A growing number of late-night cafes across Japan are opening their doors to mothers struggling with babies who will not stop crying, offering a rare refuge during the most isolating hours of parenting. The idea of a “nighttime crying cafe”, which appeared in an online comic nearly a decade ago, first resonated with readers and is now gaining real-world traction as spaces inspired by that vision are spreading under small, community-led initiatives. The creator of the original concept said she had once doubted it could be realised, adding that it was encouraging to see people taking action. On a January night in the northern Japan town of Memuro in Hokkaido, a faint glow could be seen from a French toast speciality shop near the railway station, despite it being past 9pm on a day the shop is usually closed. Inside, a mother and child in loungewear rested quietly. The shop has been open free of charge from 9pm on Sundays until 6am the following morning since October last year, welcoming mothers coping with nighttime crying. People walk down the street to a cafe in Tokyo at the end of the work day on Friday. Photo: AFPIt is run by 28-year-old owner Madoka Nozawa, who named the space Oyako no Koya, or Parent and Child’s House. With the help of female volunteer staff, she watches over children and listens to mothers’ concerns.