Matcha Mum's

What is it really like navigating children's healthcare in Japan as an international parent?

From our son's four-month health check in Yokohama to continuing his German vaccinations in Japan, I'm sharing our personal experiences with the Japanese healthcare system.

We talk about regular baby checkups, vaccination schedules, pediatrician visits, health insurance, and some unexpected differences between Japan and Germany — including BCG vaccination, vitamin D, and the challenges of navigating medical appointments in Japanese.

Whether you're raising children in Japan or preparing to move here with your family, I hope our experiences help you fe...

I thought I knew Japan until I became a mum! 🇯🇵

After living in Japan for years, motherhood introduced me to a completely different side of the country. Some things genuinely amazed me, while others left me confused or even frustrated.

In this episode of Matcha Mum’s, I share 12 unexpected discoveries about raising kids in Japan—from the surprising warmth of strangers towards babies and incredibly family-friendly shopping malls to healthy daycare meals, strict Hoikuen adjustment periods, and cultural expectations around parenting.

A personal look at motherhood, Japanese culture, and everyday family life through th...

Postpartum Care in Japan: The First Months for Mum, Baby & Family

What happens after you leave the hospital with your newborn in Japan?

In this episode, I’m looking at the first months postpartum from three perspectives: Mum, Baby and Family.

Using Yokohama as an example, we’ll talk about postpartum and baby health checks, home visits, vaccinations, and the support available for new families — from professional Mother & Baby Care to practical help at home.

Because one thing I learned while researching this episode is that there is actually a lot of sup...

Is flying with a baby really as stressful as everyone says? In my experience, the baby stage might actually be the easy part.

We’re back in Japan! And after flying from Germany to Japan with my three-month-old baby, I’m sharing what I’ve learned from years of flying between the two countries with my children.

From bassinets and breastfeeding to sticker books, snacks and screen time — what you need on a 14-hour flight changes completely as your child grows. I’ve flown with my daughter from around 11 months old to four years old, often on m...

Returning to Japan with a Newborn: Passports, Paperwork & Citizenship

What does it actually take to move to Japan with a newborn who was born abroad?

☕ Welcome back to Matcha Mum’s — a podcast about raising kids and navigating family life in Japan as an international family.

In this episode, I’m sharing our experience of returning to Japan with our three-month-old son after giving birth in Germany. From getting his German birth certificate and passport to registering his birth in Japan and Japanese citizenship including what didn’t go according to plan and why I reco...

My guest of of this episode is with Katheryn Gronauer: executive coach, corporate trainer, and founder of the Tokyo-based networking community Leadership Latte. Her work focuses on supporting professionals through transitions, from career shifts to leadership growth.

This conversation explores her personal transition into motherhood while running her own business.

Katheryn shares what it really looked like to navigate pregnancy, self-funded maternity leave, and the pressure to maintain business momentum as a solo entrepreneur. She speaks openly about the gap between expectations and reality and how quickly plans can fall apart once a child arrives.<...

What is it really like to give birth in Japan as an international parent?

In this episode of Matcha Mum's, I'm joined by Tracey Northcott, who has called Japan home for more than 25 years. Together, we look back on her journey through pregnancy, childbirth, and the first weeks of motherhood in Japan.

Tracey shares her personal experience of navigating the Japanese healthcare system, the moments that surprised her, and the practical realities that came after her son was born. From the importance of finding a supportive community to handling paperwork for a two-week-old...

In this episode of Matcha Mum's, we explore what childbirth in Japan is really like: from choosing the right hospital or maternity clinic to creating a birth plan, understanding the role of midwives and doulas, and navigating the postpartum period.

In this episode, we cover:

• The different birth options in Japan: private clinics, public hospitals, university hospitals, and international hospitals

• How to choose the right facility for your pregnancy and priorities

• The role of midwives and doulas in Japan

• What a birth plan is and how Japanese hospitals approach birth pr...

What is it really like to navigate pregnancy in Japan?

In this first episode of my Japan pregnancy series, I share my personal experience with the Japanese prenatal care system—from the first positive pregnancy test to completing my check-ups at 35 weeks.

Along the way, I explain how the system works, what surprised me, and some of the cultural differences I noticed.

In this episode, we cover:

• Registering your pregnancy and receiving the Boshi Techo (Maternal & Child Health Handbook)

• The maternity mark and public transport culture

• Fi...

In this episode of Matcha Moms, I’m speaking with Katie Hurd — coach, entrepreneur, and mother of two — about the realities of building a business while raising children in Japan.

Katie shares her journey from corporate life into entrepreneurship, what it was like to grow a business during maternity leave, and how her life and work changed after becoming a single mother of two sons.

We talk openly about the challenges behind the scenes: navigating the Japanese childcare system as a self-employed mother, balancing financial pressure and family life, creating structure in eve...

In this episode, I explore what research really says about raising bilingual and multilingual children and how it compares to our own experience raising a German-Japanese child in Japan. We talk about common myths, language dominance, daycare, a third language, and why language development is often less about exposure and more about relationships, interaction, and everyday life.

Key learnings in this episode:

In this episode, I’m speaking with Denitsa, founder of Wabi Tabi, a holistic health and wellness practice rooted in the idea of balance. As a certified Macrobiotic Health Coach, she combines principles of Eastern healing, nutrition, and mindful living to support individuals in creating sustainable well-being. Originally from Europe and now based in Tokyo, Denitsa brings a cross-cultural perspective to health, family life, and personal growth. Her work is deeply influenced by the philosophy of finding simplicity and authenticity in everyday life.

What we talk about:

What changes once you have a baby in Japan?

In this episode of Matcha Mums, I talk about everyday family infrastructure in the Tokyo area — from navigating trains with a stroller to baby rooms in shopping malls, child-friendly restaurants, and hidden playgrounds across the city.

I also highlight Kosodate Hiroba (Child-Rearing Support Centers) — free community spaces where parents with young children can meet, play, and get advice from childcare professionals.

This episode is especially helpful for:

How does the childcare system in Japan work? In this episode, I explain the main types of childcare facilities and how parents apply for daycare. I walk through the differences between Hoikuen, Yōchien, and Nintei Kodomoen and private daycare options.

I also share our personal experience applying for daycare, including the point system, the application timeline, and what daily life in a Japanese daycare looks like.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

Moving countries is one thing. Moving countries with a small child while working full-time across time zones is something else entirely.

In this first episode, I share our story of returning to Japan as a family: arriving in February 2024, starting work immediately, bridging two months without childcare, and navigating the cultural shock of Japanese nursery life.

I talk about:

Welcome to Matcha Mum’s, a podcast about raising children in Japan as an international family.

Matcha Mum’s explores the everyday realities of parenting in a different country, understanding the Japanese system for families, and creating balance between career and home.

This podcast is a space for honest reflections, personal experiences, and conversations about what it means to raise children between cultures.

You can expect: