this post was submitted on 19 Oct 2024
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And Finally...

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In a country where polygamy is illegal, a man with four wives and two girlfriends is aiming to give birth to 54 children and become the "god of marriage" eventually.

The 36-year-old man, Ryuta Watanabe, lives in the northern prefecture of Hokkaido in Japan. He has not been working for the last 10 years and has living on the salaries earned by his wives and girlfriends.

As reported by Shueisha Online, Watanabe already has 10 children and has been living with two of them and three of his wives.

He has stepped into the role of househusband and does all the housework, cooking and takes care of the children.

The household expenses which are around $6,000 every month get split between his wives and girlfriends.

...

Watanabe said his aim is to break the record of fathering the highest number of children in Japan and gaining the title of so-called "God of Marriage".

As per records, Tokugawa Ienari - who was a shogun and died in 1841 - had fathered nearly 53 children with 27 concubines in his reign in the Edo Period.

“I want to have 54 children so my name will go down in history. I’m still looking for new wives," Watanabe said.

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[–] ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works 40 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

So, uh, how does this guy attract women?

[–] DrunkenPirate@feddit.org 27 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

He does all the housework and cares the children. It’s so easy dude.

[–] errer@lemmy.world 12 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Also has an absolute monster dong. The Shinkansen of dongs.

[–] Emperor 13 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

I'm not sure Sexual Bullet Train is a good nickname.

[–] smeg 8 points 3 weeks ago

Look, it's fast and very reliable. Explains all the children, really.

[–] Bananigans@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 3 weeks ago

We can agree it's not a bad one though.

[–] ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works 6 points 3 weeks ago

All 54 of the children? He really is a god of marriage.

[–] Emperor 22 points 3 weeks ago

Asking for a friend?

[–] Emperor 33 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

You've got to admire his spunk.

[–] Bananigans@lemmy.dbzer0.com 24 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

As per records, Tokugawa Ienari - who was a shogun and died in 1841 - had fathered nearly 53 children

So...52?

[–] Maalus@lemmy.world 10 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Or something happened and they lost the pregnancy in a very late stage.

[–] drolex@sopuli.xyz 8 points 3 weeks ago

Difference between

  • nearly 53 children
  • 53 nearly children
[–] Cethin@lemmy.zip 6 points 3 weeks ago

With that many children in that time period, they probably lost many that way. You don't add them all up to count as multiple birthed children.

[–] JasonDJ@lemmy.zip 9 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Nah. He died during childbirth of the 53rd. Kid was already crowning, so just give him the W.

[–] Bananigans@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 3 weeks ago

Wノ⁠(⁠ ⁠º⁠ ⁠_⁠ ⁠º⁠ノ⁠)

(⁠ヘ ⁠º⁠ ⁠_⁠ ⁠º)ヘW 🎎

[–] NoForwardslashS@sopuli.xyz 22 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I never knew this was a competition, or a title you could aim for

[–] Emperor 8 points 3 weeks ago

And now you know are you up for the challenge?

[–] Cruxifux@feddit.nl 20 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

Okay wtf, this guy looks dumpy as shit and all his wives are decent looking too. Like… it’s not even a religious cult thing? It must be a combination of sexual prowess and mad levels of charisma that I will never be able to understand.

[–] match@pawb.social 21 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

i think he's in a polycule of lesbians and is the token sperm donor

[–] Cruxifux@feddit.nl 6 points 3 weeks ago

I think this is the most likely answer. Target women who are 1. Mostly attracted to other women and 2. Want to be in a polyamorous relationship. I’m basing this on zero information, but this is a scenario that would make sense to me.

[–] SkunkWorkz@lemmy.world 8 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

I looked them up. The women are pretty average by Japanese standards. They just know how to do their hair and makeup well and take care of their skin. And the guy while not really handsome looks better than many Japanese guys. Many Japanese men don’t know how to take care of themselves and dress terribly. They look like dweebs and are not charismatic and often misogynistic assholes.

If you dress well, are a gentleman and charismatic and not a misogynist you can easily woo women out of your league in Japan.

[–] Maalus@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Well, looks aren't important to everyone, especially if the other person is ready to handle housework, br a stay at home husband, has plenty of charisma as you said, is caring etc.

[–] Shou@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

The guy got a harem of career women, and his job is to raise the children. Sounds like they got it made.

[–] steal_your_face@lemmy.ml 5 points 3 weeks ago

Pic for reference

[–] KrankyKong@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

He's probably got a hog on him

[–] rand_alpha19@moist.catsweat.com 19 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

a man with four wives and two girlfriends is aiming to give birth to 54 children

Hmm...

[–] MNByChoice@midwest.social 18 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

four wives and two girlfriends so far.

[–] rand_alpha19@moist.catsweat.com 15 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

I hope his birth canal is ready, 54 kids is a helluva workout.

[–] Tudsamfa@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago

I think even I could work out a total of 54 minutes in a span of 7 years... I mean 3 hours- no, days, surely.

[–] owenfromcanada@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

Especially if you want to do it all at once.

[–] superfes@lemmy.world 17 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Good god, I have two kids and that's enough.

[–] blackn1ght 9 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Right? This guy is absolutely insane.

[–] JasonDJ@lemmy.zip 6 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

I doubt he's a very good father to any of them. Probably can't remember most of their names.

Hell I've got 2 kids and 2 dogs (and fostering a third), and I fumble and jumble their names all the time. Usually get it right by the third name.

Our chickens are like 4 months old now. We have 9 and I can probably only name like half of them.

[–] Ioughttamow@fedia.io 10 points 3 weeks ago

Wasn’t this the strategy of Bhaal, god of Murder?

[–] dragonfucker@lemmy.nz 3 points 3 weeks ago

Way of the Househusband

[–] GeneralEmergency@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago

And I thought a man with two wives would be happy

[–] sp3tr4l@lemmy.zip 1 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

....Polygamous marriages are legal in Japan?

[–] evidences@lemmy.world 21 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

First line of the post is literally "In a country where polygamy is illegal"

[–] osaerisxero@kbin.melroy.org 9 points 3 weeks ago

I misread it also, to his credit

[–] SweetCitrusBuzz@beehaw.org 4 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

According to wikipedia, no: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_polygamy#Asia_4

We suspect this is why the term "partners" was used and not "wives".