Kotobuki Taisha: Quitting Work to Get Married

There are many differences between Japan and the U.S., and some of them can be downright hard to reconcile. When I was a teacher of English as a Second Language (ESL), I would frequently have smart, dedicated female students who worked very hard to learn English so they could work the dream job they’d always wanted to work…but the moment some man brought out a ring and proposed to them, they’d give up their careers and happily become a housewife. It’s a pattern I’ve seen numerous times running J-List, too: our incredibly talented female employees often seem to come with a ticking timer, and we never know when the time will come for kotobuki taisha, a word that can be translated as “joyful retirement from one’s company for the purpose of marriage.” Not every woman feels the urge to quit her job when they tie the knot, especially the closer you get to cities, but in more rural Gunma (100 km north of Tokyo) the general pattern is for women to quit when they get married, or 1-2 years later when children come along, then re-enter the workforce 6-7 years later when their kids enter school. The other day I received word that Ai-chan, the capable J-List employee who keeps our site stocked with awesome bento boxes and kawaii things for your kitchen — despite her name, she is not an A.I. — will be getting married and leaving J-List in a few months. We wish her every happiness!

Most women quit their jobs (including J-List) when they get married.