New mothers know the struggle night time brings: A baby who refuses to sleep, the endless cries, and the overwhelming exhaustion it follows. Along with the personal struggles, there’s often a quiet anxiety of “disturbing” others. While it certainly isn’t something to feel guilty about, many mothers silently take the burden of worrying about waking up others.Now the Japanese have come up with a refuge for mothers who share a similar story and these refugees are called the overnight crying cafes.
What exactly are Japan’s overnight crying cafes
Overnight crying cafes are safe late-night spaces where parents can bring babies who are restless, crying, or unable to sleep. These cafes are created with keeping parents in mind. They often include nursing rooms, diaper-changing stations, soft play areas, sleeping corners for infants, and staff or volunteers who understand childcare.The biggest relief is that parents do not have to feel guilty for their baby crying.The concept comes from Yonakigoya, a manga by a cartoonist and mother that was published online in 2023. The titular “night-time crying house” is a space where overwhelmed mothers and babies can de-stress in the small hours.
Photo credit: Kyoda News/Yonakigoya
How the idea resonated with others
Madoka Nozawa, the owner of Oyako no Koya, an overnight crying cafe, struggled with sleepless nights when her infant daughter used to cry and her husband had to wake up early for work. While speaking to Japanese news outlet Kyodo News, Madoka said, “I want this to be a place of refuge where people can feel like they’re not alone in their struggles.”Madoka Nozawa’s overnight crying cafes has been operating since last October in Memuro, Hokkaido. The cafe specializes in French toasts in the morning and by 9pm it becomes an overnight crying cafe. In Nozawa’s cafe, there are areas for babies to crawl, changing tables for parents and nursing booths. Across the country there are several night time cafes. According to The Times, in Seto, Aichi Prefecture, a bookshop has monthly babies’ nights, from 8.30pm to midnight. It’s run by volunteers including a former nursery school teacher, a midwife and the director of a children’s art class.
Why mothers are loving these overnight crying cafes so much
A mother who spoke to the Chunichi Shimbun newspaper shared her experience and said, “While putting my children to sleep, I couldn’t move and felt completely overwhelmed.” Expressing how the overnight crying cafes are a help to her, she said, “There aren’t many people I can talk to casually about parenting yet, so a place like this is a real source of support.”That emotional support is perhaps the biggest reason these cafés are resonating with mothers, as parenting in the early months can become deeply isolating.
