"I was further impressed because during her shifts at the restaurant, she just focused on her work, didn't gossip, and didn't try to flatter anyone," Utsumi, 27, from Tondabayashi, Osaka, recalled about their first meeting in 9/2017.

Dung's first impression, however, was quite different. She saw him as "thin, with green and red hair, constantly smoking, looking like a typical playboy."

Utsumi Shoki and Trang Dung at their farm outside Osaka, Japan in 2023. Photo courtesy of the couple

Utsumi Shoki and Trang Dung at their farm outside Osaka, Japan in 2023. Photo courtesy of the couple

The Japanese man embarked on a campaign to win the Vietnamese woman, 4 years his senior. His workday ended at 11 p.m., but he'd wait until 3 a.m. for Dung to finish her shift, using the excuse of inviting her for a meal or a walk.

Dung ignored him, hurrying back to her room. But Utsumi lived far away, and with no public transport available at that late hour, he frequently had to stay in hotels. For a whole month, he faced only coldness, but he finally discovered a way to her heart.

Trang Dung loved food, considering it her greatest pleasure. Sushi was her favorite, so much so that she decided to study abroad in Japan to work part-time at sushi restaurants, hoping for a chance to "eat to her heart's content."

Utsumi smiled, envisioning his victory upon discovering her passion. His parents owned a long-established sushi restaurant, and he himself held professional fish-cutting certifications.

After more than a month of pursuing her, Dung finally agreed to take Utsumi out for Vietnamese food. Afterward, he took her so far out of town that they missed the last train. With no other option, she accompanied him to a hotel. They talked about everything until Utsumi started to move closer. Dung sternly asked, "What are we that we should sleep so close?".

Embarrassed, he kept his distance, respecting her boundaries. The next morning, he changed his approach, delving into her hobbies, family, and childhood.

"From then on, I seriously pursued her, whereas before, I was acting purely on emotion," he confessed.

Utsumi, his wife, and their son at their Vietnamese grocery store in Osaka in 2023. Photo courtesy of the couple

Utsumi, his wife, and their son at their Vietnamese grocery store in Osaka in 2023. Photo courtesy of the couple

More than two months later, they took their first trip together to the ancient capital of Kyoto, planned by Utsumi. On the night train, at the stroke of midnight, as Utsumi turned 20, he knelt down and proposed.

Dung, feeling he wasn't serious or mature enough, dismissed him.

A few weeks later, Utsumi invited Dung to his home. Dung gained a deeper understanding of the real Utsumi. He grew up in a disciplined, well-mannered family; his maternal grandfather had been a provincial governor and a member of parliament. A strict upbringing led to Utsumi's rebellious phase as a young adult.

Soon after she moved, Utsumi offered to help, but Dung refused. The next morning, she heard a knock. Opening the door, she was stunned to see Utsumi standing beside a truck loaded with her belongings.

"I'm moving in with you," Utsumi declared.

Dung, reluctant but compelled, let him in. Her small apartment, once a haven of freedom, now felt crowded, making her want to end the relationship.

"I pointed out all his bad habits as an excuse to break up," Dung recounted. But Utsumi indulged her every whim, from laundry, cooking, and cleaning, to adopting a more mature appearance.

In 9/2019, Dung took Utsumi to Vietnam, but they didn't visit her family due to her parents' disapproval of their long-distance relationship. Utsumi was captivated by Hoi An's scenery and Da Nang's friendly atmosphere. After the trip, he decided to open a Vietnamese grocery store and noodle shop in Japan. Dung initially thought it was a "crazy idea." His parents offered him different perspectives. But once he made up his mind, they supported him.

Amidst the tranquil countryside of Tondabayashi, outside Osaka, a small eatery named "Fin Shop" opened in the fall of 2020. Shortly after, he borrowed land from his grandfather to start a farm growing Vietnamese herbs.

He shared that only 400-500 Vietnamese people lived in his rural area. Normally, no one would open a grocery store, restaurant, or herb farm in such a location. "Since falling in love with her, I've been drawn to Vietnamese culture as if by fate," he shared. "I have faith in my success, just like how I pursued her with sincerity."

Dung, her husband, and his parents at their wedding in Vietnam in 2022. Photo courtesy of the couple

Dung and Utsumi take a photo during his coming-of-age ceremony.

The card Utsumi gave Dung for her language school graduation: "Thank you for coming to Japan (so I could meet you)."

Dung and Utsumi with farmers at their 3-hectare Asian vegetable farm outside Osaka.

The couple married in 2021.

They held an engagement and wedding ceremony according to Vietnamese customs in the summer of 2022.

The groom's parents and the bride's parents at the engagement ceremony.

Traditional Japanese wedding ceremony at the end of 2022.

The couple performs a ceremony in an ancient temple in Nara, where the Emperor's activities are often held.

They welcomed their son in early 2023.

The couple with the husband's grandfather, on the occasion of him receiving a medal awarded by the Emperor of Japan.

At that time, Trang Dung had just finished her language course and started working. Now serious about their future, she began investing more in their relationship. Every weekend, she took the 30-minute train ride to help Utsumi clean and welcome guests. She learned about and assisted him with Vietnamese vegetable farming techniques, and promoted her products to the Vietnamese community in Japan.

The story of the Japanese man growing Vietnamese herbs was reported by many domestic and international news outlets, helping him secure a stable market.

Their love grew through small, sincere gestures. Then, one night at the end of 2021, during a conversation, Utsumi rolled a tissue into a ring, placed it on her finger, and whispered, "Let's get married, let's register our marriage!".

This time, the Vietnamese woman agreed.

In mid-2022, their wedding was held in Vietnam, followed by a ceremony in Japan later that year. Since childhood, Utsumi had dreamed of having a ceremony at the ancient temple in Nara, the former capital and site of the Emperor's official ceremonies. To make her family feel welcome, his parents sponsored her parents' close friends to travel to Japan.

Dung, her husband, and his parents at their wedding in Vietnam in 2022. Photo courtesy of the couple

Their wedding concluded with Utsumi and his father-in-law shaking hands and promising to quit smoking, a pledge for a future soon to welcome a new member.

Now married, the couple is expanding their Vietnamese food and Asian vegetable business, while also venturing into human resources. Utsumi said that the human resources sector is profitable, but "the Vietnamese goods business is a destined connection—just like how Dung came into my life—so I will pursue it to the end."

As for his Vietnamese wife, after 8 years together, she has witnessed Utsumi's journey from a somewhat rebellious youth to a promising entrepreneur. Much has changed in their lives, except for her husband's ever-growing love.

"Others saw me as a companion, but Utsumi sees me as his whole world," she said.

Phan Duong