Flying to Vietnam every month for love

A painful relationship in the past made Pham Thi Thanh An, born in 1992 and living in Hiep Phuoc Commune, Ho Chi Minh City, repeatedly turn down the affection of Hiroshi, a Japanese man of the same age from Tokyo.

Yet his quiet but unwavering love gradually touched her heart. Round-trip tickets booked months in advance and his brief but regular visits to Vietnam eventually brought them closer together.

Thanh An owns a ramen restaurant in HCM City and frequently shares food videos on social media, spreading her passion for cooking. Hiroshi happened to enjoy watching her videos.

In October 2024, Hiroshi traveled to Vietnam for the first time and visited her restaurant. Unfortunately, he did not get to meet the woman whose work he had long admired.

Before leaving, he photographed his bowl of ramen and sent An a message praising the food, promising to return to Vietnam in June 2025 to meet her.

"He didn't know I had opened a bar by then and was usually working there. When I received his message, I was happy and politely thanked him, just as I would any other customer," An recalled.

Eight months passed without further contact, but Hiroshi kept his promise and returned to Vietnam in June 2025.

During his three-day stay in HCM City, he visited the restaurant every day and was warmly welcomed by An.

On the day he left, she gave him a conical hat that had been hanging on the wall as a decoration. The gesture moved him to tears because he had never experienced such a strong feeling of belonging.

From that moment, Hiroshi decided to pursue the restaurant owner.

He booked round-trip flights for eight consecutive months, from July 2025 to February 2026, and began traveling to HCM City every month to see her.

During each visit, he would quietly sit in a corner of the restaurant, chat with the staff and watch An go about her work.

He never rushed to invite her out for meals or activities, nor did he make requests that might leave her uncomfortable. He simply came whenever he wanted to see her.

Hiroshi even claimed he enjoyed flying or was fascinated by Vietnamese food and culture, hoping to avoid putting pressure on An.

Only later did she discover that, before pursuing her, he had never traveled abroad because flying made him so anxious that he could not sleep.

"I was worried about the geographical distance, cultural differences and the emotional wounds from my past relationship. I didn't want to start a relationship with him," An said. "I also didn't want him spending so much money and effort on me, so I turned him down directly."

When Hiroshi continued visiting Vietnam, she repeatedly tried to avoid him.

"Sometimes I told him I had gone back to my hometown. Other times, I closed the restaurant. But he never gave up," she recalled.

By January 2026, after months of his regular visits, An could no longer ignore his devotion. Touched by his sincerity, she agreed to become his girlfriend.

Two months later, during a trip to Phu Quoc Island, Hiroshi proposed beneath a fireworks display, presenting her with a diamond ring and 209 roses.

The number 209 symbolized everlasting love.

Spending his savings on traditional wedding gifts

In May 2026, An traveled to Japan to meet Hiroshi's parents.

One day, while helping him fold his clothes, she noticed an old pair of trousers with worn fabric and a small patch carefully sewn over one knee.

When she asked about them, Hiroshi explained that they were his favorite trousers and that he had worn them for years.

Rather than throw them away, he had repaired them, partly to avoid unnecessary spending.

"I loved him even more after that. Here was a man who lived so frugally, yet he was willing to spend money on flights to Vietnam again and again just to see me," An shared.

In July 2026, the couple held their wedding in HCM City.

The Japanese groom carefully prepared the traditional wedding gifts to formally welcome his bride into the family.

The gifts included five taels of gold, a diamond ring, a diamond necklace, matching wedding rings and VND400 million in cash (approximately US$15,200).

"He spent all his savings on the wedding gifts and on giving us a complete, beautiful wedding ceremony," An said.

A paternal uncle represented the groom's family at the celebration, alongside Hiroshi's friends.

His parents were unable to attend because of their age and health conditions, but they sent their heartfelt blessings to the newlyweds.

During the wedding ceremony, surrounded by family members from both sides, Hiroshi broke down in tears as he spoke to his bride.

"That day, June 26, 2025, changed my life in so many ways. Ever since I met you, simply because I wanted to see you and be close to you, I began traveling between Japan and HCM City every month," he said.

"Those journeys were never easy for me. But I kept making them, not because I am someone extraordinary who can do extraordinary things, but because you are someone so special that I was willing to make that effort for you."

For now, An continues to live and work in Vietnam, while Hiroshi travels between the two countries.

They hope that one day they will be able to arrange their lives so they no longer have to say goodbye to each other at the airport.

Thanh Minh