Shufu in Japan

June 24, 2018

Dear Beautiful Soul.

How are you?

In Tokyo, the rainy season has started, also known as tsuyu, つゆ、梅雨. 梅 means plum, and 雨 means rain. So it literally means plum rain. It was named this because Japanese plums ripen in this season. Although it is the rainy season right now, it doesn’t mean that it rains every day.

The rainy season is known for its beautiful hydrangeas (see above upper left picture of a heart-shaped hydrangea, created by @tomo_74_ ) called 紫陽花 (あじさい, ajisai) which come in many colors. The most common colors are blue, white, pink, and purple.

Housewife, Shufu, 主婦

When I was a little girl I didn’t think about the idea of being a housewife in Japan. In Japanese, it is called a “shufu”, しゅふ, 主婦. 主 means chief, master and 婦 means woman, wife. I was only focusing on creating a great career. And have a beautiful home, nice car and so on.

However, my ideal life has changed a lot since my time as a little girl. When I was a student, I met a friend whose mom was at home. I started to like the idea, as being a mom at home. Her home was always so calm, and neat, and I always felt that her parents home had space for unexpected plans.

Later on, I had a boyfriend, whose mother also was a housewife. I had the same feeling when I entered their home. And my idea of staying at home became more and more a wish for my dream life.

In Japan, it is not rare that women take care of home solely, meaning they are not on the labor market. Many women also work only twice or three times a week, doing administrative jobs/café/less complex jobs. By offering these jobs in the society there is an acceptance of women who don’t necessarily wish a career or running a busy life.

When I came to Japan, I could immediately feel that women were less stressed in pursuing a career. In Denmark, I feel kind of pressure from the society in getting a great education and thereafter succeed in a job.

I am feeling so grateful that I got to experience life as a housewife in Japan. I realized that I really love staying home, and be able to do what you LOVE, and feeling a sense of peace, tranquillity, and aloneness. Things that I love doing are:

After my breakfast, I love to rest in my bed for 20 min and let my body digest the meal. I also meditate and align myself with the universe. It is really so wonderful.
In summertime in Japan, I also love to go for an early morning walk
I can rest my sweet body whenever it wants. And I think it is one the best thing, I have got to experience. I realize how important it is for me to be able to take a break, relax, inhale and exhale, and just be. It gives me so much new energy, and new ideas come easily and I know exactly what it is best for me to do in the next moment of my day. Try it!
Also, I love being able to have time to make a nice and healthy dinner, and maybe have prepared a delicious cake for dessert!
Having time to clean out things in our home that no longer serves us.
Spending time with my girlfriends during the daytime.