How to get Married in Japan
I suppose I should tell you about the day we were married. I wanted to get married on Halloween since it's my favorite holiday because Taka said I could pick the day. Unfortunately the City Hall was closed that day and the day before so I picked the 29th instead. We were both unemployed at the time and didn't have much money so any kind of real fancy wedding was out. I had invited two friends of mine from the US to come but only one of them was able to but at least I had one friend with me to share the day.
In the days leading up to that day we didn't really talk about it much. His parents never mentioned it all so I was worried that it wasn't going to come true. I kept asking Kristin if she thought it was serious or just talk. I would have been mad if I sold everything I owned to come to Japan for no reason. I am a worrier though. I worry about all kinds of things that haven't happened yet and probably won't. I know it's a bad habit but I can't quite break it. I can stress myself out in 10 seconds flat if I try.
The morning of the 29th I woke up full of apprehension and Taka didn't say much, he just came back dressed really nice and asked me if I was ready. I just wore a nice shirt and pants and tried to do my make up extra special. The three of us geared up for an interesting day. I was so nervous I thought I was going to throw up.
Marriage in Japan:
U.S. Embassy in Tokyo Address:
1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420 JAPAN
(03) 3224-5000 (general switchboard)
(03) 5354-4033 (visa information)
If you wish to marry in Japan, you will do so according to Japanese law. Marriage in Japan consists of a civil marriage registration by the couple at a Japanese municipal government office.
Only this civil registration constitutes a legal marriage in Japan. Ceremonies performed by religious or fraternal bodies in Japan, while perhaps more meaningful for you, are not legal marriages.Consular officers unfortunately cannot perform marriages.
There are just a few things you'll need to do to get married. Let's get started!
Article 731 to 737 of the Japanese Civil Code stipulates the following requirements:
The male partner must be 18 years ofage or older and the female partner must be 16 years of age or older.
In addition, for Americans, you must be able to legally marry in your home state; if the legal age of marriage at home is 18, you cannot marry earlier than that in Japan.
A woman cannot get married within six months of the dissolution of her previous marriage. According to Japanese law, this is to avoid confusion as to the identification of a child's father if a birth occurs close in time to the end of the marriage.
Most people related by blood, by adoption or through other marriages cannot get married in Japan.
A person who is under 20 years of age cannot get married in Japan without a parent's approval.
Japanese law requires all foreigners who marry in Japan to first prepare a sworn Affidavit of Competency to Marry (Konin Yoken Gubi Shomeisho 婚姻要件具備証明書)(the "scrambled text" displays the form's name in Japanese if your computer is set up with Japanese fonts), affirming they are legally free to marry, from their own country's embassy or consulate in Japan.
You can download a blank affidavit form.This form is for use with one American partner and one non-American, such as when an American man marries a Japanese woman. The form has two parts, one to be completed in English and the other to be completed in Japanese.
If your partner is also an American s/he must also complete a sworn Affidavit of Competency to Marry at the Embassy. Use this form in cases of two American people marrying one another. The form has two parts, one to be completed in English and the other to be completed in Japanese.
These forms are required by Japanese law, and are not a requirement of the U.S. Government. No registration of your legal marriage abroad is required by the U.S. Government, and your Japanese partner need not come to our offices.
After completing the affidavit, please visit our offices with your valid U.S. passport and the $30 notarial fee (we accept cash, US$ or Japanese Yen). Sorry, but we cannot accept checks at any of our offices in Japan.
At the Embassy in Tokyo and our Consulates in Osaka and Naha you may also pay using your VISA, Mastercard, Discover, Diners Club or American Express card.
For the Japanese Partner...
The Affidavit of Competency to Marry you completed needs to be translated into Japanese, along with your parents' consent, if you are underage. Your Japanese partner must also complete a Japanese municipal government form called the Kon-in Todoke needed to register a marriage.
Two witnesses of any nationality over 20 years old must sign the Kon-in Todoke. Our staff cannot translate or prepare these documents.
Generally non-Japanese witnesses will sign in longhand, while Japanese, Korean and Chinese national witnesses may be asked for their seal (Inkan 印鑑)
The Japanese Government and/or the local municipal office may also have other requirements for your partner; please check with the appropriate municipal office. Typically, Japanese citizens will require a certified copy of their family register (Koseki Tohon 戸籍謄本) or its extract (Koseki Shohon 戸籍抄本) issued within a month of the marriage.
Get Married
This is the part of this whole procedure that actually makes you and your partner "married."
Once all the paperwork above is completed, proceed to the appropriate Japanese municipal government office. To avoid any disappointment, be sure to confirm local marriage procedures and rules directly with municipal government officials.
Once the marriage procedures are completed, the municipal government office issues a Japanese language "Certificate of Acceptance of Notification of Marriage" (Kon-in Todoke Juri Shomeisho) for 350 yen each.
That's it-- Congratulations!
(Taken from the US Government Embassy in Tokyo, Japan website)
Now Back to Our Story:
Everything says you can get married in one day. It is possible though it can be aggravating and tiring. First we went to city hall in Taka's town and filled out paperwork and paid some fees. Then off to Tokyo!!
It was about a half an hour drive to the embassy then we had to find parking and pay for that. Then go through the metal detectors and guards into a very bleak interior where there were alot of confusing windows and signs. I was super confused. We finally sorted out the paper work we needed and paid some more fees. I was operating in a fog at this point since it seemed like I couldnt understand anything anyone said to me. They kept asking me why I wanted to get married. I really didn't have an answer for that because anything I said would have come out sarcastic. Like "DUH we love each other" or "Because I want to use his Playstation 2 more conviently" We did all this traveling and paperwork so far but we stilllll weren't married. Back for another half an hour drive to City hall again.
Allright! more paperwork, more signatures, more strange looks. We are an odd couple to begin with I suppose but in the US it doesn't stand out as much as it does here. If I was someone else I would be thinking "There's a green card marriage right there" I had my camera with me this whole time and didn't even think to take a picture, That's how wigged out I was.
Back to Tokyo again to the embassy. There was some mix up in security with the water I was carrying and they took my camera away. There was alot of people waiting in the room to get visas to the US. The consulate head guy there finally signed the paper that said we were officially married and he said "Congratulations" and I just gave him a blank look and asked "For what?" Seriously, I was that confused. He just stared at me oddly for a moment and replied "on your new marriage" I said "OHHHHHH ya, thanks" and we headed out the door. Then back to City Hall where there was more stuff to do and they said they would send out our marriage certificate in the mail.
We kissed, Kristin said congratulations and that was that. What a romantic wedding day. What every girl dreams of. Taka took us out to eat at his favorite restaurant and I was kind of grumpy because Kristin was arguing with me over vegetables. Taka just looked shell shocked. Then we went to an arcade and played some games and I went into a store by myself and was slightly depressed. It wasn't at all what I expected my marriage to be like and to this day maybe I get a little jealous of girls who get to have the nice wedding where all their friends come and its beautiful. I suppose I shouldnt complain though since I married the person I love and I get to share my life with him forever now. A ceremony is just a added bonus. I appreciate that I did have one friend there.
On the ride back home he asked me to take his last name and I said I would. There it was. Now I have to be a wife. A new role I never thought I would get. His parents were home and didn't say a thing to me. I think maybe the wierdest part of the whole procedure is none of his family and none of his friends were there and they were right here in the same town. It made it seem even more unreal. His family ignoring it was the worst. We live with them! I don't think in the beginning they were very happy with me.
Another funny thing was even though I had my camera with me the entire day, I completely forgot to take pictures and no one else took pictures so we have no pictures of us getting married. Kristin took two of them later at night after we got home and changed but nothing else.
It took us a long time to get used to being married. I was used to living alone and he is used to being a coddled young man so we both had issues to work out. It was hard but it can be done if you try hard enough.
Anyway, and that's how it happened. I swear!
In the days leading up to that day we didn't really talk about it much. His parents never mentioned it all so I was worried that it wasn't going to come true. I kept asking Kristin if she thought it was serious or just talk. I would have been mad if I sold everything I owned to come to Japan for no reason. I am a worrier though. I worry about all kinds of things that haven't happened yet and probably won't. I know it's a bad habit but I can't quite break it. I can stress myself out in 10 seconds flat if I try.
The morning of the 29th I woke up full of apprehension and Taka didn't say much, he just came back dressed really nice and asked me if I was ready. I just wore a nice shirt and pants and tried to do my make up extra special. The three of us geared up for an interesting day. I was so nervous I thought I was going to throw up.
Marriage in Japan:
U.S. Embassy in Tokyo Address:
1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420 JAPAN
(03) 3224-5000 (general switchboard)
(03) 5354-4033 (visa information)
If you wish to marry in Japan, you will do so according to Japanese law. Marriage in Japan consists of a civil marriage registration by the couple at a Japanese municipal government office.
Only this civil registration constitutes a legal marriage in Japan. Ceremonies performed by religious or fraternal bodies in Japan, while perhaps more meaningful for you, are not legal marriages.Consular officers unfortunately cannot perform marriages.
There are just a few things you'll need to do to get married. Let's get started!
Article 731 to 737 of the Japanese Civil Code stipulates the following requirements:
The male partner must be 18 years ofage or older and the female partner must be 16 years of age or older.
In addition, for Americans, you must be able to legally marry in your home state; if the legal age of marriage at home is 18, you cannot marry earlier than that in Japan.
A woman cannot get married within six months of the dissolution of her previous marriage. According to Japanese law, this is to avoid confusion as to the identification of a child's father if a birth occurs close in time to the end of the marriage.
Most people related by blood, by adoption or through other marriages cannot get married in Japan.
A person who is under 20 years of age cannot get married in Japan without a parent's approval.
Japanese law requires all foreigners who marry in Japan to first prepare a sworn Affidavit of Competency to Marry (Konin Yoken Gubi Shomeisho 婚姻要件具備証明書)(the "scrambled text" displays the form's name in Japanese if your computer is set up with Japanese fonts), affirming they are legally free to marry, from their own country's embassy or consulate in Japan.
You can download a blank affidavit form.This form is for use with one American partner and one non-American, such as when an American man marries a Japanese woman. The form has two parts, one to be completed in English and the other to be completed in Japanese.
If your partner is also an American s/he must also complete a sworn Affidavit of Competency to Marry at the Embassy. Use this form in cases of two American people marrying one another. The form has two parts, one to be completed in English and the other to be completed in Japanese.
These forms are required by Japanese law, and are not a requirement of the U.S. Government. No registration of your legal marriage abroad is required by the U.S. Government, and your Japanese partner need not come to our offices.
After completing the affidavit, please visit our offices with your valid U.S. passport and the $30 notarial fee (we accept cash, US$ or Japanese Yen). Sorry, but we cannot accept checks at any of our offices in Japan.
At the Embassy in Tokyo and our Consulates in Osaka and Naha you may also pay using your VISA, Mastercard, Discover, Diners Club or American Express card.
For the Japanese Partner...
The Affidavit of Competency to Marry you completed needs to be translated into Japanese, along with your parents' consent, if you are underage. Your Japanese partner must also complete a Japanese municipal government form called the Kon-in Todoke needed to register a marriage.
Two witnesses of any nationality over 20 years old must sign the Kon-in Todoke. Our staff cannot translate or prepare these documents.
Generally non-Japanese witnesses will sign in longhand, while Japanese, Korean and Chinese national witnesses may be asked for their seal (Inkan 印鑑)
The Japanese Government and/or the local municipal office may also have other requirements for your partner; please check with the appropriate municipal office. Typically, Japanese citizens will require a certified copy of their family register (Koseki Tohon 戸籍謄本) or its extract (Koseki Shohon 戸籍抄本) issued within a month of the marriage.
Get Married
This is the part of this whole procedure that actually makes you and your partner "married."
Once all the paperwork above is completed, proceed to the appropriate Japanese municipal government office. To avoid any disappointment, be sure to confirm local marriage procedures and rules directly with municipal government officials.
Once the marriage procedures are completed, the municipal government office issues a Japanese language "Certificate of Acceptance of Notification of Marriage" (Kon-in Todoke Juri Shomeisho) for 350 yen each.
That's it-- Congratulations!
(Taken from the US Government Embassy in Tokyo, Japan website)
Now Back to Our Story:
Everything says you can get married in one day. It is possible though it can be aggravating and tiring. First we went to city hall in Taka's town and filled out paperwork and paid some fees. Then off to Tokyo!!
It was about a half an hour drive to the embassy then we had to find parking and pay for that. Then go through the metal detectors and guards into a very bleak interior where there were alot of confusing windows and signs. I was super confused. We finally sorted out the paper work we needed and paid some more fees. I was operating in a fog at this point since it seemed like I couldnt understand anything anyone said to me. They kept asking me why I wanted to get married. I really didn't have an answer for that because anything I said would have come out sarcastic. Like "DUH we love each other" or "Because I want to use his Playstation 2 more conviently" We did all this traveling and paperwork so far but we stilllll weren't married. Back for another half an hour drive to City hall again.
Allright! more paperwork, more signatures, more strange looks. We are an odd couple to begin with I suppose but in the US it doesn't stand out as much as it does here. If I was someone else I would be thinking "There's a green card marriage right there" I had my camera with me this whole time and didn't even think to take a picture, That's how wigged out I was.
Back to Tokyo again to the embassy. There was some mix up in security with the water I was carrying and they took my camera away. There was alot of people waiting in the room to get visas to the US. The consulate head guy there finally signed the paper that said we were officially married and he said "Congratulations" and I just gave him a blank look and asked "For what?" Seriously, I was that confused. He just stared at me oddly for a moment and replied "on your new marriage" I said "OHHHHHH ya, thanks" and we headed out the door. Then back to City Hall where there was more stuff to do and they said they would send out our marriage certificate in the mail.
We kissed, Kristin said congratulations and that was that. What a romantic wedding day. What every girl dreams of. Taka took us out to eat at his favorite restaurant and I was kind of grumpy because Kristin was arguing with me over vegetables. Taka just looked shell shocked. Then we went to an arcade and played some games and I went into a store by myself and was slightly depressed. It wasn't at all what I expected my marriage to be like and to this day maybe I get a little jealous of girls who get to have the nice wedding where all their friends come and its beautiful. I suppose I shouldnt complain though since I married the person I love and I get to share my life with him forever now. A ceremony is just a added bonus. I appreciate that I did have one friend there.
On the ride back home he asked me to take his last name and I said I would. There it was. Now I have to be a wife. A new role I never thought I would get. His parents were home and didn't say a thing to me. I think maybe the wierdest part of the whole procedure is none of his family and none of his friends were there and they were right here in the same town. It made it seem even more unreal. His family ignoring it was the worst. We live with them! I don't think in the beginning they were very happy with me.
Another funny thing was even though I had my camera with me the entire day, I completely forgot to take pictures and no one else took pictures so we have no pictures of us getting married. Kristin took two of them later at night after we got home and changed but nothing else.
It took us a long time to get used to being married. I was used to living alone and he is used to being a coddled young man so we both had issues to work out. It was hard but it can be done if you try hard enough.
Anyway, and that's how it happened. I swear!
posted by pointybunny at 9:21 AM
11 Comments:
that sounds a lot like me and yoshi getting married, except for the travelling back and forth part. we lived very far from an american consulate so we had to get it right the first time!
our witness took our picture of the town hall official handing us our paperwork (and she was really shy about having her picture taken!) but i never got a copy!
You need a copy of that picture! I would get a kick out of seeing it to. Thanks for sharing with me your story, makes me feel a little better that someone else had the same crazy wedding! ^^
It's an unbelievable story. But you are so right on the 'it's just a ceremony' part... how you spend the rest of your life together is most important!
I am getting married in Japan (to a japanese national) within the next couple of months, I was wondering if we actually have to get the Marriage Registration form signed at the City Hall or if it can be signed at the ceremony?
I think my day will end up they same as yours.
This is the only thing I am stuck on, everything else is organised.
Hi,
Congratulations on your wedding! You will have to get all your paperwork done at City Hall first. Keep us updated on how it all goes and if there are any questions I can answer let me know.
thanks for your story about your wedding, now I understand better that it's not just my girlfriend way to do things. She is Japanese and act like your husband before your wedding day and do not talk about the wedding at all, she reported once already so it's not helping me much but your story is kind of comforting me a little bit.
Thank you for sharing it. :)
One of the most important parts of an engagement in Japan is the meeting with her parents. It is extremely formal and you have to ask her father and get the permission from him for proposing her. If you cannot get the permission from him, you are not allowed to propose her. In short, you always need to get the permission from the parents first before an engagement, and then you can propose her.
- See more at: Engaging to a Japanese woman
Thanks for your story.
Your story sounds like me in the very near future. I also don't speak Japanese and going to Japan to get married with Japanese girl.
Just to be clear? You didn't have to go back to the US to change your visa status after getting married, right?
wow I bet your child looks just like you!
.....
hello, your blog is so helpful, i am a filipina and my partner is european and we are planning to get married in japan using our tourist visa, can you help us gather some information regarding marriage thing in japan? I have a friend there who is japan citizen, we can take him as our witness. hope to hear back from you, i really need your help. thank you.
Been back together with my bloke now for 6 months, all down to the work Dr Obodo did for me, he was a stubbon devil, and it took a while, but he came back to me, I even got roses last valentines day, totally unheard of before the spell work!! Many, many thanks Doc here doc info: {(templeofanswer@hotmail.co.uk) (cell: +2348155425481) }...
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