戌の日

久しぶりアメバ！

Long time no blog!

It’s been almost a year,

and many, many things have happened!

We had our wedding at Meiji Jingu

And our honeymoon at Maldives

And now I’m pregnant!

I wanted to start a series about being pregnant here in Japan and my experience as a foreigner.

Yesterday, was inu no hi (戌の日) for me!

Inu no hi is an auspicious day in your 5th month of pregnancy, where you visit a shrine to be blessed for a safe pregnancy.

You can find a calendar for inu no hi days here.

I went to Suitengu (水天宮) in Tokyo, which is famous for pregnant women and children.

It’s where the god that protects children from drowning is enshrined.

We were lucky that it was also a day off

for Spring Equinox

It’s a small shrine and since it was an inu no hi that falls on a holiday, it was quite crowded.

To participate in the blessing for pregnant women, I was directed into a tent to sign up.

I wrote my name in Japanese and checked some boxes. I had to ask my husband and his mom for help

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19,

I had to go alone

but it was really simple and straightforward!

First, I went in and paid at the counter.

The Miko gave me a package and a ticketed number

The package had a bunch of gifts!

There were charms

and a traditional Japanese maternity belt that you have to wrap around your waist.

In Japan, they believe that keeping your bump wrapped and cozy keeps your baby warm and healthy. I usually just wear a haramaki,

but this maternity belt is really special!

After giving birth, you can turn the maternity belt into baby goods, like a dress or mittens

I also got cute sake in the shape of a dog!

But wait! I’m pregnant!

Don’t worry! It’s to be enjoyed after giving birth!

After the reception, I was directed down the stairs into a waiting room, where about 15 other moms-to-be were seated. They wrote my name on a piece of paper in pretty calligraphy and I sat and waited.

They called my number and I went with the group of women up into the shrine.

The ceremony was short and sweet,

only about 20 minutes long.

We sat down and kept our heads bowed as they chanted prayers and called our names in front of the god

Near the end, we also stood up,

bowed twice, clapped, and bowed.

When it was finished, I had to call my husband, who went to a cafe because he thought it would take a while

But then we went up together, threw money in, and prayed.

We also pet the famous mama dog and her pup

View this post on Instagram

The dog days are over 🎶 But here they come 🎵 . . The famous mama dog (inu) that you pet on inu no hi (戌の日) for a good pregnancy. It’s said that dogs have many puppies at a time, so they bring good fortune for delivery and fertility. . . . #戌の日 #ママコーデ #ママ #妊婦 #妊娠 #水天宮 #ママライフ #夫婦 #外人 #外国人

A post shared by Julia (@joo_ia) on Mar 20, 2020 at 2:15am PDT