Canadian Vanessa Hayes knew even before her first date with Michio Kiyomiya that she would end up marrying him, although it wasn't quite love at first sight.

When Vanessa first met Michio in 2003, she was his English teacher at the metal manufacturing plant in Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima Prefecture, where he worked. She was impressed by how eagerly he tackled his homework.

Although Michio moved to Tokyo six months later, he kept in touch with Vanessa and, on a visit back to Aizuwakamatsu, went out with her and a colleague. The lightning hit Vanessa after they parted at the end of the evening.