Japanese Marriage Essay

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There are many different marriage practices around the world and each has its own unique cultural and economic aspect. This paper will explore the dynamics of Japanese and Indian marriages and how they compare and contrast with one another. The analysis will address cultural factors and how it relates to symbolic systems such as religion and rituals and how they are slowly diminishing in lieu of a more westernized modern marriage. For instance, Japan's traditional marriages are becoming a thing of the past due to more westernized and modern versions that appeal to the younger couples. Some couples are even adopting the American wedding ceremonies in place of their cultural ones. In its effort to promote freedom of choice, India's government encourages inter-caste inter-faith marriages by offering couples money. However, this is conditional; stipulations are that "one of the partners should be from scheduled caste category and there should be no conversion in case of an inter-faith marriage" (Govt incentives for inter-caste marriages, 2012, para. 3). This is a milestone in India where traditions, customs, and the Hindu religion still rules a larger proportion of people.
Japan is a prideful nation that honors tradition and culture. In Japan, where Shintoism and Buddhism are the major religions, families place emphasis on parental control because a strong lineage confirms a family's longevity and economic stability. According to Koike (2013), "Until the end of World War II, the Confucian-based ie seido, or family system, stressed the subordination of individual needs to the needs of the group. Consequently, the continuity of one’s family lineage, rather than personal preference, was the primary criterion in mate selection" (p. 320)....

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...te marriages lucknow]. (2012, Apr 13). The Times of India
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International Business, T. (0004, May). Honor Killings, Dowry Deaths, Witch Hunting Have
Social Sanction in India: UN. International Business Times.
Kitamura, Y., & Miyazaki, T. (2011). Marriage Promotion Policies and Regional Differences in
Marriage. Japanese Economy, 38(1), 3-39.
Koike, E. (2013). Marriage in Contemporary Japan. Anthropological Quarterly, 86(1), 319-323.
Shan-Loong, M. L. (2000, March 14). Tradition & Change –. Gender Roles in Japan. Retrieved from http://marklsl.tripod.com/Writings/japan.htm
U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. (2014). The World Factbook: Country Comparison:
Birthrate. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/ the-world-factbook/
rankorder/2054rank.html#wfbtop

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