noun
duolocal marriage; visiting marriage
Historical Japanese marriage practice where the husband visits the wife's residence rather than cohabiting; often associated with the Heian period aristocracy.
平安時代の貴族の間では妻問婚が一般的だった。
Duolocal marriage was common among the Heian-period aristocracy.
Similar visiting marriage pattern, but 妻問婚 specifically emphasizes the husband's visit to the wife's home, while 通い婚 is a broader term for commuting marriage.
Compound of 妻 (tsuma, 'wife'), 問い (toi, 'visiting'), and 婚 (kon, 'marriage'). The historical derivation is uncertain; the spelling is conventionally associated with this meaning.