2025-08

Family

Between Tatami and Twitter: Balancing a Life of Rice Balls and Retweets

The Quiet Tug Between Two Worlds When I wake up each morning, the first thing I touch isn’t my husband’s arm or my child...
Mother

“Screen Between Us: Navigating Family Closeness in a Digital Age”

The Glow of the Screen, and the Space Between Us The other day, I looked around the dinner table and realized we were al...
Health

“Reclaiming Time: How I Made Room for Myself in a Life Full of Others”

The Moment I Realized I Wasn't in My Own Life There was a moment—quiet, almost forgettable—that stayed with me like a sp...
Family

“Stolen Moments: Finding Myself Between Laundry Loads”

The Quiet Space in Between In the heart of Tokyo, tucked between two loads of laundry and a pot of miso soup simmering g...
Mother

The Smell of Simmered Pumpkin: A Letter from Early Autumn

"(Letters from My Japanese Kitchen: Family, Work & Society Through My Eyes) Dear Friend, It’s early September here in To...
Family

Bento and Beyond: A Housewife’s Guide to Japanese Culture and Society 

A Tiny Box with a Big Story: How Bento Became My Window into Japanese Life If someone had told me ten years ago that a s...
Family

Tatami and Tech: When Rice Cookers Meet Quiet Floors

"Where Slippers Meet Sensors" It starts with a soft creak—the kind only tatami can make when you step on it just right. ...
Family

“From Obi to Online: My New Year’s Day in Two Worlds”

Introduction  On January 1st, I posted a selfie in my kimono to Instagram. It was a full-length shot—me standing in fron...
Family

Letters to My Younger Self: What I Wish I Knew Before Motherhood

“Dear Me, Before It All Began” Dear Younger Me, You’re probably sitting in a quiet café, latte in hand, scrolling throug...
Family

“The Smell of Miso in the Morning: My Ordinary Life Isn’t So Ordinary”

“Setting the Scene” The scent hits me before I even open my eyes. It’s that unmistakable smell of miso—warm, salty, and ...