In the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, some people scrambled to stock up on emergency supplies. Others flocked to buy energy-saving devices as power outages loomed.

Amid the heightened sense of insecurity, a growing number of women also had their minds set on finding something else — a marriage partner.

This eagerness to get married, they say, comes after many are reassessing their lifestyles and rediscovering the importance of family in these trying times.