58.9% of Men Also Report Feeling 'Marriage Blues': Survey on Pre-Marriage Anxiety Among Young People

Tokihana, Inc., which operates the wedding venue search service 'Tokihana' (https://tokihana.net/), has conducted a survey of 328 men and women who have been married for less than three years regarding their pre-marriage anxieties and doubts, commonly known as 'marriage blues.'

Summary of Findings

1) 58.9% of men and 81.2% of women married within three years have experienced marriage blues.

When asked if they had experienced marriage blues before or after their marriage, 58.9% of men and 81.2% of women answered 'yes.' While women reported higher rates, approximately 60% of men have also experienced these anxieties. Although the term 'marriage blues' is often associated with women, this survey suggests that pre-marital anxieties and doubts are also common among men.

2) Men's primary marriage blues factors: 'financial anxiety' and 'loss of personal time.'

Common sources of anxiety for men included 'financial anxiety' (77.3%) and 'fear of having no personal time' (73.6%). While marriage increases the realization of shared household management and future planning, it also creates uncertainty regarding changes in lifestyle, hobbies, and social relationships. Men also find it more difficult to verbalize their anxieties or seek advice from others. Men tend to be more anxious about changes in their daily lives and roles rather than doubts about their partners.

3) Women's primary marriage blues factors: 'career impact' and 'doubts about the partner.'

For women, 'anxiety and doubts about the impact on work/career' (82.4%) and 'doubts about whether this person is the right one' (80.6%) were significant results. This reflects the reality that many women think specifically about future life plans, including work styles, career progression, and balancing housework and childcare upon marriage. Doubts about the partner are not just simple uncertainties but often a manifestation of a psychological shift in reconsidering the future, including differences in values and family relationships. Women's marriage blues are more multifaceted, capturing the overall changes in their lives after marriage.

Knowing each other's true feelings is the first step to easing anxiety.

This survey found that marriage blues are not a concern for just one gender. Tokihana believes that couples communicating their true feelings is the first step to easing anxieties. The company provides services such as free 'Tokihana Movie' production for couples who have decided on a venue, allowing them to share their true thoughts and feelings, and offers support for organizing their anxieties surrounding the marriage process.

Background differences in marriage blues.

While the phenomenon is similar, men tend to focus on lifestyle and role changes, whereas women often feel broader anxieties regarding life changes, particularly career impact. Given that many women feel anxious about sustaining their careers, Tokihana is actively creating an environment where women can continue pursuing their desired work even as their life stages change. Tokihana remains committed to supporting couples in understanding each other's feelings and making satisfying life choices.