{"id":95040,"date":"2025-09-23T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/?p=95040"},"modified":"2025-09-19T19:18:29","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T10:18:29","slug":"why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/","title":{"rendered":"Why It&#8217;s Hard For Moms To Make Friends in Japan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>For many mothers in Japan, the journey into motherhood brings joy, sleepless nights and an unexpected sense of loneliness. While parenting is a universally challenging experience, Japanese social norms, cultural expectations and the structure of community life can make it particularly difficult for moms to form lasting friendships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These past two years were full of change for me as I transitioned into motherhood and moved to a new prefecture. With this big change came job loss, daycare-waiting-list limbo, and worst of all, loneliness. I was struggling to cope with the monumental task of making new friends in a new city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But maybe luck took pity on me because I somehow managed to make one friend. She\u2019s a Japanese mother of two, and it was beyond refreshing to hear her honesty about the problems women face as mothers in Japan. She noted that finding long-term <a href=\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/five-places-make-mom-friends-japan\/\"><em>mama-tomo<\/em> (mom friends)<\/a> is equally difficult for Japanese mothers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading is-style-framed-heading\" id='the-isolation-begins-early'>The Isolation Begins Early<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-1392264695.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-1392264695-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Young mother and son having fun under cherry blossoms\" class=\"wp-image-95080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-1392264695-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-1392264695-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-1392264695-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-1392264695-380x254.jpg 380w, https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-1392264695.jpg 1253w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><small class=\"imgcopyright\">\u00a9 Photo by iStock: joka2000<\/small><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>For many new mothers, isolation starts during pregnancy or immediately after birth. Maternity leave can cause resentment in the workplace, especially if the mother&#8217;s coworkers take on her workload. If the search for daycare extends beyond expectations, this can increase tensions in the office. Many working moms abandon stable careers for part-time jobs for this reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, cultural attitudes about burdening others often prevent women from reaching out. The Japanese value of <em>enryo<\/em> (restraint or modesty) means mothers may hesitate to invite others over or ask for help\u2014even if they\u2019re struggling. For non-Japanese mothers, it can be even harder if their extended family is out of the country. They have to rely on friends or in-laws, which might make some people uncomfortable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading is-style-framed-heading\" id='the-perfect-mother-pressure'>The \u201cPerfect Mother\u201d Pressure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-1367126307.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-1367126307-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Mother holds her daughter as she takes a phone call makes a note on paper and works on her laptop in a home office\" class=\"wp-image-95084\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-1367126307-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-1367126307-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-1367126307-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-1367126307-380x254.jpg 380w, https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-1367126307.jpg 1253w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><small class=\"imgcopyright\">\u00a9 Photo by iStock: Anchiy<\/small><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Before getting pregnant, I attended many lunches with friends who had children. I could see the burden they carried to prove they were the perfect mothers\u2014organized, nurturing, modest and wholly devoted to motherhood. This can be one of the main reasons many mothers might put up walls to avoid criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For <a href=\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/working-mothers-in-japan-the-more-things-change-the-more-they-stay-the-same\/\">working mothers<\/a>, it can be even harder. There\u2019s little time or energy left for socializing. And since many mama-tomo groups revolve around school activities scheduled during the day, working moms often feel left out. Even when opportunities arise, they might experience guilt for their lack of participation in their child\u2019s school life. This can further alienate them from potential friendships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading is-style-framed-heading\" id='opportunities-for-connection'>Opportunities For Connection<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/baby_at_jidoukan.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/baby_at_jidoukan-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Why It's Hard For Moms To Make Friends in Japan\" class=\"wp-image-95096\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/baby_at_jidoukan-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/baby_at_jidoukan-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/baby_at_jidoukan-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/baby_at_jidoukan-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/baby_at_jidoukan-380x285.jpg 380w, https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/baby_at_jidoukan-100x75.jpg 100w, https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/baby_at_jidoukan.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><small class=\"imgcopyright\">\u00a9 Photo by Aspen Kumagai<\/small><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>As a first-time mom and a foreigner, attending events or classes was intimidating. The first time I went to a <em>kodomokan<\/em> (children\u2019s hall), I begged my husband to go with me. The idea of showing up at an unfamiliar place with my four-month-old in tow terrified me. By sharing my experience, I hope to ease your fears about visiting Japan&#8217;s children&#8217;s centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <em>kodomokan<\/em> was large, for all ages, and had a small entrance fee of \u00a5200. There were no forms to sign or reservations necessary. There was a designated baby area for children from zero months to two years of age. A diaper changing station with hot water was a few steps away, should I need anything at all. In fact, I didn\u2019t talk to the staff the entire time I was there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jidoukan.or.jp\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">my local <em>jidoukan<\/em><\/a> (children\u2019s center)\u200c, I ended up filling out a form on my second visit. The staff wanted to make my son a cute name tag to wear during his visits. They also invited us to join the upcoming club, <em>Paruniko Kurabu,<\/em> which was a designated club for my son\u2019s age. Different clubs are available for various age groups, and they offer unique, fun activities monthly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Among the many events they hold, my local jidoukan also has a toy library where children can rent a toy for a month. The experienced staff happily distract or guide your child during events, giving moms a much-needed break. Overall, it\u2019s a place meant to help children blow off steam and moms to relax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading is-style-framed-heading\" id='a-path-forward'>A Path Forward<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-2165987773.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-2165987773-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"African American blogger smiling and waving while taking selfie with her Asian friend and her daughter during playing, bloggers son interested in bricks Moms Friends in Japan\" class=\"wp-image-95086\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-2165987773-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-2165987773-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-2165987773-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-2165987773-380x253.jpg 380w, https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-2165987773.jpg 1254w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><small class=\"imgcopyright\">\u00a9 Photo by iStock: AnnaStills<\/small><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After talking with many moms, both Japanese and non-Japanese, I\u2019ve come to realize that we\u2019re all struggling to find a solid group of friends. Some of these friendships might be surface-level, centering on playdates, and amount to nothing more. Despite these challenges, many moms in Japan do eventually find their people\u2014it just takes time, intention and resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some strategies that help include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Joining local parenting groups or classes<\/strong> and making a habit of attending regularly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Volunteering at school or community events<\/strong>, even in small ways. If you\u2019re a working mom, this can be slightly embarrassing, but even the most minor effort counts. Plus, other working moms will find comfort in knowing they\u2019re not alone.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Taking the initiative<\/strong> to invite other moms for coffee or playdates, despite the fear of rejection.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Being open and a little vulnerable <\/strong>can help others feel safe to do the same.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Connecting online<\/strong>, where many moms find supportive spaces to vent, share and meet others.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Perhaps most importantly, please know that if you feel lonely, you&#8217;re far from alone. Nearly every mother I spoke to mentioned the struggle to make friends. They even admitted that the friendships were sometimes shallow or limited. These connections may come slowly, but for many moms, those hard-won friendships become a lifeline on the long, beautiful and often lonely journey of parenting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>If you\u2019ve found your mama-tomo or have tips on making connections with other moms, then leave a comment down below. Let us know what worked for you or where you met them so that other moms can do the same and make some friends in Japan.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One of the biggest hurdles for new moms is trying to make friends with other moms and to break free of the loneliness that sometimes comes with motherhood.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":241,"featured_media":95094,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_subtitle":"The Hidden Isolation of Motherhood in Japan","footnotes":""},"categories":[251,21,1228,3698,258,397],"tags":[3800],"promotion":[],"class_list":["post-95040","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community-support","category-families","category-mamas","category-parenting","category-up-close-personal","category-wellness","tag-mom-friends"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Why It&#039;s Hard For Moms To Make Friends in Japan - Savvy Tokyo<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"For new moms, trying to make friends with other moms and to break free of the loneliness that sometimes comes with motherhood in Japan.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why It&#039;s Hard For Moms To Make Friends in Japan - Savvy Tokyo\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"For new moms, trying to make friends with other moms and to break free of the loneliness that sometimes comes with motherhood in Japan.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Savvy Tokyo\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/tokyosavvy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/atkumagai\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-09-22T23:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-1292210988.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1254\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"836\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Aspen Kumagai\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Aspen Kumagai\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Aspen Kumagai\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/#\/schema\/person\/d8835c541485f2bbbcdbee33185877b7\"},\"headline\":\"Why It&#8217;s Hard For Moms To Make Friends in Japan\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-09-22T23:00:00+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/\"},\"wordCount\":972,\"commentCount\":2,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-1292210988.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"mom friends\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Community Support\",\"Families\",\"Mamas\",\"Parenting\",\"Up Close &amp; Personal\",\"Wellness\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/\",\"name\":\"Why It's Hard For Moms To Make Friends in Japan - Savvy Tokyo\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-1292210988.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-09-22T23:00:00+00:00\",\"description\":\"For new moms, trying to make friends with other moms and to break free of the loneliness that sometimes comes with motherhood in Japan.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-1292210988.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-1292210988.jpg\",\"width\":1254,\"height\":836,\"caption\":\"Why It's Hard For Moms To Make Friends in Japan Cute Japanese baby and family\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Why It&#8217;s Hard For Moms To Make Friends in Japan\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/\",\"name\":\"Savvy Tokyo\",\"description\":\"The Essential Guide for International Women and Families in Tokyo\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Savvy Tokyo\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Asset-6Savvy-Tokyo-logo-watermark-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Asset-6Savvy-Tokyo-logo-watermark-logo.png\",\"width\":1000,\"height\":339,\"caption\":\"Savvy Tokyo\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/tokyosavvy\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/savvytokyo\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/savvytokyo\/\",\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/savvytokyo\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/#\/schema\/person\/d8835c541485f2bbbcdbee33185877b7\",\"name\":\"Aspen Kumagai\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/df64bf1f6332fcc60e275d08fae713ae6bf93c7e572294fcd762221ac6e3b379?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/df64bf1f6332fcc60e275d08fae713ae6bf93c7e572294fcd762221ac6e3b379?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Aspen Kumagai\"},\"description\":\"Aspen Kumagai is an author, stationery enthusiast and lover of all things fantasy. When she isn't in the kitchen with her son baking up a storm, she's either reading a book or writing one.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/atkumagai\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/80_kumagai\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/author\/aspen-kumagai\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Why It's Hard For Moms To Make Friends in Japan - Savvy Tokyo","description":"For new moms, trying to make friends with other moms and to break free of the loneliness that sometimes comes with motherhood in Japan.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Why It's Hard For Moms To Make Friends in Japan - Savvy Tokyo","og_description":"For new moms, trying to make friends with other moms and to break free of the loneliness that sometimes comes with motherhood in Japan.","og_url":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/","og_site_name":"Savvy Tokyo","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/tokyosavvy\/","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/atkumagai","article_published_time":"2025-09-22T23:00:00+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1254,"height":836,"url":"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-1292210988.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Aspen Kumagai","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Aspen Kumagai","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/"},"author":{"name":"Aspen Kumagai","@id":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/#\/schema\/person\/d8835c541485f2bbbcdbee33185877b7"},"headline":"Why It&#8217;s Hard For Moms To Make Friends in Japan","datePublished":"2025-09-22T23:00:00+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/"},"wordCount":972,"commentCount":2,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-1292210988.jpg","keywords":["mom friends"],"articleSection":["Community Support","Families","Mamas","Parenting","Up Close &amp; Personal","Wellness"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/","url":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/","name":"Why It's Hard For Moms To Make Friends in Japan - Savvy Tokyo","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-1292210988.jpg","datePublished":"2025-09-22T23:00:00+00:00","description":"For new moms, trying to make friends with other moms and to break free of the loneliness that sometimes comes with motherhood in Japan.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-1292210988.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iStock-1292210988.jpg","width":1254,"height":836,"caption":"Why It's Hard For Moms To Make Friends in Japan Cute Japanese baby and family"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/why-its-hard-for-moms-to-make-friends-in-japan\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Why It&#8217;s Hard For Moms To Make Friends in Japan"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/","name":"Savvy Tokyo","description":"The Essential Guide for International Women and Families in Tokyo","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/#organization","name":"Savvy Tokyo","url":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Asset-6Savvy-Tokyo-logo-watermark-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.savvytokyo.com\/app\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Asset-6Savvy-Tokyo-logo-watermark-logo.png","width":1000,"height":339,"caption":"Savvy Tokyo"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/tokyosavvy\/","https:\/\/x.com\/savvytokyo","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/savvytokyo\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/savvytokyo\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/#\/schema\/person\/d8835c541485f2bbbcdbee33185877b7","name":"Aspen Kumagai","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/df64bf1f6332fcc60e275d08fae713ae6bf93c7e572294fcd762221ac6e3b379?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/df64bf1f6332fcc60e275d08fae713ae6bf93c7e572294fcd762221ac6e3b379?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Aspen Kumagai"},"description":"Aspen Kumagai is an author, stationery enthusiast and lover of all things fantasy. When she isn't in the kitchen with her son baking up a storm, she's either reading a book or writing one.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/atkumagai","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/80_kumagai"],"url":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/author\/aspen-kumagai\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95040","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/241"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=95040"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95040\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":95248,"href":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95040\/revisions\/95248"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/95094"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=95040"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=95040"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=95040"},{"taxonomy":"promotion","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savvytokyo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/promotion?post=95040"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}