Chefoo Reconsidered Japan

3-7  July 2023

Introduction

Join us in going back to Chefoo Nanae! 

We’ll be staying at Ōnuma and visiting Chefoo and other old haunts.

 Sharing has been an important part of previous Chefoo Reconsidered (CR) events and there will be an opportunity to share personal stories in many contexts including over meals and in the informal sessions, assisted by our facilitators. We soon discover how much we have in common with other Chefusians. 

All activities are optional. See the Program for more details.

COVID 19 Postponements

This event was originally planned for 2020 and we have hoped to be able to hold it each intervening year but travel has been restricted. Restrictions have progressively been lifted and so we have a high level of confidence that the event will go ahead.

Who is invited?

While the focus is on Japan, the event is open to any OMF MK and those who attended any of the Chefoo schools or OMF ‘homeland’ hostels or dorms. Partners and children are also welcome (although we won’t be organizing a children’s program and you will need to supervise non-adult children at all times).

Where will we be staying?

Accommodation in Onuma

The accommodation and some gatherings for the event will be held at the Prince Hotel Onuma https://www.princehotels.co.jp/hakodate/ (4 Star).  Please arrive on Monday afternoon (3 July 2023) as we have a dinner planned at 6pm and we will be heading off to Chefoo first thing on Tuesday. We have reserved a number of rooms - see the registration form or contact us at chefoorec.japan@gmail.com and the committee will make the room booking with the hotel in your name. Breakfast is included in the room booking. The hotel takes most credit cards (Hotel FAQ).

We will have a desk in the lobby to welcome you and hotel staff will be on hand to copy your passport and take your room charge. If you arrive at another time or can't find our desk, please, let the staff know you are with the Chefoo group.

In the original planning we had a couple of days in Takayama in the program. Now we are leaving this for participants to plan on their own and can provide contacts for booking cabins. See Travel Info for the location - don't confuse it with Takayama in Gifu.

How much will this cost?

Registration fee: ¥48,000

The registration fee is ¥48,000 per person, and is to be paid with PayPal. We'll send you the details after you submit the registration form. 

The fee covers our costs including: 

The registration fee for children under 18 years old who are not attending the sessions is ¥18,000.

Other costs

See Budgeting for your trip

Financial Assistance Fund

The financial assistance fund is being administered by Mark Catchpoole and Jeremy Pennington.

Asking for assistance

For anyone who would like to attend CR Japan but may need financial assistance, there is a fund to help subsidise some of your fees, travel or accommodation. Please contact us at chefoorec.japan@gmail.com.

Making a contribution

For anyone who would like to make a financial contribution to the travel assistance fund, please see http://chefooreconsidered.azurewebsites.net/Home/Donate. If you want to discuss making a contribution, please email us at chefoorec.japan@gmail.com and we'll pass on your contact details to the sub-committee that is handling this.

Tax deductibility regulations vary between countries.  For more information around deductibility, contact OMF in your home country.  

Preferred application and donation date ("deadline")

To allow time for travel plans, we will try to let those asking for assistance know soon after February 3, 2023. And so please make your requests before then if you can. And if you are thinking of donating it will help enormously if you can do so by then as well.

Update: We have a hard deadline now of March 14, 2023 with a commitment to allocations and funding to follow shortly after.

Travel Information

See Travel Info.

And OMF Accommodation Offer (up to five nights free accommodation at OMF guest houses ).

Chefoo Nanae today

The former OMF Chefoo Nanae school was closed in 1998, and the property is presently owned by “Chefoo Gakuen,” a non-profit organization formed by Japanese pastors to provide a “free school” for Japanese children who have dropped out of the Japanese school system. 

The expansive field where we used to play is no longer there, and the grape vines, apple orchards were cut down some years ago.  However, the building and the entrance driveway are there, and the building is still in usable condition.  Due to stricter fire codes, the basement area where we used to roller-skate and play basketball has been blocked off, but there are still many aspects of the building, the classrooms, the bedrooms, the dining room and kitchen, living room area is all there. See Chefoo Nanae Today

Registration

We will get your details via this form: Registration Form

The registration fee payment details will be emailed to you. We would appreciate you registering and paying as early as possible to assist with planning and covering costs that have to be paid early.  

Please register and pay before 30 April, 2023. We'll do our best but may not be able to accommodate you after that.  Should you need to cancel, do so by email to chefoorec.japan@gmail.com. The registration fee refund (less funds transfer charges) and dates are as follows: before 30 May 2023: 100%,  before 15 June 2023: 50%, after 30 June 2023: no refund - we will have made final commitments for these expenses.

Our Facilitators

As we expect to have a reasonable sized group we have asked Duncan Wilson, who attended Chefoo Malaysia, and Elwyn ten Brink, who attended Chefoo Malaysia and Philippines, to assist with sharing our stories and experiences. You read about their background here: Facilitator.

More about this event

This event has benefitted from the experience of previous "Chefoo Reconsidered" events in various countries, including three at Chefoo Malaysia and one in the Philippines (see Why Reconsidered). The committee follows the CR Principles and the safeguarding documents the committee members have signed are available on request. A financial reconciliation statement will also be available on request after the event.

Please note that this is not an OMF-sponsored event and no OMF personnel are involved in planning the event. They are supportive, however, of the approach we are taking and have been helpful in handling the travel assistance funds. But this is a week by Chefusians and for Chefusians and has been tailored to the needs of the Chefoo Japan community. 

As we are welcoming people from a wide range of world views including those who are of faith and otherwise, our activities will not have formal religious components (such as corporate grace at meals).  As at other CR events, some may join for devotional times but these are entirely optional and outside the formal program.

To keep up to date with other Chefoo Reconsidered events - these are often in "home" countries - please register with http://chefooreconsidered.azurewebsites.net/.  Please feel free to contact any of the committee members if you have any questions about the week via the email address below.

Don Thomson, Duncan Wilson, Elwyn ten Brink, & Douglas Hayman.

Email: chefoorec.japan@gmail.com

To see more about the organizers see: Organizing Committee

Code of Conduct

The following extracts from the CR “Principles” indicate the tone we expect for the event. The organizers may exclude anyone from the remainder of the event should they be considered, at the committee’s discretion, to have violated these principles. 

1. The inclusivity of our event, which is irrespective of age, nationality, ethnicity, gender, health, mental or physical impairment, sexuality, past history, or beliefs, is balanced by our aim that CR will be a welcoming safe place for all.

2. Safety – We hear each other’s stories with respect, acceptance and care.  This is vital in creating an environment within CR which offers psychological safety and wellbeing for all.  We recognize that members of our group may hold very different views on politics, theology, self-expression, etc. Our group commitment is to accept such differences, show respect for all equally, and seek to avoid intentionally causing offence.

 3. Confidentiality - Our stories are our own. We will obtain permission before telling part of someone else’s story. We will exercise judgement and sensitivity in posting on social media a photo of a CR member, with the understanding that seeking permission is best practice; and is required when their children are in the picture.

4. COVID Safety - We will all need to be considerate of those attending who are immunocompromised or need to be more cautiuous than others. In addition to following the regulations in Japan at the time, we will all need to be considerate of this situation. For example if you have symptoms we would ask you take a rapid antegen test (RAT) and use a mask until you are well in the clear.  If you test positive, in addition to following the local requirements, you will need to absent yourself from group activities. We recommend taking particular care on your flight to Japan and public transport before you arrive.

Disclaimer

This event is being organized for you by volunteers who are receiving no benefit, financial or otherwise. While we will do our best to make the event work well, you will be responsible for all aspects of your safety, expenses and comfort. And we strongly suggest you obtain travel insurance with good health cover.