Omiai or Japan’s version of matchmaking was quite common during the early times. In the present period, this custom is rarely practiced by common people but in the business industry, top businessmen usually pair their children to one another in order to secure a good fortune.
Matchmaking in Japan is usually fixed by parents. Fixed matchmaking or arranged marriage has a common notation that the parents are forcing their children to marry someone due to money or connections. While this is somehow true for omiai, children are not forced to marry the one they are introduced to. During the first meeting of the children, they are introduced by their parents and the children agree to meet or date. If it does not work between the two, marriage can be called off and be another miai can be done again.
This practice has been around in the pre-Meiji era in Japan to form strong forces and alliances between samurai and warlord clans. A match must be made not only by a young man and woman but their families must also be of the same class and alliance to ensure a good future for both of the families.
When a meeting between two parties have been made, the child and both of his or her parents accompany him or her to the meeting. Initial background checks are necessary like age, religion, educational attainment, health, and occupation. The parents also do a review of the family background and lineage to make sure that they are sending their children to a proper and decent family.
After the first meeting, the young man and woman go on dates and after three or four times seeing each other, they must reach a decision whether or not they will be marrying or not.
Omiai is a very serious and complicated process for those who want to find their partner. In modern times, there are also matchmaking companies in Japan for those who find it a hard time searching for their partner.
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