Anna / Soft Survival in Japan

Raising kids in Japan as a foreign single mom. Still tired. Still soft. Still cute. Here, I write about Japanese school life, city hall, loneliness, money, beauty, fashion, and the quiet work of becoming myself again.

Launched a month ago

Foreign single mom in Japan. Raising kids, decoding school papers, wearing cute outfits, and pretending I know what I’m doing. Soft survival, tiny chaos, emotional support lipstick.

Posts

[Jun 21, 2026]

I’m studying more now than I did back when I was actually a student. No experience, no knowledge? Then there’s only one answer: do the reps.

[Jun 19, 2026]

何歳になっても”かわいい”は大切♡

“母”であるけど、その前に私は”私”だし、”母親らしさ”も大事だけど、”私らしさ”が1番大事。

モチベ上げて今日も頑張ろ！

[Jun 19, 2026]

Home-cooked dinner tonight.

Not fancy. Not restaurant food.

But somehow, food made at home always tastes the best. Maybe love is the secret seasoning.

[Jun 14, 2026]

My daughter’s birthday is next week, so I gave her a dresser as an early present.

I built it from zero, which means I now have sore hands, emotional damage from the instructions, and a deep respect for furniture makers. But it’s done. I hope she uses this little space to get ready, dream, smile, and become the lovely young lady she is growing into. I love you, my girl.

[Jun 7, 2026]

My daughter has entrance exams next year. And lately, I keep thinking about something I don’t have a clear answer to.

Love matters. Of course it does. But money matters too. Support matters. A wider path matters.

[Jun 7, 2026]

ありがとうございます！

[Jun 7, 2026]

My daughter made chocolate chunk cookies for snack time today! They were sooo good! 🍪✨

[Jun 5, 2026]

My son went on a school trip to Kamakura the other day. He bought me a little academic success charm because I’m trying to pass exams this year. For his sister, he bought a love charm. Very strategic. Very thoughtful. Slightly hilarious. I love his sweet little heart so much. Now I have no choice but to study properly, because apparently my son has officially invested in my future.

[Jun 5, 2026]

It’s Fridayyyyy! Otsukaresama deshita, everyone!!

[Jun 5, 2026]

Working mom question.

My daughter and son are in different schools now, so school events keep multiplying like very polite little monsters. I sometimes need to take days off for parent meetings, events, family things… and even though I understand it’s inconvenient, I still wish I didn’t have to feel so guilty every time.

[Jun 3, 2026]

There aren’t really any people I know in real life here, which honestly feels kind of nice. I don’t have to overthink every little thing like, “What will people think if I write this?” So I want this to be a place where I can write about the things I’ve secretly wanted to talk about for a long time — the things I’m feeling now, the random thoughts in my head, and whatever feels true to me in the moment.