Here's What The Stars Of Love Is Blind: Japan Are Up To Now
The premise of the Netflix series "Love Is Blind" is pretty straightforward: Men and women are introduced to one another without being able to see what they each look like. The goal is to see if people will fall in love based on what they can learn about one another before they meet, and the couples are obligated to get engaged before they are ever allowed to see one another face-to-face. So far, the show has enjoyed three versions: one in the United States, another set in Brazil, and a third set in Japan (per Vulture).
"Love Is Blind: Japan" debuted in 2022, and Netflix producers were surprised when eight couples ended up planning to marry one another. In the end, most of the relationships didn't work out, but each of the participants now has fans around the world who are interested in finding out more about what did happen in their lives once they were finished with the show.
Enjoy this glimpse into the lives of strangers who would go on to get married — or get pretty close to it.
Odacchi and Nanako broke up early on in the show
Odacchi and Nanako were early favorites in the show, and the two leapt into serious conversations about Nanako's divorce and their own work-related goals and aspirations from the jump. As noted by Bustle, things between the two built steadily throughout their time in the pods, and both audiences and Odacchi were won over when Nanako joked that she got heatstroke after one of their lengthy discussions
Odacchi proposed fairly early on in the series, and they both seem genuinely thrilled when they finally met face-to-face. But things between the two soured pretty soon after they traveled together in the next phase of the show. Nanako complained behind the scenes that Odacchi was more focused on his work and his laptop than on building their relationship, and he tearfully confessed that the behavior was an ongoing problem of his after she finally confronted him about it.
Ultimately, Odacchi and Nanako split up. Since then, Nanako is back to teaching ballet and Pilates (per Instagram) and Odacchi's own Instagram account appears to reveal that he's working as a comedian in Kochi, Japan.
Ryotaro and Motomi are still going strong
If we all had to collectively pick the cutest couple from "Love Is Blind: Japan," it is almost certainly Ryotaro and Motomi. To go ahead and clear up what is probably the most pressing question: yes, the two are still together, and their marriage appears to be thriving.
Reality Titbit notes that these two caught the attention of viewers because they just seemed to have something special almost from the very beginning. While Motomi seemed to be interested in a few different men in the pods, she and Ryotaro were able to speak together in a way that she couldn't match with anyone else. The pair moved from chatting in the pods to exchanging handwritten letters, and Ryotaro's proposal was soon a foregone conclusion.
Things seemed potentially rocky at the very beginning when they finally met face-to-face, as Motomi seemed genuinely stunned by Ryotaro's unexpected blond hair. As the pair bonded and grew closer and closer while traveling and living together, it became clear they were all in — though they were worried about Motomi's family's reaction. Ultimately, they got married on the show, and Instagram reveals they continue to parent Motomi's chinchilla together.
Mori and Minami couldn't make things work
Minami and Mori had a curious partnership from the beginning. As pointed out by The Cinemaholic, Minami appeared to be a very particular type of person, very clear about what she does and does not want in a partner. Mori was open about being confused by Minami's openness at times, though also admitted in a behind-the-scenes confessional that he was attracted to the same characteristics that confused him.
While the two seemed to have a good time traveling together, once they moved into an apartment to share, it began to become clear that things between them weren't completely okay. The two began to get into tearful arguments and hours-long discussions that felt draining even through a TV screen, and Mori eventually told producers on the show that he felt Minami was "forcing" herself to keep it together so as to avoid upsetting him, as noted by Bustle.
While it's not clear what Mori is up to these days, as he has no known social media, Minami seems to be happier than ever on Instagram. As she said on Instagram, as translated by Google Translate, she bears no ill will toward her ex. Minami wrote, "Thank you very much to Mori-san for having a good time and a hard time together. Thanks to Mori-san for taking the experience and growth I gained here seriously."
Wataru and Midori plan to make things official
Wataru and Midori had an interesting dynamic for much of the show. As Bustle pointed out, viewers could see in the early episodes that Midori was very attracted to Wataru while the pair were in the pods, but he seemed less sure that she's the one — that is, until she put together an actual presentation about why they should get engaged. One thing led to another, and the pair left the first stage of the show together and planned to wed, though Midori was soon the one expressing doubts as Wataru plunged in head and heart first.
Wataru actually proposed to Midori a second time while the pair lived together, and though she admitted to not being 100% sure about the marriage, Midori accepted his ring. Things seemed pretty solid between the two all the way up to the wedding day, though there was a slight air of ambivalence when it came to whether or not Midori would really completely commit.
Happily, the pair married on the show, and Midori shared on Instagram that they planned to officially register their marriage in March 2022. It seems that these two were able to think through their choice to marry in a mature, adult way and realized that they really do belong together.
Yudai and Nana's values didn't align
Yudai and Nana are almost immediately an interesting couple because of their age difference; the 23-year-old men's hair stylist and 31-year-old online marketer openly discussed the less common dynamic of an older woman dating a younger man. While it seemed that for a while that the years between them wouldn't cause too many serious problems, eventually their differing ideas about marriage and when to have children was their undoing.
As Bustle shared, things seemed solid between the two after they left the pods, but it quickly became clear that the relationship wasn't going to last after Yudai attended a cast party alone. Eventually, it was revealed that Yudai wasn't completely truthful in the pods about a lot his personal stances, and he even admitted that their time together during that portion of the show didn't actually seem like real life.
Despite their break-up, both Yudai and Nana appear to be doing fine. Yudai regularly shares his haircuts and hairstyles on Instagram, and Nana also uses the platform to offer updates about her life. As she wrote in a post shared on March 2022, she's grateful to have met Yudai no matter what, explaining, "Although we didn't work out, I definitely liked how he was independent and free-spirited."
Mizuki and Priya weren't the right match
Mizuki and Priya were a couple that didn't seem completely matched up from the start, but they both were dedicated to the premise of the show and wanted to make things work. Bustle noted that Priya was open about her career ambitions and her personal goals, and she regularly encouraged Mizuki to express his own. As Priya wasn't one to shy away from talking about the hard work required to make dreams happen, over time it became clear that Priya didn't feel she and Mizuki were truly aligned.
The two were careful with one another in the pods, but Priya accepted Mizuki's proposal happily and they soon traveled together. Things quickly went downhill, as Priya openly admitted that she thought Mizuki was pretentious and Mizuki expressed concern that he had painted himself to be more ambitious than he really was. Their relationship ultimately fell apart after Priya learned that Mizuki wasn't an owner of his business like he said, but rather an employee.
These days, it appears Mizuki is still happy at the restaurant where he works (via Instagram), and both have written about their time on the show on Instagram. For her part, Priya is running her skincare brand Mukoomi, and she let one major personal detail drop when she wrote in a post, "Yes, I'm single and I'm happy."
Misaki and Kaoru didn't have as much in common as they thought
"Love Is Blind: Japan" stars Misaki and Kaoru were an intriguing potential couple from the beginning because they both had an unexpected tidbit in common. The Cinemaholic explained that, as a baseball coach, Misaki had lived and worked in Kenya, and Kaoru surprised him by sharing she had also traveled to the country. This was enough for the two to build on, and they were soon telling one another stories and admitting to some of their hardest moments in life.
When they got engaged, Kaoru was open about the fact that she wasn't completely sure. However, she was ready to go forward and see what they could share, and that was enough for Misaki. Things between the two were charming at first, but over time, Kaoru accused Misaki of not really knowing much about her and not being interested in finding out more.
Since the conclusion of the show, it appears that Kaoru has continued her singing and songwriting career in Tokyo (via Instagram) and Misaki has returned to Kenya for work (via Instagram).
Shuntaro and Ayano couldn't work things out
Ayano seemed to struggle with the show from the beginning, which The Cinemaholic noted. While she was nearly immediately interested in two men, neither returned her affection, and at times, she seemed genuinely despondent about her future prospects. When she met 56-year-old Shuntaro, she began to feel at ease, as the two were able to bond over feeling like they were often misunderstood by others.
Despite their 16-year age difference, both insisted that they had very real feelings for one another. When they got engaged, Shuntaro admitted that he felt like he could really be himself with Ayano, which was a rarity. Unfortunately, things between the two began to fall apart over, of all things, communication, and Shuntaro called off the wedding the day of.
Ayano's Instagram appears to show a thoughtful woman who is still moving through life the best way she can, though she hasn't revealed many personal details. Shuntaro doesn't appear to have any social media accounts that are publicly accessible, and it's not known what he has done with his time after the show.