To Parents and GuardiansNews (Notice for Parents and Guardians)
Messages>News>Up Coming Events>Surveys※Please visit our Japanese website to view the actual pages.
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Schedule>New updates※Please visit our Japanese website to view the actual pages.
Facility Directorʼs Diary>Please take a read

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Submission Forms※Please visit our Japanese website to view the actual pages.

Requests
We have a requests and complaints counter to take parents and guardians’ requests
and complaints. You can always talk to your teachers directly however, if anythinguneasy, you can always come to the counter below.

We will do our best to take andsolve your requests and concerns according to a certain rules.
Requests and Complaints Counter 1
Please come to this counter when difficult to talk directly to the teacher. In this counter,
supervised by our principal, the necessary teachers will be communicated to solve
problems. At the same time, in general, all requests will be documented and reported
into a third-party committee. However, if the requester requests not to report to thethird-party committee, then that will also be counted.
>Person in charge of solving requests and complaints: Facility Director. Heiji Fujimori>Person to take requests and complaints: Vice-Principal, Toshihiko Nakayama
Complaints Counter 2
If anything uneasy to talk directly to ECEC Center or not coming to the end even whentalked many times, you can always contact below third-party committee members.
>Third-party committee members: Mieko Asami and Yurie Suzuki*If anything related to personal information or requested not to publicly open therequests or complaints, we will publish the contents in our monthly topic on our website
as well as reporting into our end-year business report so we will commit in enhancing
our ECEC Center.
About Personal Information
We follow and are dedicated to go along with Personal Information Protection Law. To
those who have questions or wish to revise, delete or suspend from us using yourpersonal information, please contact us below.
ECEC Center Shinjuku Seiga
Facility Director Heiji Fujimori
TEL: +81 3 3954 4190
Email: s.seiga@song.ocn.ne.jp
Social Welfare Corporation Seiga
Chief Director: Yoshi Fujimori

To Those Looking for an ECEC Center
Making the Right Choice
About Us
Location

2-10-20 Shimo-Ochiai, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan

Established

April 2007

Site Area

782.44 ㎡

Total Floor Area

1558.05 ㎡

Building Structure

Reinforced Concrete, From Basement to 4th Floor

Setting Body

Social Welfare Corporation Seiga

Management Entity

Social Welfare Corporation Seiga

Entity Representative

Chief Director: Yoshi Fujimori

Facility Director

Heiji FujimoriTEL

03-3954-4190

FAX

03-3954-4192

Websitehttp://shinjuku-seiga.hoikuen.toE-mails.seiga@song.ocn.ne.jp

Hoiku Time

8 Hours
Childcare hours could differ depending on parents andguardians working hours.

Open Hours

Normal Hours
AM 7:30 to PM 6:30 (11 hours)
Extended Hours
PM 6:30 to PM 8:30 (2 hours)

Capacity

171 Children
Those who are on Maternity leave and Childcare leave
may reserve in advance.

Age

0

1

2

3

4

5

Total

Capacity

21

30

30

30

30

30

171

Actual

18

30

30

32

31

28

169

Teacher

40 Teachers
Depending on how many children are inthe class, the number of teachers may
vary.
Facility

Vice Facility

OfficeDirector

Director

Manager

Teacher
Teacher

TemporaryTemporaryChildcare

Teacher

Teacher
1

1

1

28

Nurse

Nutritionist

Cook

Janitor

2

A few

Commissioned Development
DoctorConsultant(Internal
Medicine,
Dentistry)
1

2

2

Commissioned Doctor (Internal Medicine)

2

2

A few

Ushiyama Hospital
4-11-5 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku
Tokyo, Japan
TEL: 5386-3167

Commissioned Doctor (Dentistry)

Hirase Dental Clinic
3-17-30 Shimo-Ochiai Shinjuku
Tokyo Japan
TEL: 5988-7660

Our Philosophy‘Coexistence and Contribution’1. Coexistence
Accepting others and living in harmony, every child should recognize his or her
existence lies in the environment where it is vital that they seek and learn about theircounterparts in a deep manner. Also to participate in building a better society.
2. Contribution
Through various experiences, children learn and absorb wisdom and knowledge sothey also enjoy having a set goal to live in harmony and contribute.

Our Policy‘Growing Children’s Independency’
1. Guarantee Hoiku where children can act independently. (Fostering life)
2. Guarantee Hoiku where children can play spontaneously. (Fostering self-reliance)
3. Guarantee Hoiku where children can be themselves. (Fostering individuality)
4. Guarantee Hoiku where children can feel the necessity to mingle with others.
(Fostering sociability)

Our Aim‘Children Who Can Be Themselves, Ambitious and Thoughtful’
1. Children who can find their own topics and turn them into action.(Act independently)
2. Children who can decide what they want to do on their own. (Ambitious)
3. Children who can value self-efficacy. (Self-esteem)
4. Children who can feel joy when others are feeling joy. (Empathy)

Our Pedagogy‘MimamoruECEC Fujimori method’
1. Mixed-age group
2. Children centric
3. Enabling children to select
4. Interaction between children
5. Teachers’ team-work

Conceptual DiagramECEC

New Hoiku approach considering a declining population as well as aCenterfuture scholastic ability.

Operating
PolicyOur

Coexistence and Contribution

Philosophy
Key Terms

Independence

Spontaneity

Individuality

RelationshipOur Policy

Guarantee

Guarantee

Guarantee

Guarantee

Hoiku where

Hoiku where

Hoiku where

Hoiku wherechildren’s canchildren canchildren arechildren feel the

act

play

cared one bynecessity to

independently.

spontaneous.

one.

mingle withothers.

ScenesOur Aim

FosteringChildren

Life

Play

One by one

OthersChildren Who Can Be Themselves, Ambitious and Thoughtful
Fostering life

Fostering

Fostering

Fosteringself-relianceindividuality

sociabilityChildren who

Children who

Children who

Children who

can find theircan decide what

can values

can feel joy

own topics andthey want to do

self-efficacy.

when others

put them intoon their own.

(Self-esteem)

are feeling joy.

action.

(Ambitious)(Empathy)(Act
independently)
Expressions Independently
Our

Ambitious

Be yourself

Be kindMimamoruECEC Fujimori method

Pedagogy

1. Mixed-age group
Hoiku

2. Children centric
3. Enabling children to select
4. Interaction between children
5. Teachers’ team-work

Where Our Hoiku is Heading
A Differences-Making-Community approach is created through fostering together. Froma group that negates an individual, to a group that encourages an individual. Fromteachers initiated Hoiku to children initiated Hoiku. (Though those Hoiku include wellproven scientific approaches.)From the Facility Director
A recent revision of ‘The Child Welfare Act’ allows parents to choose which ECEC
Center their children will attend. It is natural that parents will choose what is best for
their children. In our ECEC Center, we acknowledge every child’s rights and we provide
Hoiku accordingly. In other words, we allow children to see the difference between
children and encourage them to mutually understand this. To parents and guardians, it
is for them to understand other people’s sense of values and different ways to live. We
hope you are aware of these concepts and then come to us.
English Curriculum>Available on the Japanese website.

Please refer to ‘Childcare Curriculum (English)’.

Admission
If parents match any of the below and no other family members are able to care for thechild, then they are eligible to enter our ECEC Center.


Working outside

Operating a self-owned business

Doing homework

Seeking job (1 month)When ill (in the hospital or undergoing treatment)When giving birth (the month in which childbirth is expected and two months prior
and after that month. (5 months in total)

Those with a disability certificate (From 1st to 4th grade)

Those who are nursing family members

Children with no parentsWhen recovering from disaster such as fire, wind, flood and earthquake etc.

How to Apply for a Site Visit?
When selecting an ECEC Center, we recommend you to do a site visit during the daytime.

In order to book your site visit, please contact us through an email below.

We will explain our philosophy of how we strategize our Hoiku approach while we guide
you through our facility.
Emails.seiga@song.ocn.ne.jp

Access
2-10-20 Shimoochiai Shinjuku
Tokyo 161-0033
ECEC Center Shinjuku Seiga

Care and Education
Our AimAll children to live happy today and foster on a good foundation so they can generate adesirable future.
Providing Comprehensive Hoiku Where ‘Care’ and ‘Education’ Become One
Specifically, ‘care’ which supports like family at home and ‘education’ which covers the
5 fields represented in Japan Nursery School Childcare Guidelines.
1. Care: A relaxed environment where enough care has been provided so children canfulfill their needs, stabilize emotions and retain life.
2. Education-Health: Learn basic customs and attitudes that are necessary in life suchas health and safety.
3. Education-Relationship: Through interaction with people, children will learn how totrust and love others and to value the rights of each person. Children can also
learn autonomy, cooperativeness and morality.
4. Education-Environment: We will help children develop their interests in nature andsociety and also, help enrich their mind and ability to think.
5. Education-Language: Through life, children will grow their interests in language andby enjoying talking and listening, they can develop their language skills.
6. Education-Expressions: Through various experiences, children can foster richsensitivity and a spark of creativity.
All of the above comes in only when the ‘Comprehensive Hoiku’ is provided. Every childis considered unique and every child is at its own developmental stage. Moreover, it isalso important to set the environment where children can associate themselves
independently and with motivation.

A New Hoiku Style for the 21st Century.
Awarded ‘Good Design Award’ in 2005.
Awarded for a design for a new Hoiku style which focuses on human relationships.
Contents
Relationships between children among multi-age, children and adults and adults andadults within a community.

Our Pedagogy
Pedagogy for Comprehensive Hoiku
Three Developmental Stages
In Japan, classes are usually divided into 6 stages depending on the age. However, in
our ECEC Center, we only divide our classes into three stages.
0-1 Year Old ClassIn this developmental stage, it is vital that we take an extra focus on good care where arelaxing environment is set for children so they can grow spontaneity. (0 to 1 year old
may mix according to their developmental progress)
2 Years Old ClassIn this developmental stage, the environment must guarantee children become active
developing their ego. This is why the 2 years old classroom is set independently.
3-5 Years Old ClassIn this developmental stage, children become active in initiating spontaneous activities
and also rapidly develop relationships between peers. For this reason, a group activity
accompanied by sociality which leads to children developing mutual relationshipbecomes significant. We also provide children enough opportunities to select to cater tothe differences of children in various developmental stages, interests (sentiments) andproficiency levels. (cognition, skill sets)
Value Life Cycle
Three important elements in life are said to be ‘play’, ‘meal’ and ‘nap’. In our ECEC
Center, every class has an independent space for each element. This guarantees therhythm for each individual which then leads to a sense of security, gratification,fulfillment and spontaneous activities.

It is also important to note that all elements are

set in a relaxing and familiar environment.
Experiences Among Multi-Age Group
Based on age, our ECEC Center divides into three main stages. 0-1 year old class, 2
years old class and 3-5 years old class. The 5 years old children have an opportunity tohelp Hoiku 2 years old and under, once every week.
Spontaneous Play and Independent Activities
Our ECEC Center provides so called a ‘zone area’ where children can select whichzone area they want to play in every time.

This will lead children to play spontaneously

and with high motivation since they are the ones choosing.
Utilizing Parks in the Neighborhood and Picture Books
We raise children’s awareness in nature by visiting parks in neighborhood.

We alsobroaden children’s awareness in social circumstances by utilizing picture books andpicture-card shows.
Education Through Meals
We consider ‘meal’ is not just to help children attain fundamental habits and to store
necessary nutrition and energy but to inherit food culture and wisdom.
Besides, through cooking classes, children have an opportunity to develop and extend
their interests to the outer world.

We provide a children-size kitchen and teach how tocook as well as where all the food is coming from.
To children, having a ‘meal’ is not just developing their mind and body but also it
influences emotion. In early childhood, children move actively hence they require more
nutrition compared to adults.
So in our ECEC Center, counting on all of the above, we value ‘meal’ is an importantpart of our Hoiku pedagogy. We help children build a good foundation on meal habits
and food culture for their future.
In 2002, our ECEC Center achieved ‘The Tokyo Governor Award for Nutrition
Improvement’.
Link Even After Graduation
Our ECEC Center has started to welcome those who graduated from our center tocome back and experience Hoiku. Being a child welfare facility capable of affecting local

and household changes relatively quicker, we believe it is part of our duty to share andlink what we have attained to elementary and junior high schools.
We Are Open to Our Community
Children grow up not just at home and in centers like our ECEC Center but also they arewatched after by a community. We also train volunteers and ask volunteers to support
Hoiku children.
Daily Routine
Time

Start and End

7:30 Open and start
entrance

0,1,2 years old

3,4,5 years old

Brief health inspection

Brief health inspection

Morning Hoiku

Morning Hoiku

Morning snack

Hoiku on themes

8:30
9:30 End entrance
10:00

Hoiku on themes
11:00

Lunch

11:30

Nap

12:00

Lunch

12:30

Nap

13:00
14:30

Changing clothes

Changing clothes

15:00

Afternoon snack

Afternoon snack

15:30

Start preparing dismissal

Start preparing dismissal

16:00 Start dismissal

Evening Hoiku

Evening Hoiku

17:00
18:30 Extended Hoiku
20:30 End dismissal

Our Service
Handicapped Children Hoiku
Our ECEC Center accepts two handicapped children after an examining meeting andadvice given by a specialized agency and if we believe coming to our center will help
them.
Extended Hoiku
Our ECEC Center offers extended Hoiku between 18:30 to 20:30.

If children’s ages

are above 1 year old, you are eligible for a one hour extension (fee liable).
Temporary Hoiku
Those who live in Shinjuku-ward are eligible using this service. Children must be above
6 months old. You can use the service up to 5 times /month. Maximum capacity is 10
children and open hours are between 8:30 to 17:00. You need to book in advance.
Link to Community
Our ECEC Center is committed to community work including supporting families withsmall children. We listen to childcare problems as well as the passing and giving out of
information on how to raise children.
Property Layout
Please see the Japanese website.

To Industry Related People
Giving Tree
~Hoiku Environment Research Center~
Giving Tree is a consultation firm which provides support on layout designs, internal
environmental designs in the facilities as well as support on an early childhood
education approach namely “Mimamoru Fujimori method”.

We research and analyze

on general social requirements and help establish strong operating system within
facilities based on environmental set ups.
Name

Giving Tree Co., Inc.

Address

4-9-11 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan

TEL

03-3954-4190

FAX

03-3954-4192

Aim

1.

Consultation on child welfare facilities which includes building
designs, environmental designs, MimamoruECEC Fujimori
method, facilities, furniture, plaything, teaching materials andpublications.

Business2.

Any other relates to above.

1.

Supporting and planning concepts on social welfare facilities(ECEC Center).

Contents2.

Campaign/lead on world standard daycare environment andMimamoruECEC Fujimori method.

3.

Planning on facilities, furniture, teaching materials andpublications.

4.

Sharing information on ECEC Centers.

5.

Any other related to enhancing Hoiku environments.

Visitors
Those interested in visiting us, please contact Nakayama either by Email or by phone.
Email: s.seiga@song.ocn.ne.jp
TEL: +81 3 3954 4190
Professor Fujimori’s Books
Books are available in English.
English Book 1>Title: Hoiku (Japanese Childcare Method)>Author: Heiji Fujimori>Published: J-Cast
English Book 2>Title: 0,1,2 years old Hoiku>Author: Heiji Fujimori>Published: Gakken
Those who want to purchase books above, please contact,
Nakayama (s.seiga@song.ocn.ne.jp)

Professor Fujimori’s Eyes
Global Education, a Revolution in Hoiku
Nowadays in Japan, there is a swinging movement in education sector. This wasobserved around the globe since 1970’s. Particularly those developed countries in
Europe, they lead the revolutionary act. I believe there are 2 reasons.
1. Declining birth rate in developed countries
When the country faces declining birth rate, the interaction between children alters. In
this natural world, children do not born in a group like we used to back in ancient times
where a group as a whole looked after a newborn baby. Hence, the strength that could
be developed if with the group does not exist. Besides, with that environment, adult had
less time to look after each child however, as the recent society is becoming more
nuclear-type family, adult is spending enough time on each child where in some cases itseems too much. Here, it begins excessive meddling. When adult controls andcommands children, it could take away their self-motivation, creativity, judgment andability to think. This brings children less chance to develop their own will. The excessive
meddling creates parents-dependence young people who are less capable standing on
their own.
2. What is required for our future children
Another big change we can foresee is what is required for our future children. Once
testing the memory of how much one remembered was an important aspect for learning.
Moreover, this became a standard in identifying whether or not one is smart. However,as the machines develop and computers appeal, just remembering a broad range ofknowledge is becoming increasingly useless.
Japanese Education and Hoiku Revolution
Therefore, it is almost must that the education was needed to change. However, while
the education was changing globally, Japan remained the same. When Japan has put
forward “pressure-free education” and “integrated learning” as new education system,
though they are now being reviewed. Recently, the influence is becoming evident
among children, hence, forced to change. There are many incidents with children suchas “not in education employment or training”. In this circumstance, it is not correct to say
it is children’s fault or parents’ fault. While people are blaming each other, thus,
Japanese education was left far behind.
Professor Manabu Sato from graduate school in the University of Tokyo advocates, “thesilent revolution in the class room is about to spread widely. I have witnessed thischange for last 20 years all over the world and I can say only a few countries in east
Asia (China, North Korea, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore) are
the only ones left conducting “the group learning”. Moreover, people have expected
Japan to lead the change however, despite this expectation, Singapore, South Korea
and China are leading the change. In the end, the only countries left could be North
Korea and Japan. The early childhood education has been delivered having “the grouplearning model” as a centered model. Approaches like “all at once in the group learning”
and others like divided by the age group, there must be a school building which has acorridor and class rooms lined up and teachers teach one way sided are part of only one
scene in a particular country at a particular period.

Development Towards Self-Reliance
One of the themes for young ones is “self-resilience”. It only happens if they are treatedthoroughly not by thrown outside. Children can start feeling they are the main subject
hence, their interests and desires are fulfilled and by having a strong sense of
acceptance they begun to express to others what they want to do. It is vital we receive
those messages and be responsive to children. Then, they begun to feel live andcontent about life willing to share with people thus, “autonomy” will be built establishingself-control. And what comes next is by knowing the pain of other people, they commit
to make other people happy generating the ability to support other people. It is important
to do Hoiku ensuring environment where children can further develop.
New Hoiku
The keyword for creating the new Hoiku is to “escape from undifferentiated Hoiku”, so
the decent development for children is guaranteed. In order to transmit knowledge andto form a successful group or a disciplined group, teachers must change from teacher
centric Hoiku. From now on, the goal is to establish “collaborative learning” amongchildren’s group therefore, it is essential to provide environment where children can act
independently, where children can play spontaneously, where children’s individual
uniqueness are the main focus and where interaction between children are facilitated.
1) Independent Activities (Life Scene)
Children who said to be independent are those who can find tasks themselves andact spontaneously as oppose to being forced to do or someone does on behalf.
Hence, they need to interrelate with an environment. And in this environment, it justdoes not mean a space but people (teachers, teams, multi-age, districts), objects(shifting from play equipment that formulates children’s move to children choosing
how to move) and space (outdoor space, zones in the room). In this environment, it
is vital we re-look into curriculum which is designed to neglect development andpersonality of individuals but change to Hoiku where children can select and decide
freely and attain necessary development progress.
2) Spontaneous Activities (Learning Spot)
Ensure rooms are set as a ‘playing-museum’ so children can play spontaneous andact independently. Children will become participatory rather than passive, hence,teachers reset their minds to ‘Hoiku where children play spontaneous’ from ‘Hoiku
where children being taught’. So the teacher may become a ‘facilitator’ rather thanthe teacher. It is not exactly teaching but pulling out and facilitating. Converting fromproviding everything for children to carefully recognizing individuality and cuddle
close with it, so it becomes ‘MimamoruECEC Fujimori method’.
3) Individuality
When changing from one-sided education to children centric education, at the sametime, the thinking of ‘what should be given’ is changed to ‘what would be received’,
hence, an idea towards ‘equality’ will also change. A shift from everyone giving thesame things to everyone receiving the same things. For this, we need to understand‘inclusion’ approach. This is one step forward from ‘integration’ approach.
4) Ability to interact with people
A way to think about ‘group’ will change. Industrial society where big factories weremainly aimed at efficiency, hence, ‘all at once’ education was important, nowchanging to recognizing individuality, living in harmony under co-variant
circumstances, we believe cooperative learning is effective.
ECEC Center and Kindergarten
By looking at themes among raising children, there is a children’s group in ECEC Center
and Kindergarten which functions as the vital base for children to enhance interactive
skills and acquire self-reliance. If the country recognizes this as the realistic outcome, itwill be the time when these facilities become ‘just needed’ to ‘truly needed’ facilities. We
need to stare at the age and move ahead so we can alternate and provide thenecessary Hoiku style for children living today.
Links
Seiga-no-Mori ECEC

http://seiganomori.hoikuen.to/

Seiga Nursery School

http://www.seiga.ed.jp/

Kuninobu Architectural Design

http://blogs.dion.ne.jp/kuninobuarchi/

Giving Tree

http://www.givingtree.jp/

Caguya Co., LTD.

http://www.caguya.co.jp/