Housework During Long Holidays Like GW: 47.3% of Homemakers Find It 'Harder Than Usual'
A survey by Shufu JOB Research Institute revealed that nearly half of homemakers feel an increased burden of housework during long holidays. 76.7% support the idea of 'cutting corners' for efficiency, with frozen foods being the most popular tool.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 23, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 24, 2026 at 03:17 (16h 45m after Collected)
Shufu JOB Research Institute (operated by b-style holdings Inc., Tokyo; CEO: Kunihiko Mihara), which examines the realities of homemakers seeking a balance between work and family, conducted a survey on 'Long Holidays and Cutting Corners in Housework.' (Total valid responses: 459)
### Survey Summary
1. 34.4% like housework, while 29.9% dislike it.
2. 47.3% say housework becomes 'harder than usual' during long holidays like Golden Week (GW).
3. Comparison of holiday housework difficulty between 2026 and 2023.
4. Impression of the phrase 'cutting corners' (te-nuki): 51.4% feel it is 'neither good nor bad.'
5. View on cutting corners: 76.7% believe 'it is sometimes necessary.'
6. Tools used for efficiency: 'Frozen foods' topped the list at 63.0%.
### Participant Insights (Quotes)
- 'During GW or New Year holidays, when my husband is home thinking part-time work is just play, preparing meals is exhausting. It would be so much easier with just me and the kids.' (50s, Part-time)
- 'I use two automated cooking appliances. Cleanup is easy and efficient; I can't imagine life without them.' (40s, Full-time)
- 'Housework is often taken for granted, but it's a series of small, nameless tasks that consume mental and physical energy. It can feel heavy when balancing it with work.' (50s, Part-time)
- 'Drying and folding laundry takes too much time. Since this can't be fully automated, I have to power through manually.' (40s, Freelance)
- 'The burden of housework and childcare falls on women. There is no rest even after coming home. I envy men who can rest once they return.' (50s, Part-time)
- 'My family actively helps with chores, so I don't feel much of a burden. Thanks to my husband and son's cooperation, I can stay positive.' (40s, Currently not working)
- 'In the past, it might have been called laziness, but now efficiency is key. It's a better era!' (50s, Dispatch worker)
- 'The neighborhood associations still assume there's one full-time housewife per household. The systems haven't changed with the times. I want them to adapt for dual-income couples.' (40s, Part-time)
- 'The burden isn't the chores themselves, but the lack of understanding or division of roles. Teaching them how to help is an additional burden.' (50s, Currently not working)
- 'With three children, meal prep and laundry are massive and difficult.' (40s, Contract worker)
- 'After work, I'm torn between being too tired to cook and feeling I must for health reasons.' (50s, Dispatch worker)
- 'I want to finish laundry quickly on my own schedule, but it's hard to do so when I have to follow the family's pace.' (40s, Dispatch worker)
- 'If pet care is part of housework, automatic feeders and cameras are very helpful. For me, housework causes rough skin, which is hard to manage even with gloves and cream.' (50s, Freelance)
- 'The burden of never being liberated from the daily grind.' (60s, Contract worker)
- 'I want to spend more time working, but family circumstances force me to do housework. I feel burdened by not being able to work as I wish.' (40s, Freelance)
- 'My kids help more as they grow older, but they don't see it as their own responsibility. It would be easier if everyone managed their own belongings.' (50s, Dispatch worker)
### Survey Summary
1. 34.4% like housework, while 29.9% dislike it.
2. 47.3% say housework becomes 'harder than usual' during long holidays like Golden Week (GW).
3. Comparison of holiday housework difficulty between 2026 and 2023.
4. Impression of the phrase 'cutting corners' (te-nuki): 51.4% feel it is 'neither good nor bad.'
5. View on cutting corners: 76.7% believe 'it is sometimes necessary.'
6. Tools used for efficiency: 'Frozen foods' topped the list at 63.0%.
### Participant Insights (Quotes)
- 'During GW or New Year holidays, when my husband is home thinking part-time work is just play, preparing meals is exhausting. It would be so much easier with just me and the kids.' (50s, Part-time)
- 'I use two automated cooking appliances. Cleanup is easy and efficient; I can't imagine life without them.' (40s, Full-time)
- 'Housework is often taken for granted, but it's a series of small, nameless tasks that consume mental and physical energy. It can feel heavy when balancing it with work.' (50s, Part-time)
- 'Drying and folding laundry takes too much time. Since this can't be fully automated, I have to power through manually.' (40s, Freelance)
- 'The burden of housework and childcare falls on women. There is no rest even after coming home. I envy men who can rest once they return.' (50s, Part-time)
- 'My family actively helps with chores, so I don't feel much of a burden. Thanks to my husband and son's cooperation, I can stay positive.' (40s, Currently not working)
- 'In the past, it might have been called laziness, but now efficiency is key. It's a better era!' (50s, Dispatch worker)
- 'The neighborhood associations still assume there's one full-time housewife per household. The systems haven't changed with the times. I want them to adapt for dual-income couples.' (40s, Part-time)
- 'The burden isn't the chores themselves, but the lack of understanding or division of roles. Teaching them how to help is an additional burden.' (50s, Currently not working)
- 'With three children, meal prep and laundry are massive and difficult.' (40s, Contract worker)
- 'After work, I'm torn between being too tired to cook and feeling I must for health reasons.' (50s, Dispatch worker)
- 'I want to finish laundry quickly on my own schedule, but it's hard to do so when I have to follow the family's pace.' (40s, Dispatch worker)
- 'If pet care is part of housework, automatic feeders and cameras are very helpful. For me, housework causes rough skin, which is hard to manage even with gloves and cream.' (50s, Freelance)
- 'The burden of never being liberated from the daily grind.' (60s, Contract worker)
- 'I want to spend more time working, but family circumstances force me to do housework. I feel burdened by not being able to work as I wish.' (40s, Freelance)
- 'My kids help more as they grow older, but they don't see it as their own responsibility. It would be easier if everyone managed their own belongings.' (50s, Dispatch worker)