A Day in the Life of a Working Mom in Japan

Are you curious about what daily life is like for someone living in Japan?

Whether you are a cultural enthusiast, planning a visit, or simply intrigued by the routines and traditions of Japanese people, this article will offer you a glimpse into the everyday experiences of a typical Japanese mother living in a bustling city. From early morning routines to late-night relaxation, join me as I take you through a day in my life, filled with both the ordinary and the extraordinary moments that make up our unique lifestyle.

Morning Routine of a Japanese Mother

I wake up at 6:30 in the morning. My whole family wakes up together. Ideally, I should wake up a little earlier than everyone else to get ready, but I prefer to sleep until the last possible minute.

The first thing I do in the morning is give and receive hugs with my son. Even though hugging is not a common practice in Japan, it makes me feel happy. It’s my favorite time of the day.

Then, I head straight to the kitchen. My son wants to drink Yakult as soon as he wakes up. I feel guilty giving him juice, so I prefer to give him Yakult, which contains probiotics, comes in small portions, and seems healthy.

Our morning routine includes Yakult, milk, and yogurt. We usually have toast for breakfast. Ideally, breakfast would consist of rice balls, miso soup, tamagoyaki, and natto, but I often don’t have the time to prepare a full Japanese breakfast, so we settle for something quick like toast. I wake up with coffee milk and bread. Some families prepare lunch boxes for their husbands, but I don’t make bento for lunch.

After breakfast, we start our morning preparations. While my husband plays with our son, I get ready for daycare and do some house chores. I write in the daycare notebook, pack a change of clothes and a cup, and pick out today’s clothes. Once I’m ready, I switch places with my husband. I help my son brush his teeth and get dressed, and we get ready to leave the house. My 3-year-old son doesn’t make brushing teeth or getting dressed easy. He runs around the house laughing until he finally lets us dress him and brush his teeth. It’s always a busy morning, as you can easily imagine.

Working hours

Taking our son to daycare is my husband’s job. Our routine is that Dad takes him in the morning, and Mom picks him up in the evening. We say goodbye at the door with a ‘See you soon! Have a good day!’ I want to teach him English, so I greet him in simple English phrases every morning. He doesn’t seem interested in English yet, but I believe in consistency. You never know what might spark his interest, so I greet him in English every day to foster his curiosity about the world.

Once he’s at daycare, I do some light housekeeping and start my work. When I used to work in an office, mornings were even more hectic as I had to rush to catch the train. Now that I work from home, I have more flexibility. I work in the living room with my laptop. I don’t have a separate workroom, but I’ve found that the living room is quite comfortable. The large windows let in plenty of natural light, so I don’t need to turn on the lights during the day. I enjoy looking at the sky or stepping out onto the balcony for a deep breath, which makes working at home quite pleasant.

In the afternoons, I occasionally enjoy working at Starbucks. My favorite drink is the almond milk latte, which has just the right amount of sweetness and helps me focus. Working at Starbucks often brings new ideas that don’t come to me at home.

After I return home, I start preparing dinner. I cook rice almost every day and often buy pre-washed rice to save time. If I find a delicious brand of rice while traveling, I’ll buy it even if it’s not pre-washed. I make miso soup almost every day, using leftover vegetables and tofu, making it very hearty. Miso soup helps me ensure we’re getting enough vegetables.

Evening and Night Routine of a Japanese Mother

It’s time to pick up my son from daycare. Although many people use electric bicycles to pick up their children because it’s a 10-minute walk, I prefer to walk. It’s good exercise, and I enjoy the time spent walking with my child.

After daycare, we often stop by the park to play on the slide and in the sandbox. Eventually, his friends join us, and we all walk home together. This routine often includes a stop at the local candy store as a reward for a day of hard work at daycare. The store is lined with nostalgic candies.

Our 10-minute walk home often turns into an hour as we sing songs learned at daycare and share stories about our day. Once we get home, we wash our hands, change into loungewear, and have a snack. Although I don’t like to let him have snacks before dinner, we always make a deal that he has to eat his dinner afterwards.

During the time he watches TV for half an hour until Daddy gets home, I tidy up the things he brought home from daycare. The teachers write notes about his day, which often include small stories that make me appreciate his growth.

When my husband gets home, we have dinner together. Today, we’ll enjoy our dinner with a gift of sake from Niigata.

My son uses training chopsticks with support to help him hold them properly, though he often uses a spoon or fork. Before eating, we say “Itadakimasu,” and after finishing, we say “Gochisousama.”

Bath time is lively. While I dream of a relaxing bath with bath salts, the reality is a noisy bath with Buzz Lightyear water guns fighting off villains. I put up a chart with Japanese syllables on the wall, hoping he’ll learn, but he’s more interested in his toys. After the bath, it’s a race against the clock. I quickly do my skincare routine and focus on getting my son ready. He runs around the house dripping wet, full of energy.

After playtime and reading some books, I put him to bed. We often fall asleep while putting him to bed, missing out on our own time to relax and clean up. Seeing his peaceful sleeping face at the end of the day makes me feel happy. The little rascal who was running around like a whirlwind is now sleeping soundly, looking so cute.

This is what a typical weekday looks like for me as a working mom in Japan.

As the day comes to an end and I see my child’s peaceful sleeping face, I feel a deep sense of gratitude. Despite the hustle and bustle of daily life, these small moments make everything worthwhile. Thank you for joining me on this journey through my day as a mother in Japan. I hope you enjoyed a glimpse into my world and found something relatable or inspiring. Until next time, take care and cherish your own everyday moments!