Written and shared by Mia Horiguchi I’ve been getting messages like this more and more often. “Can you introduce me to a Japanese girlfriend?” “I want to live in Japan. If I marry a Japanese person, it will be easier right?” Every time I read something like this, I honestly pause for a moment. Because I feel people are mixing two completely different things. Love for a country… and love for a person. Japan is a beautiful country. I understand why so many people want to live h

Why Do So Many Women in Japan Dream of Becoming a Housewife? Recently I asked a few Japanese friends… even some of my kids’ friends: “What’s your dream for the future?” And surprisingly, many girls still say: “I want to be a housewife.” Not influencer. Not CEO. Not pilot. Housewife. At first I was shocked — in 2026? Really? But after living in Japan long enough, I started to understand the deeper reasons behind this dream. Here are some possible reasons 1. Housewife = stabil

Written and shared by Mia Horiguchi San. In Japan, it’s not about what you say… it’s about what you don’t say. One of the most fascinating things about living in Japan is the concept of “間（ま / ma）”—the space, the pause, the silence between things. At first, silence can feel uncomfortable. You might think, “Did I say something wrong?” “Why is no one replying?” But over time, you start to realize… that silence is not empty. It’s meaningful. In Japan, people don’t always say eve