Arranged Marriages

Although the number of formally “arranged” marriages continues to decline, it is by no means rare today—it is just as hard for an overworked woman in a Japanese company to meet a potential spouse as it is for her American counterpart. And so, even as new forms of the “arrangement” process such as dating services and “matchmaker” companies have also come onto the scene, the traditional way of introducing couples to each other through an omiai continues as well. You can read about some of these aspects of marriage in contemporary Japan at these sites.

One woman's description of her own experience with omiai

A number of articles on relationships in Japan

The Changing Face of Marriage in Japan


Search the web for more information on Arranged Marriages.


This site is intended as a support tool for the interactive DVD version of The Yamaguchi Story. The DVD is available free of cost; for information on ordering please click here.