To marry a Japanese means marrying into Japanese society

Masahiro and Jeannette KITAWAKI

Their large house is located in the high-class residential area in Inagi city, Tokyo. When you enter the front door, you will see the living room with a high ceiling in which a 65-inch ultra large television is positioned, and adjoining that is a wooden deck large enough to accommodate 100 people. Mr. Masahiro and Mrs. Jeannette KITAWAKI live in what would be considered dream house for most Japanese. Since the couple was introduced in a TV program "My wife is a foreigner," there are likely to be many people who already know of this couple.

In 1979 the couple met for the first time in California where they were studying English at the same school. At first glance Masahiro fell in love with Jeannette, a Venezuelan. To catch her attention, he did everything for her: offering her a lift in his car, mending electric appliances, and so on, but Jeannette only looked at him as just a free handyman.

After this continued for eight months, Masahiro left for Canada on a trip. Jeannette thought there might be no more chances to see him again. Soon after he had left, she found herself facing many difficulties and that there was no one around her to help. Furthermore, she felt lonely without him, and began to think that there was no one else who was as devoted to her as he was.

Later, Masahiro came back to Japan and wrote letters to her every week. Jeannette says "on the envelope he wrote some sweet words, which were different each time, such as 'I love you' and 'You make me feel fine.'" Gradually those words made her fall in love with him. When she told her father about him, he warned her saying, "To marry a Japanese man means marrying into Japanese society and his parents."

In spite of this, Jeannette made up her mind to marry Masahiro and moved to Japan to live, but she had a nervous breakdown as it was too difficult to learn Japanese language. Masahiro's words, "Take it easy" comforted her. On the other hand, she found it very difficult to understand Japanese customs, including having to say, "I am always obliged to you" to those who she didn't feel so at all, and also having to prepare slippers for the others at school, which only increased her dislike of Japan.

"His mother taught me about these customs. I am very thankful to her," said Jeannette, who learnt not to forget about respecting her mother-in-law. Masahiro succeeded in running his father's company in Nagoya and often travels between Tokyo and Nagoya. Their three sons grew up to become independent and Jeannette is teaching Spanish on the ground floor of her house. Jeannette, who has married into Japanese society and learned the spirit of the Japanese, is now very happy.