Dating Culture in Asia: Wooing Asian Women Their Way

Most Asian women had a very conventional upbringing anchored on traditional and religious values, hence their conservative and demure demeanor. They remain prim and proper amidst the evolving and modernized world pervaded by an increasingly liberated way of living. These women maintain true femininity and self-identity which makes dating them a lot more different than dating women from the West.

The differences between foreign women and Western women do not just end with their physical characteristics, culture, and language but also on their respective dating practices. To give you a taste of Asian dating culture, here are a few notable customary dating practices from some Asian countries:

• Kokuhaku culture in Japan.

One of the early challenges of dating is figuring out whether your date feels the same way towards you as you do to her. Well, that is something you don’t need to worry about when dating a Japanese woman.

Japan’s Kokuhaku culture, which literally means confession in English, is almost a prerequisite to dating. Before you get to ask a girl out, you need to be able to confess your true feelings and intentions towards each other. The catch is that the feeling must be mutual.

Once you get her to confess that she likes you too, only then will you be able to put a label in your relationship, otherwise you’re just friends. This traditional Japanese dating practice ultimately gets rid of that awkward phase in your date where you try to look for cues that’ll tell you if she likes you or not.

• First date chaperon of Thailand.

First dates with Thai women usually involve a chaperon. Most of the time, it’s their parents who would insist on bringing a friend along to keep an eye on her and her date. It may seem like a little too paranoid bringing a third-wheeler on your date, but it’s really hard to fault Thai parents for it because they’re just looking out for their daughter’s welfare.

You just need to respect this tradition because it wouldn’t be like that on your succeeding dates. What you need to do is make her feel comfortable and safe so that she doesn’t need to bring a chaperone on your next dates.

• China’s High Regard for Traditional Gender Roles.

Chinese culture continues to put emphasis on the principle that men and women each have a different role to play in society, hence their continued observance and practice of traditional gender roles. But despite their patriarchal and orthodox culture, China has certainly made great strides toward gender equality.

Chinese women continue to deviate from gender normative behaviors. Unlike in ancient China where women are expected to be submissive wives, Chinese women of today are more empowered and self-sufficient than ever before. Although they continue to practice traditional gender roles up to this day, it has only molded them into better wives and more responsible mothers.

• The traditional Filipino serenade: Harana.

The most distinct and notable tradition in Philippine dating culture is Harana. Harana means serenade in English. As such it is a traditional Filipino dating practice that entails expressing a man’s feelings for a girl through a song.

What makes harana different is the way it is done. Typically, harana is done at night just right outside the girl’s bedroom window. You would have to choose a song that would encapsulate your true feelings towards her.

Sweet talking your way into a relationship with a Filipina isn’t going to make the cut. These women put more weight and value on actions rather than words. And what better way to prove your genuine intentions than by paying homage to their centuries-old tradition of harana?

Asian dating practices may differ from one country to another. These customary practices are often influenced by or are directly derived from their culture, religion, and history. But regardless of whether you understand their dating culture or not, it wouldn’t make any difference if you’re just in it for the wrong reasons. What matters most in international dating is your sincerity and genuine feeling of affection.