Alex Quinn's Japan Journal

4/21/2006, MARRIED!!!

Well, we haven't made any plans about a ceremony yet, but today was the "big day" when we made things official.  First, we went to the US Consulate in Osaka and got a form saying the United States gives me permission to get married in Japan.  Then, we went to the local municipal office (kuyakusho) and filed the papers that make us legally married.  We talked to the guy there, Kajiya-san, and even gave him my online contact info.  He eventually gave us a big marriage certificate.  Finally, we went back to the consulate, wrote a translation of the marriage certificate in English, and had them certify it.  That will be our official record of our marriage in the United States.

Approaching the municipal office.

Entering the municipal office.

Akemi filling out forms in Japanese while I was taking pictures.

The form that she filled out.

Waiting in line.  Not bad.

The paper we got from the consulate saying I am legally allowed to marry.

At last, we got our official marriage certificate in hand.

The guy had no problem at all about taking pictures.  He said some people actually come in with a camcorder videotaping the whole process.

The certificate we got in the end.

English translation of the certificate.  It's actually a form they give you.  You just have to fill in the details.

Certificate from the consulate saying that the translation is correct.

Seal and signatures on the consulate's certification of our translation.

When we get to the United States, we're going to live in College Park, Maryland.

Here's a map of the area.  We'll be in Maryland, but very, very close to Washington DC and within range of Baltimore and Philadelphia.  New York is about a 4 or 5 hour bus ride away.  Sorry, this one's not too readable here.

College Park, Maryland is at the center of this map.  This one is perfectly readable.

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