Results also show one of the most attractive jobs for a man is one of the most hated too.

In some ways, dating in Japan is its own unique thing. Christmas Eve is the hottest night of the year for couples, for example, and guys are the ones who get presents on Valentine’s Day.

But every country has its courtship quirks. When it comes to romance itself, though, the things that move people’s hearts aren’t so different from one place to another. Just like their counterparts in the west, many Japanese women dream of being with a man who’s confident, a good listener, and an architect.

A recent survey by Japanese career website Shigyo Job found that it’s not just romantic comedy screenwriters who think architect is the ideal job for an eligible bachelor. Shigyo Job recently asked Japanese women between the ages of 20 and 39 what sort of profession they think is the most desirable in a potential husband, and architect was the landslide winner.

● I want to marry a man who is a…
1. Architect (42 percent of responses)
2. Lawyer (26 percent)
3. Tax accountant (11 percent)
4. Certified public accountant (8 percent)

As a job that mixes creative and technical aspects, architect has a popular image as combining the best of both worlds of artistic expression and financial affluence.

When asked why they wanted to marry an architect, women’s answers included:

“We can plan how to build our ideal house together.”
“I’ve always wanted to live in a comfortable, enjoyable house, and I could have him design it for me.”
“I think he’d do a lot of do-it-yourself projects for me.”
“He’d probably make a lot of money, and he’d take care of a lot of things when we build our house.”

However, in announcing the results of the survey, Shigyo Job itself pointed out that many of these responses seem to be based on the popular image of architects, not necessarily the actual circumstances of the job. Not all architects design houses, after all, and not all architects who do design houses design their own home, especially from the ground up.

Coming in second on the list was lawyer, with a solid lead over third-place tax accountant. Earning power was a big factor here, with over 70 percent of the respondents saying they imagined lawyers to be the wealthiest out of all job types, though one respondent, apparently envisioning some sort of legal issues in her future, said “He’d be able to take care of us if we got into legal trouble.”

However, lawyer wasn’t just a popular choice for a husband’s job, but a divisive one as well. When asked what sort of man they don’t want to marry, more than half said lawyer.

● I don’t want to marry a man who is a…
1. Lawyer (54 percent)
2. Land and housing inspector (10 percent)
3 (tie). Tax accountant (7 percent)
3 (tie). Notary public (7 percent)

Among the reason participants want to give attorneys a wide berth:

“He’d probably be so busy with work that he’d never be home.”
“I think he’d always be trying to talk me into things.”
“They make a lot of money, but they don’t seem like they’re very nice.”

Others cited concerns that they’d never be able to win an argument against a husband who’s a lawyer, and that the profession’s requirements would make him rigidly logical, and unable to understand emotional behavior.

Meanwhile, architect fared a lot better in the “don’t want to marry” ranking, being chosen by just three percent of respondents and tied for second lowest on the list.

Of course, as with any romance-related survey, it’s important to bear in mind that unless you’re planning on assembling a harem, all you really need is one person who likes you. So while taking some drafting classes looks like it’ll improve your odds with the ladies, it’s not a must-do, as proven by the fact that despite not having any idea how to build a house, plenty of people on the SoraNews24 staff have found someone to share their lives with.

Source: PR Times
Top image: Pakutaso
Insert images: Pakutaso (1, 2)
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Follow Casey on Twitter, where he’s a little sad that “professional eats lots of Final Fantasy and Pokémon-themed desserts guy” didn’t make the list.