I Went Speed-Dating in Tokyo: It Explains Japan’s Sexless Population Explosion!

🌈 Abstract

The article recounts the author's experience with speed dating in Tokyo, highlighting the challenges and frustrations he faced in trying to connect with Japanese women in a structured dating event.

🙋 Q&A

[01] The Speed Dating Experience

1. What were the author's initial expectations and impressions of the speed dating event?

• The author's friend, Dante, tried to sell him on the idea of speed dating in Tokyo, promising "10 sexy Japanese girls, 2 good-looking Western guys, and 8 absolute chumps."
• The author was newly single and eager to mingle, liking the odds Dante presented.
• The author was excited about the prospect of meeting Japanese women in the summer in Tokyo, envisioning short skirts, low-cut tops, cold beers, and long nights under neon lights.

2. How did the actual speed dating event unfold for the author?

• The event had a lot of rules and formalities, including name checks, registration, payment, and a rules explanation, which the author found frustrating.
• The author was not allowed to talk to the women before the event started, which he found confusing.
• During the speed dating rounds, the author struggled to have meaningful conversations with the women due to language barriers and time constraints.
• The author was not able to interact with the women during the intermission or after the event, as the women gathered in a separate corner and the event had to end quickly.

3. What were the author's overall impressions and takeaways from the speed dating experience?

• The author was disappointed that he was not able to talk to the women before, during, or after the event, and felt the event was a "fizzer."
• The author found it challenging to organize dates with the women he matched with, as their schedules were often very busy and inflexible.
• The author concluded that the dating scene in Japan can be quite grim, with people being "sexless" and the declining birth rate, and that the country needs to "loosen up and let go" for the sake of its future.

[02] Reflections on the Dating Scene in Japan

1. How did the author's friend, Dante, approach the dating scene in Japan differently?

• Dante had been to many speed dating events before and had a "little black book" filled with contacts, suggesting he had a more systematic approach to dating in Japan.
• Dante was also more disciplined, drinking water instead of alcohol during the event to "be on his game."

2. What insights did the author gain about the dating culture in Japan from his experience?

• The author found it challenging to organize dates with the women he matched with, as their schedules were often very busy and inflexible, with one woman suggesting a date three weeks later and another saying she might be free after a friend's wedding on a different island.
• The author concluded that the dating scene in Japan can be quite grim, with people being "sexless" and the declining birth rate, and that the country needs to "loosen up and let go" for the sake of its future.