Life in Japan
-
Shichi-Go-San: A Celebration for Children Ages 3, 5, and 7 in Japan
One thing I love about Japan is that there are many celebrations for children, such as Omiyamairi, Okuizome, and Shichi-go-san. As my daughter celebrated her first Shichi-go-san this month, I’d like to share…
-
Jichinsai (地鎮祭): A Shinto Ceremony for Building a House in Japan
It’s been a while since my last post about building a house in Japan! We’re almost finished with the designing stage and construction will start next month (!) so we had our Jichinsai…
-
An Overview of Yōchien (Preschool/Kindergarten) in Japan
Yōchien (幼稚園), known as preschool or kindergarten in English, is an educational institution in Japan for children ages 3 to 5, helping prepare them for elementary school. The concept was a bit confusing…
-
Inoko, a Halloween-like Tradition in Western Japan
Halloween has only recently caught on in Japan, but instead of Trick-or-Treating, it tends to be more focused on costumes and cute Halloween decorations. Having grown up in Canada, though, my childhood memories…
-
Hotel Monterey: Kid-Friendly Resort in Okinawa
Last month, my family visited Okinawa and stayed at the Hotel Monterey Okinawa. I’ve been to Okinawa four times before, but this time would be my first time traveling with my daughter. My…
-
We’re Landowners! Buying Land to Build a House in Japan
I’m finding it a bit surreal that I’m writing this but… we’re finally landowners! The search is over! (Note that the image above isn’t our land, it’s a stock image.) If you’ve been…
-
Hiking Nara’s Mount Yoshino for the Best Cherry Blossoms in Japan
During the second weekend of April, my family visited Mount Yoshino (吉野山) in Nara to take in their famed cherry blossoms, and it did not disappoint. This kind of topic isn’t something I…
-
Best Products for Babies, Toddlers, and Everyday Life in Japan for 2022
The last article in my series on the best products for 2022 as voted by mothers in Japan is here! The previous rankings focused on favorite pregnancy products and products for newborns. This…
-
How to Keep Babies and Toddlers Warm During Winter in Japan
Is it just me or has this winter been colder than the rest? Tokyo has been getting a ton of snow this year and it feels like it snows every week where I…
-
A New Forum for Parents in Japan
I have some exciting news to share — Tiny Tot in Tokyo now has a forum where you can interact with other parents in Japan! This is something I’ve been thinking about starting…
