Marriage is one of life’s major events.
Couples who hold a wedding spend a long time preparing. Who to invite, what food to serve, how the ceremony will proceed. There is a lot to think about, and they are likely to feel relieved once the ceremony is over.
Some couples may use up all their energy and come to feel that the wedding is the finish line of marriage. But isn’t life together as a couple really just beginning after the wedding?
Sadly, it seems that one in three couples currently get divorced.
There are various reasons, one of which is differences in values. What does true happiness for the two of them mean?
The Ii Fuufu Research Group is being launched to look beyond the wedding as the finish line and consider the couple’s life together afterward, while also aiming to address social issues related to marriage.
The launch date is November 22, 2025, in keeping with “Good Couples Day.” Before the launch, on November 3, 2025, a founding event, “A Workshop to Boost Couples’ Ability to Understand Each Other’s Feelings,” will be held.
The information provided was current when this article was published in October 2025. Please note that it may differ from current information.
About the “Ii Fuufu Research Group Founding Event”
Ahead of the launch of the Ii Fuufu Research Group, the founding event “A Workshop to Boost Couples’ Ability to Understand Each Other’s Feelings” will be held on November 3, 2025. The event is open not only to couples, but also to friends and individuals attending alone.
Participants will strengthen their relationship skills through a workshop that lets them experience “understanding their partner’s feelings as if they could reach out and touch them.” There will also be psychological and values tests to deepen their understanding of each other.
In the midst of busy daily lives, there may be few opportunities to take the time to understand each other’s feelings. If the founding event helps couples deepen their bond, everyday life may become even more enjoyable.
We spoke with Kishimoto Hiroko, the founder of the Ii Fuufu Research Group, about her thoughts and the founding event.
A vision for couples that also considers their happiness after marriage
Kishimoto is the president of Something Four Co., Ltd.
Since Tokura Ltd., the predecessor of the current company, was established in 1982, it has contributed to the bridal industry for many years, primarily in Okayama Prefecture. It operates two wedding venues in Kurashiki City: The Kamon and EYOHAKU.
The company handles not only the physical aspects of weddings, but also the services.
It also runs “Kurashiki Kon,” positioned as a “one-stop wedding counter” that rents wedding attire and promotes Kurashiki’s wedding culture.
At the heart of its wedding business is a “vision for couples.” Devised by Kishimoto, this initiative also led to the creation of the Ii Fuufu Research Group.
What is a vision for couples?
Before discussing the Ii Fuufu Research Group, let’s take a look at the vision for couples.
At Something Four Co., Ltd., couples preparing for their wedding are asked to create a vision for their marriage: a statement that expresses their mutual understanding and deep consideration of their happiness together.
After getting married and starting life together, couples may find themselves thinking, “Wait, this isn’t what I expected,” and growing apart, sometimes leading to divorce. In many cases, this is due to differences in values.
Learning about each other’s values before marriage and confirming the direction they want to take together can help prevent misunderstandings to some extent.
Couples preparing for their wedding often have surprisingly few opportunities to get to know each other deeply. They create their vision for their marriage through the following steps.
- Get to know each other deeply and imagine the future
Together, they write down their past, their future, and the kind of people they want to become on a worksheet. - Talk and put it into words
With a storyteller guiding them, they use the worksheet to work together on the words that will form their vision. - Express it and make a vow to each other
Together, they create a wedding ceremony that reflects their vision for their marriage. - Let it guide them and become part of their lives
The real beginning comes after the wedding. With their vision for their marriage as a guide, they begin their life together.
For a wedding venue, the job may be considered done once the happy wedding ceremony has concluded successfully.
But rather than ending there, the initiative called a “vision for couples” supports the couple as they look toward their future together and works to ensure happiness throughout their lives.
Many couples who have created a vision for their marriage reportedly say they are glad they did. When they argue or their feelings are at odds, they look back at their vision and are able to remember the feelings they had at the beginning.
The Ii Fuufu Research Group addresses social issues
Kishimoto continues to help couples create true happiness together, including through their vision for marriage.
She has supported other wedding venues in creating these visions and written books to share the idea with the general public.
These efforts so far have focused on the happiness of the couple.
Kishimoto is also launching the Ii Fuufu Research Group to address social issues. It will be established on November 22, 2025, in keeping with “Good Couples Day.”
We asked Kishimoto about her thoughts and goals.
Aiming to solve social issues related to marriage
Why are you launching the Ii Fuufu Research Group?
Kishimoto (surname only)
I wanted to build on what we’ve done so far and create a hub for addressing social issues and supporting couples.
For example, a lot of things tend to change during the first five or six years of marriage.
Couples work out the balance between home and work, discuss whether to have children, and deal with parenting, among other things.
I think this period is really challenging.
Some people may have small worries and not know whom to talk to about them. I wanted to create a hub for supporting couples where they can find ideas to help with those concerns, learn, or share their experiences.
I want it to be a place that shares information and makes people think, “If I come here, I might learn all kinds of things and discover something new.”
In our industry, in response to the declining birthrate, there’s a general push to encourage more people to get married. For example, matchmaking activities are quite popular these days.
That may indeed be important for addressing the declining birthrate, but currently, one in three couples get divorced. Divorce is most common among couples who have been married for less than five years. They are generally in their 20s to late 30s.
This is exactly the age group that experiences childbirth and raising children. Divorce at this point contributes to the declining birthrate. And I believe child poverty is often linked to single-parent households. The declining birthrate and child poverty are examples of social issues caused by divorce.
There are many things that local governments are doing, such as matchmaking and parenting support.
But the essential prerequisite is for couples to live together happily and harmoniously. A happy marriage is actually very important for society to grow sustainably, and I hope we can share this message.
Couples have many small concerns, such as managing money, balancing work and family, and dividing up household chores. I’d like to shine a light on these marital issues, which can be difficult to talk about openly, and do something to address them.
Eventually, I hope we can work together with local government. I’d be happy if this became a meaningful way for us to contribute to society.
What the Ii Fuufu Research Group aims to achieve
What does the Ii Fuufu Research Group aim to achieve?
Kishimoto
I want to foster an environment where people can find happiness through marriage.
Divorce isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and I know that many marriages don’t work out. But it’s important to create weddings with an eye toward ensuring that married couples can truly be happy.
People need to feel, “Having a wedding is an important ritual that will help us find happiness in our future together.”
Rather than running a business with only our own profits in mind, it’s better for society if we work toward resolving social issues with a long-term perspective. I believe these efforts will ultimately help raise the value of our industry, too.
Through the Ii Fuufu Research Group’s activities, I’d be happy if people living in the Kurashiki area felt that having our company here was a good thing.
Founding event
What kind of activities will the Ii Fuufu Research Group carry out?
Kishimoto
We hope to hold around four or five in-person events a year. First, as a preview event, we’ll hold the launch event “A Workshop to Boost Couples’ Ability to Understand Each Other’s Feelings” on November 3, 2025.
Through activities such as psychological tests and workshops, couples will reflect on what they have enough of and what they lack. They can enjoy tea or coffee while spending about 90 minutes strengthening their relationship skills.
We’ll also invite a financial planner to talk about money. Couples’ attitudes toward money can differ more than you might expect. They’ll identify things they want to do together, work backward from their goals, and create a plan for managing their household finances.
We’ll also cover fertility treatment, as many people have been undergoing it recently. Because it’s a sensitive issue, there isn’t much information available.
We’ll hear from a gynecologist who is trusted by many people, who will talk about the latest fertility treatments and help participants feel reassured about receiving treatment.
We’ll also invite someone who works in storage and decluttering.
Many people struggle with organizing and tidying up, so this is sure to be a popular topic. They’ll share practical tips, such as how to tidy up to make your home feel more spacious.
The Ii Fuufu Research Group hopes to create a hub for supporting couples unlike anything that has existed before.
From the Writer
I knew that divorce was common, but I hadn’t given it much serious thought.
I hadn’t imagined that divorce could be connected to social issues such as the declining birthrate and child poverty.
As Kishimoto explained, divorce itself is not a bad thing. However, when marriage is happy and couples get along well, some of the social problems caused by divorce can be prevented.
During the interview, I could feel Kishimoto’s strong desire to wish happiness for couples and make society as a whole better. I hope more people find happiness following the founding event on November 3, 2025, and the launch on November 22.
Ii Fuufu Research Group founding event Information
| Name | Ii Fuufu Research Group Founding Event |
|---|---|
| Date | Monday, November 3, 2025 (national holiday), 10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. (registration from 10:00 a.m.) |
| Location | 751-1 Hashima, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Admission (tax included) | ¥1,000 |
| Website | Ii Fuufu Research Group Founding Event |
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