Our values
We treat each other with kindness and compassion and provide a safe environment to learn and grow.
We value and develop our employees’ diverse talents, initiative and leadership.
We strive toward a more equal, diverse and inclusive society.
We respond to the needs of the community.
Board of Directors
Naomi Kondo
Co-Founder & CEO
Naomi is a licensed kindergarten and elementary school teacher with a master’s degree in intercultural communication and leadership in primary education. She is also a registered Japanese nursery nurse (hoikushi). Naomi interned at a community school in Oregon, US, and has been a member of the Ryozan Park community since 2012. She enjoys beading and gardening. She is Head of School and co-founder of Ryozan Park Preschool.
Rachel Ferguson
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Rachel is co-owner of Ryozan Park and co-founder of Ryozan Park Preschool. She has a degree in literature and master’s degrees in Japanese gender studies and creative writing. Originally from Scotland, Rachel also works as a voice artist and in her spare time loves reading and writing poetry, playing music and walking in the woods with her two young children. Rachel is a former NHK World TV weathercaster.
Jocelyn Saito
Co-Founder
Jocelyn has a master’s degree in education with an elementary education focus and an AMI Primary Diploma through the Montessori Institute of San Diego. In addition to raising her three small children, she volunteers as a breastfeeding counsellor in Tokyo and blogs about motherhood and Montessori education on her site My Motherhood Tokyo. She enjoys visiting art museums and travelling with her family and is a former collegiate volleyball player.
Junko Mochida
Accounts
Junko has a degree in accounting and spent time in graduate studies in the United States. Since returning to Japan, she has worked in management positions for several private companies. During high school, Junko competed at the national level in gymnastics. These days, she enjoys oil painting and yoga and travelling with her preschool-aged son.
Hana Hattori Long
Director of Programs
Hana holds a master's degree in International Relations from Waseda University and is currently pursuing her second master's degree in Social Justice and Community Action at the University of Edinburgh. She is deeply committed to promoting social justice and DEI. Hana is originally from Seattle and loves spending time in nature, especially when it's raining.
Takashi Tsuchiya
Auditor
Takashi co-founded the consulting company RELATIONS Co., Ltd. in 2009 and later launched a bicycle sharing service. In 2018, he launched B2B's perishables trading platform "Mirai Marche" and founded Mirai Marche Co., Ltd. with EBO (Employee BuyOut) and is now the founding director of the company. He has two pet rabbits.
Our Partners
Ryozan Park
Ryozan Park was established by Mr. Noritaka Takezawa and his family to promote the importance of "work-life balance." The school, operated by NPO Kosodate Village, is located within the Ryozan Park Otsuka building and continues to be supported by numerous community members. Ryozan Park actively supports Kosodate Village’s activities in various ways, including providing venues for activities.
Robert Walters
Robert Walters is Japan’s leading bilingual recruitment consultancy and a champion of DEI. Robert Walters and Kosodate Village collaborated on an event to empower women’s careers offering one-to-one resume advice, professional headshots, networking and sign-ups to Robert Walters consultancy.
Sam Spicer
Sam Spicer is a Tokyo-based British photographer who has generously offered his expertise to photograph our school and staff for promotional materials.
Our Story
2015:
Toho Kenzai Corporation expands Ryozan Park to Otsuka with three floors of shared offices, one of which is dedicated to parents with young children and features a built-in Japanese daycare named Kosodate Village after the African saying, "It takes a village to raise a child" and the mission to provide a space where children and also one’s self can be nurtured. As the community developed through dedicated social and professional events such as lunchtime skillshare workshops, the daycare/office services also evolved to meet changing needs.
2018:
In response to the demands of the community, Kosodate Village daycare is developed into a full-service English hoikuen, Ryozan Park Preschool.
2022:
Ryozan Park Preschool is transferred to Kosodate Village, a non-profit organization founded by Ryozan Park co-owner Rachel Ferguson, Head of School, Naomi Kondo and early childhood education specialist, Jocelyn Saito. While continuing to grow Ryozan Park Preschool as its main activity, adding a Montessori kindergarten to its programs, the Kosodate Village NPO takes up the mission to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in Japan through early-childhood education, workshops for teens and supporting new parents in the community.
Organizational Profile
NAME: NPO Kosodate Village
ADDRESS: Tokyo, Toshima-ku, Minami-Otsuka３－３６－７, T＆T Building ７F
TEL: 070-5014-2617
EMAIL: info@kosodatevillage.org
DATE OF ESTABLISHMENT: 22/ 02/ 2022
REGISTRATION NUMBER: 1-0133-0500-3310