里帰り

• Reading: さとがえり
• Romaji: satogaeri
• Kanji breakdown: 里 (hometown/village) + 帰り (returning) → returning to one's hometown
• Pronunciation: /sa.to.ga.e.ri/

Meaning

Going back to one's hometown — especially during holidays, or a pregnant woman returning to her parents' home to give birth.

A warm, nostalgic term for returning to the place where you grew up. While commonly associated with Obon and New Year holidays, 里帰り also has a specific meaning in the context of pregnancy: a woman returning to her parents' home for the final weeks before and after childbirth, where her mother can help. In casual modern usage, it can also be used humorously for returning to any beloved place, like a favourite restaurant.

Examples

1. お正月は里帰りして地元の友達に会いたいな。 I want to go home for New Year's and see my friends from back home.
2. 里帰りするたびに地元の景色が変わってて寂しい。 Every time I go back, the scenery of my hometown has changed and it makes me a little sad.
3. 妻が出産前に里帰りするから一人暮らしになる。 My wife is going home for the birth, so I'll be living alone.

Usage Guide

Context: holidays, family conversations, pregnancy

Tone: nostalgic, warm

Do Say

• お盆に里帰りする予定ある？ (Are you planning to go home for Obon?)
• 里帰り出産で来月から実家にいるよ (I'll be at my parents' house from next month for a hometown birth)

Don't Say

• 故郷がない人に「里帰りしないの？」としつこく聞かない (Don't repeatedly ask someone who doesn't have a hometown 'aren't you going home?')

Common Mistakes

• Not knowing the pregnancy-related meaning of 里帰り出産 (satogaeri shussan, giving birth at one's parents' home)
• Using 里帰り for short visits — it implies a meaningful return to one's roots, not a quick trip

Origin & History

From 里 (sato, hometown/birthplace) + 帰り (kaeri, returning). The concept has deep cultural roots in Japan where hometown ties remain important even after moving to cities. The pregnancy-related usage reflects the traditional role of the maternal family in childbirth support.

Cultural Context

Era: Traditional concept, still central to Japanese holiday culture

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. A core part of Obon and New Year traditions, especially for people who moved from rural areas to cities.