Tinder, the world’s most popular app for meeting new people, has unveiled a Tinder love story for the ages (or eras!), where a Swiftie’s dream proposal turned into reality at the recent Taylor Swift concert in Japan. A local Swipe Story between Kouki* (35), and Annie* (30), a couple who met on Tinder and got engaged during the concert in Tokyo, as part of The Eras Tour. Kouki knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring in the midst of the proposal song, “Love Story,” truly a modern day fairytale.
Spring is the season for new encounters in Japan, and in recent years, matching apps have become established as a way to meet people. A survey conducted by Tinder revealed that 78% of Gen Zs across Asia Pacific agree that connecting with people of diverse backgrounds and identities is easier than before thanks to dating apps.1 In Japan, 70% of Gen Z matching app users say that matching apps provide them the opportunity to connect with more people of diverse backgrounds, 52% say that they are interested to see who they might meet on matching apps, and more than one-third (35%) say that they use matching apps to find a long-term partner with the intention of marriage.2 Furthermore, in the last four years, the number of young adult singles in Japan between the ages of 18 and 29 who say that they have recently gone on a date with someone they met on a matching app has more than doubled.3 All of this shows that young Japanese singles are choosing online connections over traditional avenues to meet new people.
But how can we increase the chances of having a better dating experience? Tinder spoke to the happy couple, Kouki and Annie, who shared more about their romantic story that started from the moment Kouki Super Liked Annie’s profile on Tinder, as well as useful tips for young singles to have a fun and meaningful online dating experience.
Watch the film of the Swipe Story HERE, and refer to the appendix below for the full interview with the couple as well as tips to learn more about how to use Tinder as a powerful tool for meeting new people.
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1 A survey of 18-25 year olds polled in Asia Pacific in April 2022, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Tinder.
2 Tinder research conducted in August 2022 of 1,000 Japanese adult singles between the ages of 18 and 25.
3 Tinder research conducted in April 2023 amongst 2,063 Japanese adult singles between the ages of 18 and 29.
Appendix
The Beginning: How I Started Using Tinder
Kouki: “I wanted to talk about my identity and life experiences with people I’d never met before.”
I learned about Tinder from a friend overseas. Compared to other similar platforms in Japan, I chose Tinder because of the possibility of communicating with people overseas, and because I wanted to try out new apps and explore new trends as part of my work. At the time, it was a stressful period and I used Tinder as a self-discovery tool to see how I would react or feel when sharing about myself and my life experiences with people I’ve never met before.
Annie: “I felt bored every day. My boss encouraged me to do it, and at first I just talked to people with no real intentions”
I was joking with my boss at the time that I was feeling bored and lonely, and she suggested that I download Tinder. At first, I didn’t have any intention of dating anyone and wasn’t looking for an intimate relationship, but I was single and bored, so I thought it would be fun to look at profiles on Tinder and talk to people I was interested in.
Neither Kouki nor Annie started using Tinder with the goal of finding a partner, but tried the app after recommendations from people they know. Kouki recalls and further shares “My colleague told me that “Tinder marriages” are on the rise, and we joked with each other that “Is it really real?”
It’s A Match! Meeting on Tinder
Kouki: “I definitely wanted to be noticed so I sent over a Super Like, and I think the reply was a just a standard message (laugh)”
I remember I came across Annie’s profile after using Tinder for about six months. My first impression of her was that I wondered if she was a model. I also remember that I sent a Super Like as I wanted her to notice me, but the reply I got was something like “Thank you for the match”, a standard response (laughs)!
Annie: “He was the first person to show curiosity about my interests.”
I think I matched with him within the first few days of using Tinder. I remember he asked me about Cosplay, which I had listed in my profile. I believe he was the first person that showed curiosity about my interests.
The First Date
Kouki: “I think meeting her was destiny since day one.”
When I met her in person, I thought she was very stylish and beautiful. I was especially impressed by her beautiful eyes. My impression of her was the same as it was when chatting with her on Tinder. Our first date was at a Yakitori chain restaurant that she frequented. We had such a great time that we got lost in conversation and lost track of time. I felt like meeting her was destiny since day one.
Annie: “I was anxious before our first date, but after meeting him, I did not want the evening to end.”
He was the first person I had ever met from an app and the first date that I had in years, and that’s why I was super anxious about meeting my match in person after chatting online.
We originally planned to meet up and get coffee. I remember clearly that I had spent a lot of time getting ready and hyping myself up that day, but suddenly, I got a message from him that he had to work late and asked if I wanted to reschedule. I mustered up my courage and replied that I still wanted to meet him. He then offered to meet closer to where I lived, to thank me for being flexible with the plans. However, by the time we met it was too late for coffee, and I didn’t know any good places to eat so we just went to a Yakitori restaurant chain.
I remember it was still at the height of COVID-19 and there were plastic barriers which kept getting in our way, so we would lean to the side to see each other better or move them out of the way altogether. We spent the whole evening talking about anything and everything and even got into some really deep and personal topics. We stayed until almost the last train and I just remember thinking that I didn’t want the night to end! I think I felt that it was destiny, but I was still in denial.
▶︎ After this fateful encounter, the two started dating, before entering a committed relationship. After dating for three and a half years, Kouki surprised Annie with a proposal in February 2024 at Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert in Japan, during the performance of the song “Love Story”. “I have been a fan of Taylor Swift ever since I heard her first single when I was 13 years old, and it’s no exaggeration to say that I’ve grown up with her and her music. To Taylor’s fans, “Love Story” is “The Proposal Song”. It was truly a dream-like proposal for a Taylor Swift fan like me!” shared Annie.
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Tinder, According to the Couple
Q. To you, what is the difference between meeting someone in real life versus meeting someone online?
Kouki: Online, there’re more possibilities for you to meet new people you may not normally meet in your daily life. For me, this is a very big advantage. There are also big differences in how you get to know someone. With matching apps, you can to some extent find out what you and your match have in common and topics that you may want to explore in depth before you meet, which makes it easier to communicate in real life.
Annie: Kouki is the first person I met on a matching app, so I cannot comment a lot on this, but I am very sure that I was lucky to meet him online.
Q. Kouki, you’ve been using Tinder for half a year, do you feel that Tinder is the best way to find partners and friends?
Kouki: I think Tinder makes it easier to deepen your understanding of each other, based on the hobbies and information you share in your profile . Also, I think that a person’s character can be understood by seeing how they approach the things that they like and have passion for, so I think this feature makes it easier to grasp the essence of who they are. Before meeting Annie, I was also able to meet people from other nationalities and from the LGBTQ+ communities. It was a great experience for me to be able to meet people from new communities that I never had the chance to learn or get to know better. I am so grateful to the friends I met who taught me more about themselves and their unique identities. I believe it’s quite difficult to meet friends from diverse backgrounds and communities outside of Tinder, and these experiences have changed the way I connect with others.
Q. Please give some advice to those using Tinder for the first time.
Kouki: Matching apps are just a tool. For a better dating experience, you need to also reflect on your own behaviour and how you communicate to improve your social skills. I think it’s a good idea to remind yourself to be polite and courteous when interacting with others, and similarly to practise self-care and screen out matches who may not be as well-mannered. In particular, I would like share a message with Japanese men that “The world is huge, so just boldly take on challenges without limiting possibilities for yourself.” I believe that “The One” exists somewhere in the world for everyone, so don’t be afraid to Swipe as there are endless possibilities when connecting with new people In this era where we can get as much information as we want at our fingertips, I hope that we can all gain more real life experiences and place more value on our identity and thoughts.
Annie: First, I suggest to avoid using pictures of food as your profile picture. This is because none of us want to have a date with ramen (laughs). After we matched and started chatting online, I paid attention to expressing my thoughts and feelings clearly, protecting myself and upholding my standards, and being proud of who I am. I would love to see Japanese women embrace these ideas too. To be honest, I had given up on love before I met Kouki. After I moved to Japan my opinions, standards, and beliefs became stronger and I started to think that it would be hard to find anyone who could accommodate my perspectives. But then I met Kouki who proved me wrong. I want to say that there is always someone who is perfect for you.
Learning from Kouki and Annie’s Swipe Story, here’s some tips to have a better online dating experience.
- Express your authentic personality through your profile photos and select at least five pictures, with minimal editing to show your true self.
- Photos are just as important as text on your profile. Add up to 9 photos in total, but be sure to upload at least 5.
- Using a photo of your face conveys more about you and helps to draw in more people.
- Show full-body shots to share your personal style and remember to not only include your work outfits, but also show off your personal style.
- Even if you don’t show your full face, use photos that will help people understand you better and show your own unique personality and quirks
- Also, try to keep your photos natural and unfiltered. Sometimes, details that you are less confident about can indeed add to your personal charm, so don’t over-edit your pictures,, and instead have the courage to express your sparkling, authentic self.
- The first 75 characters are the key
On Tinder, the first 75 characters of your profile are visible, making it crucial to infuse elements of your personality and other intriguing qualities about yourself that would prompt others to initiate a conversation. - Be specific about your hobbies so you can match with people who share your interests!
By filling in detailed information about your interests, it makes it easier for people with the same hobbies to start a conversation with you, and you may also receive a “SUPER LIKE” that shows that you are special to the other person! Here’s some examples:
“I like movies” → “The movie I’m most interested in right now is XXX” or “I like horror movies, and my favourite movie is XXX.”
“I love music” → “My favourite artist is XXX, who will be participating in the XXX Festival on July 20th!” - Use the Relationship Goals feature and signal your intentions to other users on the app!
Relationship Goals allows you to choose from six options such as ‘Long-term partner,’ ‘Long-term, open to short,’ ‘Short-term, open to long,’ ‘Short-term fun,’ ‘New Friends,’ and ‘Still figuring it out,’ helping you to signal what you’re looking for. Nowadays, there are endless possibilities for new connections and sometimes people realise they are looking for different relationships, only when they learn more about each other. By using Relationship goals, users will have more control over who they connect with by having insight into a potential match’s intentions. - Avoid cancelling dates at the last minute
In psychology, this is called “avoidant behaviour” , and it will only make you more anxious. It’s normal to feel nervous when meeting new people, but we should be courageous to confront the barriers in our own hearts. Also, remember your personal safety at all times as it is the most important thing when meeting new people online or in real life, so be sure to take advantage of Tinder’s safety and security features. - Meet more people, have more experiences, and discover yourself!
What kinds of dates made you feel comfortable and wonderful? What were the reasons behind this? What are the deciding factors that lead to your preferred date? Is it about places? Or about activities? It is also very important for us to reflect and have a better understanding of ourselves through our dating experiences. With this knowledge of yourself, you will be better able to enjoy your online dating journey.
Tinder would love to know about your very own modern day fairytale stories (Swipe Story). Don’t hesitate to share your stories with us here!
