"Miss It Today and Who Knows When It Will Return": Over 7,650 Marriage Registrations in a Single Day in Japan—What Happened?

7,650 Marriage Registrations Filed in One Day on August 8, 8th Year of Reiwa

Surpassing the Total Marriage Registrations for All of August Last Year

On August 8th of last month, a date featuring the number '8'—considered a lucky number in Japan—three times, over 7,600 marriage registrations were filed in Tokyo in a single day.

A couple is receiving a souvenir from the mayor at the Shinagawa Ward Office in Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo Metropolitan Government website

According to the Yomiuri Shimbun on September 8, a total of 7,650 marriage registration forms were submitted across Tokyo on August 8, which corresponds to Reiwa (the current imperial era) year 8, month 8, and day 8. This surpasses the 7,274 marriage registrations received throughout the entire month of August last year.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which has been focusing on measures to address the declining birth rate and support for marriage, designated this year as a special year by leveraging the auspicious symbolism of the number '8' and has been running a large-scale campaign to encourage marriage.

In Japan, the kanji '八' gradually widens toward the bottom, symbolizing prosperity. It has been 30 years since a date in which the number 8 aligns in the era, month, and day, which last occurred on August 8, year 8 of the Heisei era. Japan also widely uses the imperial era system for official documents and in the corporate sector.

On August 8, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government named the day “Hachimitsu Musubi Day,” meaning “A Day to Tie the Knot with Triple Eights.” Special photo panels were set up at public service counters across local municipalities for commemorative photographs.

At a commercial complex in Minato Ward, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike attended a large-scale event supporting matchmaking and marriage.

Additionally, in July, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government had promoted a campaign promising to give 8,888 yen to couples who married on Reiwa 8, August 8, and posted a commemorative photo taken with a special photo frame on their social networking service (SNS) accounts.

On July 7, 2025—known as “Triple Seven” because the number 7 appears three times—4,114 marriage registrations were filed. On August 8 of this year, nearly twice as many couples tied the knot in Tokyo compared to that date.

An official from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government stated, “It seems that the cooperation between local governments and private companies in fostering a supportive atmosphere for marriage contributed to these numbers,” adding, “We will continue to assist people who wish to take the next step towards marriage.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.