Welcome to the next installment of Voyapon’s My Japan series, in which we introduce you to our more or less everyday lives in the land of the rising sun.
I’m Yvonne, the German editor and creative assistant of Voyapon. And today, I would like to give you an insight into a week of my small German-Japanese family, located in Tokyo. Join me for a week in my life, between normal working days, the chaotic stress of everyday life and the great adventure of “We’re having a baby!”
Monday
Our Monday starts off in a fairly normal way. Since my husband is a typical Japanese salaryman, he has to get up early and I usually prepare breakfast. We often eat the leftovers from the night before because it’s quicker and my husband prefers a Japanese breakfast. A typical western breakfast with bread that my mother sends us from Germany is usually served on weekends. That’s why our Monday starts this time with filled aburaage with egg and mochi on rice. A simple and quick but very tasty dish! Of course, a salad and yogurt with fruits are a must as well.
While my husband has to go to the office every day, I am lucky enough to be able to work from home as a freelancer. On Mondays, I usually work for a German news agency and therefore don’t have to start until 2pm. I often use the mornings for short walks in our nearby park. It leads directly to Tokyo Skytree and has become a small oasis of well-being for me in the middle of the big city.
Even though we have been living in this neighborhood for over two years now, it still seems unreal to me sometimes when I enjoy the view of Skytree on a sunny day like today. Could I ever have imagined living in a big city like Tokyo? To be honest — no!
But enough philosophizing, it’s time to work. So I go back home and sit down at my laptop to get in touch with my colleague. We quickly find a topic for the first article of the day and I start writing. On days like this I usually write three or four articles about news from around the world before I finish work at around 6pm. On some days it happens that I have to work longer, but luckily all my colleagues are here today and I can finish on time.
My husband usually comes home shortly after 6pm and we often prepare dinner together before spending a cozy evening on the sofa. Currently we are watching the fourth season of Supernatural together. Pure nostalgia!
Tuesday
On Tuesdays, my husband and I both go to the office. That’s when I usually work all day for Voyapon and meet my colleagues in our new office, near Hibiya Park. Our office moved this summer, which has also changed my commute.
Shortly after 9am I take the metro and have to change at Otemachi. Of course, I end up in the middle of rush hour, which isn’t exactly pleasant. Especially not with the baby bump slowly starting to appear. Our offspring must be enjoying the metro ride, though, because while I’m standing in the crowded metro, the little creature inside me is doing somersaults.
As a pregnant woman in Japan, you usually receive a tag for your bag that shows people around you that you are expecting a child and that you can use priority seats. But let’s be honest, during rush hour nobody pays attention to this and everyone is happy if they can snag a seat. Luckily, the ride to the office doesn’t take long and shortly afterwards I’m already greeting my colleagues.
I love the view from our new office. It’s a co-working space with modern facilities and gives us the opportunity to do work in a comfortable environment. A working day here just flies by. And so it’s time to go home again shortly after 5pm.
Wednesday
Just like on Mondays, I work for the German company on Wednesdays as well. However, this morning I don’t have time to go for a walk in our park. The evening before, my husband put the closet together for our baby and I’m already putting the first baby clothes away. During our summer vacation in Germany, my mother, my sister-in-law and I bought tons of clothes for our baby. We simply couldn’t resist! And so that they don’t have to stay in the suitcase, my husband bought a closet a few days before.
Otherwise, my Wednesday is very uneventful. Since some colleagues have called in sick, I have to work a little longer in the evening, which is why we decide to have a simple dinner. So while we watch Supernatural again, we have rice with natto, kimchi and salad for dinner.
Thursday
Good morning Thursday! Today I’m going to the office again to work for Voyapon and to meet my colleagues. And of course, also today I’m cursing the rush hour and the overcrowded metro, but I’m surrendering to my fate and trying to make the best out of it.
For lunch, I brought a homemade bento with me. As a vegetarian, the options in the konbini aren’t that great, so I prefer to prepare my own food. For today, I made tamagoyaki (Japanese omelet) and sauted soy meat with onions and komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach).
Friday
Friday starts off a little stressful, as I have to work on various tasks for Voyapon and some projects in the morning. So this time, too, I can’t go for a walk in the park, as I’ll be working on the tasks for the projects until just before 2pm and then continue working for my German client.
While a year ago my husband and I would have gone out on a Friday night and started the weekend at an izakaya, this Friday we are spending it relaxing at home. Our Saturday is already completely planned, which is why we go to bed quite early.
Weekend
Our Saturday starts at 7am because today we are going to a shrine for the so-called Inu no Hi (戌の日). On this special day, women in Japan who are five months pregnant go to a shrine with their partner and family to pray for a safe childbirth.
So this morning we are going to the Kameido Tenjin Shrine, which is known for its wisteria from mid-April to early May, depending on the temperature. There we register in the reception building and pay the fee of 5,000 yen. We are a small group of four couples who are accompanied by a priest into the interior of the shrine, where he recites various sutras.
Our day doesn’t end there, however, because in the evening we go to our local bon odori matsuri. Dressed in yukata, we greet friends from the neighborhood and dance together until late in the evening to popular bon odori songs such as Yagibushi (八木節) and Tokyo Ondo (東京音頭).
The festival continues into Sunday, too. This time, however, with the carrying of the mikoshi or portable shrine. While last year my husband and I carried the mikoshi together, this year I am just walking with a few other women. This time the tour goes through our neighborhood. The atmosphere is great, lots of people stop at the side of the road and take photos of us while the men carry the mikoshi, which can weigh up to 1.5 tons.
We take breaks every now and then, during which we are given cold water and tea. I already have a feeling that my husband will be sore the next day — because that’s how it was last year! Nevertheless, it‘s the crowning conclusion to a strenuous but equally beautiful week.
