Marriage in Japan

• Traditional
• Modern
• Western

Traditional

• Typically, only the male works outside the home, while housekeeping, cooking, raising the children, etc. is reserved for the wife.
• The most important time for a housewife is “giving birth.”
• The eldest son is viewed as the future keeper of the house.

Modern

• Marriages are chosen by the couple rather than arranged by the parents. Women have more power in the home, are able to socialize more, can file for divorce, and can even have an occupation.
• However, in most cases, the wives will still stay at home and care for children and the home, while the husband works all day to provide for his family.

Western

• The term “Housewife” is almost non-existent. Both the husband and wife will partake in household chores, including cooking and cleaning.
• Both the husband and wife may have occupations.
• Fathers will usually play a larger role in the raising of the children compared to the Traditional or Modern husband.

Problems with Marriage

• Wives often complain about how house-trained their husbands are NOT.
• Wives often have to wake up early to make breakfast for their husbands, and stay up late to make dinner for when they return home.
• Sean McAllister stated “the women are accused of hanging around cafes with each other moaning about being bored… the husbands are accused of never being there, of always being tired.”
• Many single women actually think that the husband in a marriage has it hard, while the wife gets off easy.
• Many wives consider marriage a “duty,” often being loveless and sexless. Often, the wife will find out that their husband has a mistress, but will not challenge him.

Divorce

• Much more accepted now than 50 years ago.
• Wives often wait to file for divorce until all of the children have left the home and finished college, in order to prevent any negative effect on the offspring.
• Wives will now wait for husbands to receive their pension checks, then divorce and take half of the money.

Sources

http://tenfootfilms.blogspot.com/

http://www.asij.ac.jp/middle/ac/ss/8ah/hypertokyo/1999/p3e/tomoyo2.htm

(Jesse Pitstick and Matt York have their own sources and their own material)