Quote:
Originally Posted by orlok
I was always appalled by the idea, until one of my staff had his marriage arranged for him by his parents. He said that for him, and his bride, it took away all the pressure of courtship and it's attendant perils, and he loved it.
I'm still not convinced, but for some it seems to work  . |
It also serves other purposes. The Japanese have a saying; 'Women are like Christmas Cake. After the 25th they are stale.' If a woman reaches her 25th birthday and hasn't found her true love, the opportunities to do so drop radically. There just isn't any place for older (30's and up) single people to meet and make new friends. It's not like the western countries where there are social events that can be attended, or singles outings, etc. Even church's cater to the couples and families rather than the singles.
To advance in the workplace, a man MUST be married and have a family. And few Japanese women want to have 'careers.' They want the freedom that being a wife and mother bring. Once the kids enter school, Mom has from 8am until about 7pm (or later) to do anything she wants... tennis lessons, golf lessons, flower arranging, meeting her girlfriends and going shopping or or just sitting in Starbucks chatting. She's only limited by her imagination, so long as she's home to make dinner for the kids. And actually, once the kids are in junior high (age 12 and up) they are going to 'juku' (after school and evening tutoring) so they can pass the entrance exams for high school and college. They don't get home again until 11pm. She's got plenty of money and plenty of time. All that's required of her is to make breakfast for husband and kids and get them out of the house, and make dinner for the kids. Most husbands don't get home until after 9 or 10, take a long bath and go to sleep.
Japan is a very different culture... It's a rare marriage that is about love. In Japan it's more about respect.
Stitchawl