule. The reception teams (Ishida, Tabata, Sasaki) prepared for the reception, the lottery assistant (Migita, Tanaka) prepared for the prizes, Wakabayashi confirmed the sound equipment at the venue, Goto confirmed the video, and Hayashi had a meeting with the facilitator. However, at the preparation that seemed to be going well, a voice of help was heard saying, ‘ Preparation of the souvenir takes longer than I expected! I can’t make it in time ! ‘ Goto ran around. “When you finish preparing for each person in charge, lend a hand to prepare a souvenir!” she summarized the team’s strength as one. A gift for about 200 people must be prepared in 30 minutes in a small room. We decided to divide work. People were tasked for sorting, people who wrapped mobile charges and adapters together, people who spread paper bags, people who put baumkuchen in, and people who carried finished things to the storage area. As a result of the excellent combination, we were able to prepare it at the last minute of time. This was also thanks to the teamwork we cultivated during the preparation period.

― 11：30 Reception Start

The reception team with Minnie’s headbands greeted the participants. We also tried to arrange seats so that they would enjoy the event time. Seats were arranged with guests close to employees , families with children of the same generation, associates, project teams, and departments.
During the welcome talk, the conversation was lively at each table. In addition, a toy museum was set up next to the reception desk. With the relationship of participation in”BOOK & TOY Library 100 Project in Myanmar ” lead by Tokyo Toy Museum, a movable toy museum organized by the Japan Good Toy Committee, a certified non-profit organization, was set. The team’s desire to “to have Myanmar culture encounter with toys, where F&P expanded overseas business” was successful, brimming with smiles, including the children.

― 12:10 Opening

The board members welcomed the gusets and made gratitude for everyone’s particiation.

― 12：15 Opening Video

The first video shown was “Company PR Movie”. A refreshing BGM that evokes an image of a company with sincerity and a sense of trust.

The second video was the Special Photo Movie, a collection of photos from a variety of events. The “bridging of glory” which has been singing as a company song was put on the BGM, and the progress and idea of the foundation and the bonds with the friends working with each other were expressed by the memorization photograph. The vortex of inspiration boiled in the hall.

― 12：45 Party Opening

Songs and dances of Disney characters led by Mickey! Photos were taken around each table. Not only the children but also the adults were having a great day.

― 13:00 Greetings from President Fukuda

President Fukuda, who was introduced and set up on the platform. The President Fukuda overtook many challenges with his colleagues, looking at the faces of the family who supported them, and the chest became full and choked his speech. President Fukuda began to speak slowly to swallow a sophisticated enthusiasm. It seemed to be the moment when President Fukuda’s feeling was empathized during the event. In some situaions, the venue was soaked in the idea of President Fukuda because of the feeling and emotions of his words.

― 13:15 Greeting Guests

The following greetings were made by Dr. Ariyoshi, who has supported F&P since the company’s foundation, Chairman Noboru Nakamura from the U.S. sent a congratulatory teregram, and Mr.Ryoichi Hayashi kicked off the party with a toast.

Band performances were prepared during the party’s midboard pleasure with delicious meals. Ms. Mina Yamano, a singer, sang Disney’s famous song “Request for Star” was played back with live performances, and a total of five songs played along with a nice singing voice, and everyone was able to enjoy a luxurious time.

― 14:30 Game Event

The “raffle tournament” and the “Janken tournament” with luxury prizes were held and the participants were excited and anxious. At the lottery tournament, the event was held as a family-participatory attraction in which children were asked to draw lots. Children played an important role in getting lottery blows pulled by them. Raffle prizes were awarded with the name of a business partner for the purpose of making business partners known, and luxury prizes donated by 10 major business partners were prepared. Senior Executive Vice President Ono, who was good at dealing with children, was in charge of the moderation. The children helped to pull out the ball in the lottery. The children who participated seemed like they were having fun. In this event, the project team examined a clear division of roles, preparing on the previous day, and simulations were made to guide children, and as a result of consideration for moving lines, it was possible to shorten the time from good teamwork to 25 minutes. The cheering time was increased 15 minutes to allow relaxing communication and enjoying the meal.

Then next, janken tournament was moderated by our President Fukuda! The first round of the tournament was for all members, and the party was at its peak with two pairs of “Excessive Yamanaka Lake 1 night – 2 days trip” or “Okinawa trip 1 night – 2 days trip”. Every time President Fukuda put out the janken, there was a big cheer. And the second round was for F&P employees with daily thanks. The prize by President Fukuda’s big performance: “Trip to Hawaii for 3 nights – 5 days” was prepared.” The participants glared their eyes, put all their energies into the game, and enjoyed the janken with with great excitement. Voluntarily created prize panels to boost the performance of gorgeous prizes.

－ 15:30 Experience of “chorus” and “Kanda 1-clap”, the F&P common culture

The closing of the party concluded with the customary song and Kanda 1-clap.
At the end of each internal event, we sang the “Eiko no Kakehashi (by Yuzu)” as a theme song for F&P. We planned the chorus with the wish of having families experience the F&P customs and experiencing the corporate culture. In order to make it easier to participate in the chorus, we played a video with music and lyrics on the back of the employee’s memorable photo movie. We were worried whether the family would sing together, but when President Fukuda stood in the vanguard and sang loudly, the family, who was feeling shy in the first face-to-face, eventually folded their shoulders and sang loudly, shaking their bodies from side to side. Everyone applauded with a smile when the song was over. This was when we all felt as one.

－ 16:00 Party Closing & Farewell

In the closing, the executives showed the guests off.

－Project Team’s Thoughts
After seeing off all the guests, we looked at each other with a face of relief. We were filled with a fulfillment and accomplishment that could not be expressed. For this day, the have been preparing for months. There were many days when we couldn’t see the goal, trying over and over again. But the members never stopped their hands. “I’m glad I was able to work for this company.” “This party has become an unforgettable and enjoyable memory.” If someone were able to fell this way, that will be an honor.

Through this project, each of us came up with ideas as to how we could achieve our goals, and through team cooperation, we were able to perform beyond the expectations of President Fukuda. This is because each of us gained a sense of accomplishment by taking advantage of their own tastes and fulfilling the assigned roles, and have respected and cooperated with each other, which created a strong cohesiveness. You will face many difficulties while working. However, if there are “colleagues” next door to each other who work hard together, we can meet our goals. We have many “colleagues” at F&P.Together with these colleagues, Fukuda and Partners will continue to make good memories.