Beauty standards are really wild. Like, I've seen girls that are seen as skinny in my country but in Japan they would be considered chubby. It can really negatively affect people especially when it's being commented on. It's nigh impossible to deal with when you're not mentally strong.
Well, Japan has one of the lowest obesity rate in developed countries and I think that's a good thing (that applies for both genders, not just girls) I think their beauty standards (when it comes to weight) are fine, at least I woudn't consider their idols as skinny. (I also don't want to see Japanese guys eating protein powder and injecting steroids to get bulky like some Americans do)
well if you live in Western Europe or the Us the average girl is 5'4 and 170 lbs ,so the girls that are considered skinny aren't really skinny. They are skinny compared to the average girl in their country.
As a Latino foreigner living in Japan it definitely didn’t take long for me to learn what the “beauty standards” are in Japan and that when Japanese people talk about dating foreigners 99% of the time they really just mean dating white people lol.
So does that mean us Latinos are shit out of luck in Japan? Let me know my bro cuz if thats the case I wont even waste my time going to a place that glorifies white boys.
@@RedEyedDRAG00N Not really sure what you’re asking when you say “shit out of luck” BUT no not necessarily like you’ll still meet many Japanese people and make Japanese friends but there are hella foreigners in Japan. Especially in the big cities like Tokyo foreigners will hang out with other foreigners so you won’t be alone. Now if you’re asking if the dating game will be tougher than yes it’ll be a little tough especially if you don’t know Japanese. However it’s very obvious when foreigners travel to Japan specifically to date Japanese women/men and that will make it even harder for you. Hope this response helps
@@RedEyedDRAG00N It basically depends on your skin color. I'm from Europe so I'm not considered latino by most people but I'm tan and look like a typical latino. That's enough to not be considered white in Japan. However, if you wanna come to Japan, do it. They are many good things here too that I couldn't live without. You'll meet many amazing people too. Something that I learned living here is that whether it is professional, romantic, or whatever, you'll attract less people but better people, and I'm definitely not complaining about that.
I’m carribean and get my muscular physique from my mother’s side. I am just starting to love my body and be ok with it. Although it is sad that I would t be considered beautiful in Japan, I realize that doesn’t make me any less beautiful or anyone else. One flower isn’t more beautiful than another. Just different 🌺
It's better to be different and beautiful in your own way than to be similar like them, the only matters is you're always taking care of yourself and day by day your always doing what makes you love to improve yourself, it doesn't matter what the beauty standard of japan where you got praised by them by doing nothing just because you exist.
Our dad is from the Caribbean, and my brother was very strong baby and naturally muscular. I'm female and can build muscle very, very quickly. I'm older and my back and shoulders are very firm, just muscle and skin, no fat, and I'm actually overweight 😅. I love the fact that I am muscular with broad shoulders, makes me look younger than I am.
Dang. The lady whose family is from Tanzania seems so cool! She's literally glowing. I wish she had a YT channel talking about her life experiences since she seems to have a good attitude towards life!
@ Shu Matsuo Post Is it what you said truly from the bottom of your heart 😂 Or you are just doing the Japanese honne and tatemae way 🤣 I admire you if you are being honne and truly embrace body positivity👍
Goodness no! Always aim to be the best you can be, and never be satisfied just being an uglier version of yourself. Beauty is only very slightly subjective. The vast majority of people will agree on who is beautiful and who is not.
@@lastunicorn846 what are you talking about? Of course they will agree because it's socially constructed but that doesn't mean that this is good... Be the most beautiful for the majority doesn't mean that this is good for you or that is even possible 😆😆😆. And be the best version is not the same as being "beautiful" for the majority. They are two different things... Hahaha how the hell did you make those connections? That's sick 😆
I enjoyed the insightful comments from each woman you interviewed. I especially appreciated that each was able to remain strong in the sense of her own beauty outside the Japanese norms and expectations. Yet, each knew how to adjust a little to Japanese standards in order to navigate life more easily. The clone culture in Japan is very strong. By the way they dress and the colour palette they choose, you can immediately categorize women (and men) as to age and socio economic status. Japanese women have told me that they envy my "ability" to wear certain colours they "can't" wear without enduring a lot of pushback. I also recall the shock when I removed my jacket on a hot day to reveal a very modest--boat neck with no straps, no cleavage, no midriff--but sleeveless top. Sleeveless!?! several people exclaimed. It's too hot, I said. Then again, I had a firm awareness that had I put my jacket back on I would have gained nothing other than a dry cleaning bill. Besides, I am not Japanese so I feel no obligation to copy their standards; plus, I wasn't there permanently. They wouldn't think about me for very long after I left. Even if I were staying, I'd never gain acceptance by slavishly adopting Japanese standards. So, bottom line, it's best to be myself and I am totally at ease with that.
This is only a guess, but I am estimating that their cultural beliefs about dress go back to certain superstitions involving general eastern philosophy about balance. Ie, in cold weather you’re supposed to dress to keep yourself cold, in warm weather you’re supposed to keep yourself warm. I can’t say that it’s an exact parallel but this kind of belief is what I was told by some Chinese friends who had come to my city for school.
Dress codes exist in many countries, not just Japan. For example, if a Japanese person wears Harajuku style clothes or a maid costume in the west, many people will make fun of him or her. And I once saw a video of Westerners evaluating Japanese fashion and most of them said that Japanese fashion is " lame", "looks like gay", and "not acceptable in my country". I once saw a documentary about a white woman whose gothic-lolita fashion was discriminated against and ridiculed in her country. In the same way, half-naked fashion is just not accepted in Japan. Every country has its own dress code. And even in the West, fancy restaurants have strict dress codes and will not let you in wearing a T-shirt and sandals. Are you trying to impose the idea that "I have the freedom to wear what I want" and enter such restaurants in a fashion that violates the dress code? Westerners say that there is freedom and diversity in going half-naked, but after all, the only fashion that is acceptable in the West is Western-style fashion. And in terms of fashion diversity, Japan definitely has it. I've lived in the US, Japan, and Europe, and it seems to me that Westerners wear the same clothes all year round and are much more conservative in their fashion. Oh, and there's also the issue of political correctness. Especially in the U.S., for example, if a non-Japanese wears Japanese clothes, it is criticized as "That's political correctness! In fact, many American celebrities have apologized because they wore kimono. This does not happen in Japan, where people are free to wear kimonos no matter where they are from.
@@user-qm7jw You asked, "Are you trying to impose the idea that 'I have the freedom to wear what I want' and enter such restaurants in a fashion that violates the dress code?" Absolutely not. Leaving cultural appropriation and political correctness out of the argument, as that's unworkable in this forum, I believe that sensitivity to others is always appropriate but especially when you reside or are a guest in another culture. Beach wear in a business environment isn't appropriate and that's but one, perhaps a more extreme example. But you used the words "half naked." In my case, when I removed my jacket, I was not in a business setting but in an artistic environment working at a project. Even so, it was in Japan, and therefore it drew comments. But that's not the point. My position is that while it's important to be respectful of others, that does not mean a person should slavishly adhere to norms not their own, not if their choices show no disrespect. More importantly, they shouldn't be made to feel shame about being different than the locals. Freedom and diversity are not about "going half naked." In the same way, it is equally boorish and insensitive of Westerners to disrespect different cultural norms elsewhere. No doubt, the persons making the comments you mention were not particularly knowledgeable about the world, much less fashions or dress codes elsewhere. Perhaps, their comments were also clickbait. Many parts of the Western world are cosmopolitan, multicultural and quite at ease with seeing various forms of dress on their streets and well-aware that using words like "gay" as a slur is not acceptable.
At the end of the day, you still need to find purpose in your life. Maybe external beauty is 1 of the purpose of girls they pursue in life. And I think it should be ok as long as it doesn't harm your health devastatingly
I'm a redhead from california and I find your videos so fascinating! thank you for asking these kinds of questions, they create such valuable dialogue. I hope that women and girls start to feel more comfortable and beautiful in their own bodies. 💗💗💗
Thank you for watching!! If you have any opinions on this topic, please leave a comment! (Especially if you’ve lived in Japan please leave informative comments!)
I was in the Navy stationed in Japan from 1993-1995...I was 19 yrs old and really noticed the style and fashion differences between Japanese people, my age, and older (30-40) people. The younger kids could dress more outrageously as they had not started to become career adults. Most of the adults I saw were always wearing black and white suits and skirts.
Beauty standards are crazy. Since I moved to Germany guys have been making moves on me or asking me out waaay more than I was still in Syria and I used to consider myself not beautiful or maybe a normal looking girl but I actually learnd that in Germany guys like girls who have oriented looks like girls with black hair and brown eyes so it was quite suprising to me at first but then I learnd that beauty is nothing but a perspective. Thank you Takashi. All the people you meet in this video are beautiful from outside and from inside ❤
It's because you are exotic. When my half Brazilian half Danish friend went to London he kept walking from club to club because girls weren't interested in him. In Denmark he is, however, very unique in his looks. Funny enough that pissed him off actually cuz he wasn't used to girls not being interested in him.
Yes yes, exactly what I was saying. Someone can be average where they are from, but when moving to a different country, they are suddenly unique and beautiful and interesting to many people. It's a great feeling, but can eventually become annoying because you come to realize they're only interested because of your looks.
@@scocassovegetus also something to do with the fact that there isn't as many. So she isn't competing with alot of girls. If a dude likes her type - then no blond girl is gonna be a competition. Now tbf.. German girls aren't exactly the most attractive. Fk knows why. I have been there tons of times, but never found any of them attractive.
That is so true! I am Italian/Spanish and when I went to Norway I was approached by men EVERYWHERE, even though Scandinavian folk tend to be super reserved...
I don't think German guys approached you because they "liked black hair and brown eyes" lol. They approached you because you looked foreign. Perhaps they wanted to "try" you for one night.
Thank you Takashii! As always, very interesting topic and I just love the diversity of people and situations your videos cover. It really opened my world-view eyes to see so many different experiences in Japan. Your channel is soooo good!!!🎉
The second person in the blue coat being interviewed was awesome! There are many ways to adapt to a different country/culture without compromising who you are, very cool video :)
Admire your ability to get people to talk to you so comfortably! This was a great topic and I thought all the ladies gave very thoughtful and insightful comments! Well done....keep up the good work!
I think half of the beauty standards in Japan is to be able to instantly recognize and categorize a person at face value. It serves to identify socioeconomic status. It’s cool that the uniformity brings distinction, but a lot of the expression is lost when always trying to fit in a mold. I appreciated the Tanzanian woman who kept her sense of self. Interesting video Takashii-San.
That's pretty much half the world. Clothing, shoes, or hair style (as well as speech and mannerism) indicate the upbringing, education-level, and socio-economic class of the individual. In ancient times, it was more extreme. Artificial cranial deformation was practiced to show aristocracy such as in nomadic Huns. The Chinese famously had footbinding to show social status.
Thank you 😭 I’ve been living in Japan for a while now, I have a lot of muscle on my thighs and legs and I feel pressure to be more skinny like the other girls at my school. I’m thankful for the people who think pretty is not just what’s in the beauty standards here
@@dougdimmadomeownerofthedim2918 However most of the Japanese men prefer pin-up models with glamorous body rather than super thin fashion models in fact.
My experience of being a brown girl visiting Japan was positive. I do not wear alot of make-up and my hair is wavey and also brown. Im a swimmer and sun-tanned,super sporty and tall... and wasnt worried about what beauty standards was cause i had my own. Im from Cape Town and walked on the beach in Japan with a gold bikini......they loved it!!!! Didnt speak Japanese but the men made a prominent effort to speak English. 😂 so be yourself!
When I came to Japan I wanted to be like them. Then I realized that I look completely stupid in Japanese clothes. So now I buying European clothes and cosmetic on line again. I will remain to be myself, no meter where I live.
I have a hard time finding friends in my own country. I can't imagine making Japanese friends in Japan. And I wouldn't want to be friends with only foreigners. Anyways, super awesome how people are learning the language to such a high level. I need to practice more.
I lived in northern Japan for 2 years and have a mid-high level of Japanese. Still made almost no Japanese friends during my time there... I felt most people were pretty closed off and not interested in foreigners much.
Very interesting video Takashi! Seems to be really tough being a woman in Japan especially to upkeep a certain look. I am proud of your guests that decide to stay true to themselves💖
I’m the opposite of the beauty standard too, but it’s never affected me. I like the fact that people don’t approach me and just leave me alone. Back home, people would approach me and I never liked it. I like being left alone, so I’m grateful that I don’t fit the mound.
ik i’m late for this video, and this is slightly off topic- but gosh, the 3rd girl is absolutely enchanting. her skin is flawless and her hairstyle is super pretty, it looks so effortless. me and my head full of thin hair are crying. her jacket looks hella comfy. i might have gone overboard but i just can’t help it 🥲 aside from that, i appreciate how all the girls kept their original makeup and clothing style for the most part, while only adjusting a little bit to fit in with the japanese standard. what i’ve noticed in several other videos from different foreign content creators living in japan is that a lot of girls start to wear lighter makeup and they often draw their eyebrows in a straighter line- i think this kind of makeup style is cute but it doesn’t really suit everyone’s faces. thanks for putting out your videos, Takashi! they’re very informative and i enjoy watching them and learning more about Japan, since i do really wanna visit someday. 💕 //happy valentine’s day, everyone! take this day as an opportunity to wear a cute pink outfit and tell your close ones that you love them. i also apologise for my english, it’s not my first language and sometimes i struggle with forming sentences so i hope my statement above made sense:)
My kids are mixed (Japanese & Black) and have gloriously dark skin and afros and now it's cute and they model in Japan for high labels but I worry when they get older if their school will make them shave their hair (a big possibility)
I remember my cousin telling me of a Japanese lady who came to his Uni somewhere here in SEA on a student exchange program. He told me that everyday she wore make up and dressed neatly and in layers but she was shocked that most of the people there didn't wear make up. Here we don't care much about appearance, if you like to dress a certain way then go for it. If your tan or dark that's ok, you can't exactly help it. But of course there is this beauty standard that people unconsciously and implicitly go by. So a month roles by and she became more relaxed and just wore make up less, gained more confidence and she enjoyed her time. That is to say there is nothing wrong with make up but it's nice to know she was able to feel more comfortable with herself. Hope she's doing well.
I had a bunch of Japanese friends (cause I speak Japanese fluently). They were all exchange students. When it was time for them to go back, they all said that they were dreading going back because they would have to put so much more effort into their appearance compared to in the states.
I had similar experiences living with young Japanese &. Korean women near the beach in Sydney AU. (I'm Aussie.) They really embraced the freedom both culturally and in the way they dressed. Little to no makeup (they didn't need it anyway), wearing revealing loud clothes. THis was 2009, so it was the neon, rhinestone, Ed Hardy era of fashion. Lots of cut off denim shorts. They'd get tans because we worked nights and spent many long days on the beach. (Not saying excess sun is good btw, but they were more relaxed about getting a natural tan because they wouldn't be judged here.) Then when they returned to Japan & Korea (and start working conservative jobs & have kids) they looked like complete strangers to me. Alabaster white from avoiding sun completely and heavy pale makeup. Even wearing super heavy makeup in photos playiing at the park with their kids. Their style was like my middle aged BIble study teachers dressed in the 90s - all white/pale grey linen & cotton, huge sun hats, long blouses & dresses. One French friend who lived with us in Sydney visited a Japanese friend from that time a few years after she went back to Japan, and said she even acted completely diffeerent to the wild party girl we knew. Acting coy & girlish.
7:38 BRASIL BEM REPRESENTADO ❣️ IM ALSO PROUD TO BE BRAZILIAN CAUSE HERE WE DONT HAVE 1 STANDARD BEAUTY HERE WE HAVE VARIOUS TYPES AND THAT'S WHY NO ONE HERE IS EXACTLY THE SAME 🇧🇷🙅🏻♀️🤌🏼
Let me be honest, as an asian what the people describe here in this video about Japanese beauty standard, its not only in Japan, its more to an “Asian beauty standard” its kinda said, where you are catogerize as “beautiful” or “average” or “ugly” 😭 Beauty in an asian terms meaning having light fair skin, slim , slender, small build bodies, i am tanned skin & since young i am never proud of it, as i have always being criticize by family members as mostly my siblings are fair-skinned, whenever i go out with both my Sisters no one believe we are siblings due to the colour of my skin, and i do workout & exercise just to lose weight on my butt which is fleshy, which i hated it so much, i will lose other parts of my body but not my butt, having big & fleshy butt as an asian, we are considered fat! And i really adore those white people who are proud of having big butt, and surprised asian are not! As i grow older, i started to realise, i should love myself for who i am & what i have been gifted by God, I love my natural straight & black hair, and im proud of it, cheers to all the beautiful ladies around the world, love & appreciate who u are, ❤❤❤
Happy Valentines Day Takashii I hope you had a wonderful day. I enjoyed hearing each person’s insights on the beauty standards in Japan. The one interviewee that caught my interest the most is the Tanzanian woman who was born and raised in Japan. I am curious to know more about her.
I like how regardless of body type or position on Japanese beauty standards, everyone was dressed well and reserved. There's a different culture in the air there, so much so that most foreigners know to adjust, regardless of how briefly they'll be there.
Whoa! I definitely need to get out more but the lady from Tanzania's high-level speech was fascinating to hear! I'm not used to seeing a lot of fellow dark-skinned women speaking Japanese so eloquently and it's so encouraging to listen to. So great hearing everyone's differing viewpoints!
I love how nice you are with all those people from different cultures and how you understand that the differences are something interesting and beautiful. It looks like they felt well doing those interviews, thanks for sharing... Saludos desde Venezuela
The girl from Tanzania definitely had a Japanese accent to her Japanese since she was born and raised there. It was interesting to see the difference between those who had it as a second language or learned it in school later as an adult.
I noticed her mannerisms were also that of a native Japanese, obviously. I just found that interesting to observe. Our environment determines so much of who we are.
@@limirl You are correct - once again the lines of nationality & heredity are being blurred. She is of African & Japanese descent. This would be in reference to her biological lineage. She was raised as a Japanese national & was molded by the Japanese culture. Her current or future citizenship - or what she or others chose to identify her as - is of little consequence when discussing her heredity & major cultural influence.
I started watching your videos a year ago and I'm so happy about how much your channel has grown! Your videos are so interesting and I hope you keep getting the recognition you deserve!
These "beauty standards" are not only in japan. As long as it's east asian people, yep, it's the same stupid standards. I just realized another point why i was viewed as a reject by my chinese family-- i have leg muscles & i have thighs. I have fluffy floffy hair. I'm not fair skinned, but i'm not dark, just not vampire white. I have thighs, apparently that's not a thing. I'm flat footed. Etc etc etc. But overall-- I DON'T CARE. That's their problem, not mine. That's just sick. Why does everybody have to look the same????
Why do people say “ it’s all Asia” when it’s about Japan, but with other countries like china or Korea they “ Korea/china is the worst.” “ Korea has the worst beauty standards” ?
I enjoyed this video! I definitely understand what the one woman was saying about covering up in the summer. I'm from Canada and visited Japan with my husband. It was late October but around 22 degrees celcius. For me, that is a very warm day; I wore a tank top blouse and we approached a Japanese woman for directions and she was lovely and showed us where to go. She kept touching my arm though, genuinely concerned that I was going to get sick from being outside with my arms bare (we weren't at a shrine that day, so I thought it would be appropriate). I will never forget her level of concern. Very sweet!
Wow. The woman with Tanzanian parents’ Japanese is really amazing! She must’ve went to pure Japanese schools, not international schools. And she’s so beautiful too!
@@TheRagman100not all non-natives that grow up in Japan speak Japanese perfectly. This can happen if they spend most of their time in international settings, such as attending international schools or schools on US military bases.
@@shikamaru526 I see! Thank you so much for the clarification :) I haven't even thought about that possibility. I just assumed by her way of speech that she went to normal local schools haha Cheers!
Hey there Takashi great interview with the foreign people that's awesome! One of the girls were Brazilian, so I'm Brazilian too. I got happy when I find some from Brazil.
It's crazy that the hawaiian girl feels that the beauty standards in Japan are playing against her. She would be considered very good looking in pretty much any western european country, probably many others as well.
Japanese people aren't very used to black people. You can spend two weeks in Japan and get to see only two black people in your whole stay (and that would only be in big cities). Also the concept of "foreigner" is definitely a white person. I think Japanese people get more and more accustomed to appreciating black physiques nowadays than they did 30 years ago, tho. Thanks to celebrities like Beyonce, Will Smith, etc.
👍 Very interesting topic and nice interview. But I believe that every woman should maintain her self-esteem even if it can be difficult. Diversity is what characterizes human beings and as such should always be valued. Also I think every woman has her own beauty beyond the standards of a society. Thanks for this video and Happy Valentine's Day Takashi! See you soon!😊
love how you pick up on the nuances, the very subtle details of the experiences of your interviewees.🤷🏾👍 thank you for being so thoughtful & aware of such details of their experiences. because it says & offers *a LOT* about so many aspects of life, about so *many* things..since we, human beings, can be so complex re: at *least* some if no many aspects of our life experiences abroad, especially.🌏💞🌎💛🌍🧚🏾♀️
I enjoyed this video. Particularly the end when you went off script a bit. You seem to be getting much more comfortable with these interviews. Thank you for your time and effort you spend on the video's. Always interesting.
I think beauty standards in general are kinda crazy, but in East Asia, they’re either approaching or crossing the line of inhumane. I don’t think the women are crazy at all, I think the expectation to be anything other than what you already are or other than what you truly want to look like for something that’s unnecessarily demanding is what’s crazy.
Well it's actually all over the world. What Westerners think of skinny is actually just lean figure based on their genes. I've been in Japan but those standards being mentioned here , eh kinda just very idealistic or just wrong assumptions of outsiders. Westerners and Easterners have different natural body configuration so it ain't exactly the same too. Nevertheless think of how be who you are thing in the West just gave the rise of people wanting sex change , while Easterners view of the ideal healthy body ended up pressuring people to stay the same despite their body not actually compatible with it and it forces some to go extreme lengths of dieting even though they had done the right way already
Especially when the standard is not something you have naturally as a people. It's ridiculous to worship white skin when you don't naturally have it like in India. Makes no sense to apply white European standards universally and then bleach, dye, apply white make up, have surgery on your eyes and go through painful disfiguring surgery to gain height. I'm not against doing things like tanning if you like it or wearing a wig or makeup, but when you're cutting up your face, eyelids, and breaking your legs you've gone too far!😢
@@Mehki227The preference for white skin existed in Japan, Korea, and India before any interaction with Europeans. The skin preference is not based on European standards.
I've learnt many things about Japan by watching your videos ! Very interesting. I will definitely save money and travel there as a tourist. (yeah my destination definitely changed these days, Japan seems to be the country that has to be visited at least once)
@@Kaddywompous sure but the sentiment of "everyone is beautiful" is very common nowadays. No everyone is not beautiful and that's okay. Same way that a lot of men are not tall. But you can make up for it by working on yourself on things you can work on.
@@mike4088 sure but you can't force a culture or people to change and accommodate the way they are beautiful. They either accept and adapt or move into a culture that cherish their beauty. They are beautiful for some guys and some cultures. They are not in this culture and that's okay.
The thing I noticed recently was that sometimes buying clothes can be hard purely by being a different race. Like some of us just have a bigger bone structure yknow. It's not even always about having more "fat". But even with that in thought I'm still really enjoying the fashion, sometimes you get lucky and sometimes not.
もうすぐ桜の季節、観光客も増える 🌸🇯🇵hope to see more vids soon! Super interesting seeing foreigners perspective ~ it’s nice a lot of people want to be themselves yet appreciate Japanese culture/beauty standards too!
You are very pretty! I am African American. I think once we, as a people accept that we will never be the standard and live by the highest standards, which are God's standards, we will finally be at peace 🙏🏿!
WOW great content to cover. I have never visited Japan..what a great topic!!! Regardless, end of the day, we just need to be confident in our own skin regardless what other say about you. You don't have to be skinny to be beautiful.
The Tanzanian woman seems to have a great attitude towards life, my dad's family is from Trinidad and my mom'd is from England, so it's nice to see people of colour living and thriving in Japan
all the girls on here were beautiful. the Hawaiian girl was shy and adorable. I agree with the brazilian girl. same can be said with guys. I know when I first went and If i went to a bar or club, I always would see Japanese girls run up to random white blonde hair blue eys guys and ask for a picture like they were a celebrity. 😂
When I was in Japan, I knew I wouldn't need to go to clothes stores xD I am a bit chubby, so it's quite impossible to find cloths. The beauty standards are high, but Japanese people are very good with fashion. It's like a daily contest, which could be pressuring I suppose. For me, I didn't care about my style, because I can't fit in the fashion trend anyways.
I have traveled to another country from Detroit as an African American woman of traditional build, that is to say, I have a very curvy hourglass figure. Two issues concerned me about living in a country where Black people are rarely tourists or become short term residents (three months) is where to get my hair done and where to buy clothes.
Really insightful answers, thanks for sharing. Agree a lot with not changing what you like just to fit in. Had some issues with that and still kinda do.
You are awesome, buddy. Thank you for introducing me to so many people who look like me and are invested in Japanese language and culture You are taking time to ask the right people the right questions in my opinion I support you!
4:55 you are my girl 👍🏼💪🏼 if u feel unsafe n fragile all the time by new sets of beauty standards that feeling will never go away cuz every couple of years there are new trends and every place in the world also has its own trends , so if big butts are in for a decade what will you the when the trend is over n small butts are in , nose eyes face shape breast size waist size ... there goes the never ending list ... esp for women 👎🏼 "live your life n love yourself " should be are motto , cheers to all the strong women out there single/ dating/ married 🥂🍻
I think the pressure for women to have pale skin and thin bodies is much more prevalent in Japan. When I was there a lot of women covered every inch of their skin and had umbrellas because they didn’t want to tan. Whereas, in America people would be in tank tops and shorts to stay cool.
Great insight into striking the balance between the need to fit in and that empowering feeling of being true to you. I think beautiful foreigners are privileged in this regard however. Perceived beauty standards would surely be more crushing for Japanese ladies or foreigners less conventionally beautiful
I think any beauty standard anywhere is a passive aggressive message to women to maintain dissatisfaction with one’s appearance. This means that the beauty industry will always be a huge money spinner. Seriously, if we all embraced our individual beauty, the beauty industry would cater to a much smaller market.
I think every country has their own beauty standards, not only Japan. I'm from Colombia but for sure I don't looks like a Colombian person.. So I think this is general for every country.. I have been living in Europe and US as well an its the same. They have their own preferences
This is so interesting, in a psychological level that's fascinating to see how an human being from a different background can evolve in the society where they are not born and raise, especially in a place with such a drastic dynamic. I never been to Japan but Im curious on how they can have so much polite manners circulating around and as a same time such a repression of freedom. I appreciate to see all this ladies don't denying who they are, staying brave and positive while in flow with their environment. And thumbs up to you, I like how candid you approach your video, it make such a beautiful honest exchange, thank you.
Wow that girl with the parents from Tanzania is really strong. She feels insecure sometimes with her going against the grain and people telling her that it's unusual but she still does it.
Colonialism is everywhere. "black skin, white masks" is an excellent book about the consequences of making people feel like they need to represent a color/class that they are not part of.
I moved to seoul and found that foreigners are considered undesirable unless they look very close to Asian. I have blue eyes and had a lot of comments on my eyes and and i have high cheekbones which koreans don't like. I feel very depressed sometimes and even had surgery.
Those girls are so pretty. In Japan, the beauty standards for women are to be thin, have straight long hair, and pale skin. I once had a Japanese girl tell my best friend she should cover up during the summer, right in front of me. I was shocked and didn't know how to respond, it felt like she was saying darker skin was not beautiful. I love the clothes in Japan you can find so many more unique styles not only for women but for men too. My favorite brands are still Japanese brands like Axes Femme and Liz Lisa and I wish we had more brands like that in America. I guess the kids these days would call it Princesscore or Cottagecore. It was kind of hard to find my makeup shade in Japan but before I left even that had improved, at least in Harajuku. Also, I started to see more brown skin models too like Willow Smith and Naomi Osaka on advertisements in Tokyo so that is nice.
@@kling8460 It is still a breakthrough to see any dark-skinned woman being praised for her beauty in a colorist society and FYI they do have mixed raced half Japanese ads as I said with Naomi Osaka and even with Ariana Miyamoto who was crowned Miss Japan .
Every nation has beauty standards, we can go somewhere and be so pretty than to another place and be a beastly creature. Some African nations think skinny women are extremely poor, they prefer chubby women. In Latino communities in the US they go for tall, dark and handsome men. Every one has their own cup of tea. Every culture has beauty and beasts.
TOKYO GUIDEBOOK
takashifromjapan.com/tokyocompleteguide
"I don't think it's a good idea to change what you like just to fit in."
Beautiful topic indeed. 素晴らしい！
Really? That's precisely the leftism motto.
That’s a highlight of this video!
It's a balance, both sides expect something .but?
@@takashiifromjapan what is that blonde girl's name sir? U have to present their names too..thay can get followers from u? Ok
@@OLEEVA.777 There is no need for their names. Not everyone wants big followings especially from unknown random people :)
Beauty standards are really wild. Like, I've seen girls that are seen as skinny in my country but in Japan they would be considered chubby. It can really negatively affect people especially when it's being commented on. It's nigh impossible to deal with when you're not mentally strong.
Well, Japan has one of the lowest obesity rate in developed countries and I think that's a good thing (that applies for both genders, not just girls)
I think their beauty standards (when it comes to weight) are fine, at least I woudn't consider their idols as skinny. (I also don't want to see Japanese guys eating protein powder and injecting steroids to get bulky like some Americans do)
@@kaze-xo Uh..... Show me the chubby idols.
well if you live in Western Europe or the Us the average girl is 5'4 and 170 lbs ,so the girls that are considered skinny aren't really skinny. They are skinny compared to the average girl in their country.
@@JS-ir7wh they're pretty easy to find if you search online, even easier to find if you're looking for porn stars instead ;D
@@JS-ir7wh He probably confuses Idols with the JAV he's watching
As a Latino foreigner living in Japan it definitely didn’t take long for me to learn what the “beauty standards” are in Japan and that when Japanese people talk about dating foreigners 99% of the time they really just mean dating white people lol.
Same...
@@Mel-jj1rg I’ve seen your other comment on this video? Do you make content or have an instagram? Would be interested to hear your experiences! lol
So does that mean us Latinos are shit out of luck in Japan?
Let me know my bro cuz if thats the case I wont even waste my time going to a place that glorifies white boys.
@@RedEyedDRAG00N Not really sure what you’re asking when you say “shit out of luck” BUT no not necessarily like you’ll still meet many Japanese people and make Japanese friends but there are hella foreigners in Japan. Especially in the big cities like Tokyo foreigners will hang out with other foreigners so you won’t be alone. Now if you’re asking if the dating game will be tougher than yes it’ll be a little tough especially if you don’t know Japanese. However it’s very obvious when foreigners travel to Japan specifically to date Japanese women/men and that will make it even harder for you. Hope this response helps
@@RedEyedDRAG00N It basically depends on your skin color. I'm from Europe so I'm not considered latino by most people but I'm tan and look like a typical latino. That's enough to not be considered white in Japan.
However, if you wanna come to Japan, do it. They are many good things here too that I couldn't live without. You'll meet many amazing people too. Something that I learned living here is that whether it is professional, romantic, or whatever, you'll attract less people but better people, and I'm definitely not complaining about that.
I’m carribean and get my muscular physique from my mother’s side. I am just starting to love my body and be ok with it. Although it is sad that I would t be considered beautiful in Japan, I realize that doesn’t make me any less beautiful or anyone else. One flower isn’t more beautiful than another. Just different 🌺
Said differently, you will always be ugly for someone else.
It's better to be different and beautiful in your own way than to be similar like them, the only matters is you're always taking care of yourself and day by day your always doing what makes you love to improve yourself, it doesn't matter what the beauty standard of japan where you got praised by them by doing nothing just because you exist.
I love muscles and want to workout to gain them. I couldn't care less if others don't approve as it's my temple! I'd only want to got o Japan to EAT!
Our dad is from the Caribbean, and my brother was very strong baby and naturally muscular. I'm female and can build muscle very, very quickly. I'm older and my back and shoulders are very firm, just muscle and skin, no fat, and I'm actually overweight 😅. I love the fact that I am muscular with broad shoulders, makes me look younger than I am.
@@v01dv01d LMFAOOO
Dang. The lady whose family is from Tanzania seems so cool! She's literally glowing. I wish she had a YT channel talking about her life experiences since she seems to have a good attitude towards life!
ON GOD!!!!
Right?! Me too. She was extraordinarily pretty, she spoke very well, and I think she mentioned having children as well?
@@Diabay please don't use God's Name in vain, Exodus 20:7.
Obviously English people don't go to Japan......we would be considered too ugly.!!!
@@hillarysudeikis2264 not everyone is Christian or interested in the bible-
It's important to remember that beauty is subjective and it's crucial to embrace and love ourselves as we are!
Unless you're a lardplanet. You should loose weight.
it is also socially constructed. So it definetely affects people, even if they don't agree with the beauty standards.
@ Shu Matsuo Post
Is it what you said truly from the bottom of your heart 😂
Or you are just doing the Japanese honne and tatemae way 🤣
I admire you if you are being honne and truly embrace body positivity👍
Goodness no! Always aim to be the best you can be, and never be satisfied just being an uglier version of yourself.
Beauty is only very slightly subjective. The vast majority of people will agree on who is beautiful and who is not.
@@lastunicorn846 what are you talking about? Of course they will agree because it's socially constructed but that doesn't mean that this is good... Be the most beautiful for the majority doesn't mean that this is good for you or that is even possible 😆😆😆. And be the best version is not the same as being "beautiful" for the majority. They are two different things... Hahaha how the hell did you make those connections? That's sick 😆
I enjoyed the insightful comments from each woman you interviewed. I especially appreciated that each was able to remain strong in the sense of her own beauty outside the Japanese norms and expectations. Yet, each knew how to adjust a little to Japanese standards in order to navigate life more easily.
The clone culture in Japan is very strong. By the way they dress and the colour palette they choose, you can immediately categorize women (and men) as to age and socio economic status. Japanese women have told me that they envy my "ability" to wear certain colours they "can't" wear without enduring a lot of pushback. I also recall the shock when I removed my jacket on a hot day to reveal a very modest--boat neck with no straps, no cleavage, no midriff--but sleeveless top. Sleeveless!?! several people exclaimed. It's too hot, I said.
Then again, I had a firm awareness that had I put my jacket back on I would have gained nothing other than a dry cleaning bill. Besides, I am not Japanese so I feel no obligation to copy their standards; plus, I wasn't there permanently. They wouldn't think about me for very long after I left. Even if I were staying, I'd never gain acceptance by slavishly adopting Japanese standards. So, bottom line, it's best to be myself and I am totally at ease with that.
This is only a guess, but I am estimating that their cultural beliefs about dress go back to certain superstitions involving general eastern philosophy about balance. Ie, in cold weather you’re supposed to dress to keep yourself cold, in warm weather you’re supposed to keep yourself warm. I can’t say that it’s an exact parallel but this kind of belief is what I was told by some Chinese friends who had come to my city for school.
Dress codes exist in many countries, not just Japan. For example, if a Japanese person wears Harajuku style clothes or a maid costume in the west, many people will make fun of him or her. And I once saw a video of Westerners evaluating Japanese fashion and most of them said that Japanese fashion is " lame", "looks like gay", and "not acceptable in my country". I once saw a documentary about a white woman whose gothic-lolita fashion was discriminated against and ridiculed in her country. In the same way, half-naked fashion is just not accepted in Japan. Every country has its own dress code. And even in the West, fancy restaurants have strict dress codes and will not let you in wearing a T-shirt and sandals. Are you trying to impose the idea that "I have the freedom to wear what I want" and enter such restaurants in a fashion that violates the dress code? Westerners say that there is freedom and diversity in going half-naked, but after all, the only fashion that is acceptable in the West is Western-style fashion. And in terms of fashion diversity, Japan definitely has it. I've lived in the US, Japan, and Europe, and it seems to me that Westerners wear the same clothes all year round and are much more conservative in their fashion. Oh, and there's also the issue of political correctness. Especially in the U.S., for example, if a non-Japanese wears Japanese clothes, it is criticized as "That's political correctness! In fact, many American celebrities have apologized because they wore kimono. This does not happen in Japan, where people are free to wear kimonos no matter where they are from.
@@user-qm7jw You asked, "Are you trying to impose the idea that 'I have the freedom to wear what I want' and enter such restaurants in a fashion that violates the dress code?"
Absolutely not. Leaving cultural appropriation and political correctness out of the argument, as that's unworkable in this forum, I believe that sensitivity to others is always appropriate but especially when you reside or are a guest in another culture. Beach wear in a business environment isn't appropriate and that's but one, perhaps a more extreme example. But you used the words "half naked." In my case, when I removed my jacket, I was not in a business setting but in an artistic environment working at a project. Even so, it was in Japan, and therefore it drew comments. But that's not the point.
My position is that while it's important to be respectful of others, that does not mean a person should slavishly adhere to norms not their own, not if their choices show no disrespect. More importantly, they shouldn't be made to feel shame about being different than the locals. Freedom and diversity are not about "going half naked."
In the same way, it is equally boorish and insensitive of Westerners to disrespect different cultural norms elsewhere. No doubt, the persons making the comments you mention were not particularly knowledgeable about the world, much less fashions or dress codes elsewhere. Perhaps, their comments were also clickbait. Many parts of the Western world are cosmopolitan, multicultural and quite at ease with seeing various forms of dress on their streets and well-aware that using words like "gay" as a slur is not acceptable.
'Be yourself'??? I highly doubted ..most of the times, we are the product of social engineering.
There's no '100% be yourself'
@@wonderman7788 Okay. Then I'll be my best socially engineered self. I'm at ease with that, too. Happy?
"If you have confidence, you don't need to rely on makeup" 6:45 she gets it. I love her ❤
She doesn’t need any she is glowing under her mask, so beautiful!
@@Helen-vb3nh I noticed that too ❤
Definitely beautiful girl there!
Not all of us have skin that nice tbf. If I have a flaw on my face, people can see it.
"If you have confidence, you don't need to rely on makeup". You go, girl! 🤘🔥💅
At the end of the day, you still need to find purpose in your life. Maybe external beauty is 1 of the purpose of girls they pursue in life. And I think it should be ok as long as it doesn't harm your health devastatingly
I'm a redhead from california and I find your videos so fascinating! thank you for asking these kinds of questions, they create such valuable dialogue. I hope that women and girls start to feel more comfortable and beautiful in their own bodies. 💗💗💗
Man ive seen no redheads in japan, might be a fun topic as well...if you can find them that is xD
Thank you for watching!!
If you have any opinions on this topic, please leave a comment!
(Especially if you’ve lived in Japan please leave informative comments!)
thankyou for making informative videos 😊.
I think the brazilian one represented at least 70% of the latin population 😂❤❤❤❤❤ for us is even more difficult to adapt to Japans lifestyle
In many countries girls who are muscular are seen to be musculin..
I was in the Navy stationed in Japan from 1993-1995...I was 19 yrs old and really noticed the style and fashion differences between Japanese people, my age, and older (30-40) people. The younger kids could dress more outrageously as they had not started to become career adults. Most of the adults I saw were always wearing black and white suits and skirts.
Your interviewing skills have improving continually, it was a great video with a great panel of people thanks!
Beauty standards are crazy. Since I moved to Germany guys have been making moves on me or asking me out waaay more than I was still in Syria and I used to consider myself not beautiful or maybe a normal looking girl but I actually learnd that in Germany guys like girls who have oriented looks like girls with black hair and brown eyes so it was quite suprising to me at first but then I learnd that beauty is nothing but a perspective.
Thank you Takashi. All the people you meet in this video are beautiful from outside and from inside ❤
It's because you are exotic. When my half Brazilian half Danish friend went to London he kept walking from club to club because girls weren't interested in him.
In Denmark he is, however, very unique in his looks. Funny enough that pissed him off actually cuz he wasn't used to girls not being interested in him.
Yes yes, exactly what I was saying. Someone can be average where they are from, but when moving to a different country, they are suddenly unique and beautiful and interesting to many people. It's a great feeling, but can eventually become annoying because you come to realize they're only interested because of your looks.
@@scocassovegetus also something to do with the fact that there isn't as many. So she isn't competing with alot of girls. If a dude likes her type - then no blond girl is gonna be a competition.
Now tbf.. German girls aren't exactly the most attractive. Fk knows why. I have been there tons of times, but never found any of them attractive.
That is so true! I am Italian/Spanish and when I went to Norway I was approached by men EVERYWHERE, even though Scandinavian folk tend to be super reserved...
I don't think German guys approached you because they "liked black hair and brown eyes" lol. They approached you because you looked foreign. Perhaps they wanted to "try" you for one night.
Thank you Takashii! As always, very interesting topic and I just love the diversity of people and situations your videos cover. It really opened my world-view eyes to see so many different experiences in Japan. Your channel is soooo good!!!🎉
The second person in the blue coat being interviewed was awesome! There are many ways to adapt to a different country/culture without compromising who you are, very cool video :)
She is so cute
The Tanzanian woman is my new inspiration now. :') ❤️ You go girl. Absolutely love your confidence. 💯
her skin was glowing!!! beautiful woman
@@_Flyingwhales ikr so pretty!!!
she's so pretty
Yeah she was goregous and reminded me of a Japanese woman!❤️
Her Japanese is perfect!
The 2nd girl is literally my dream girl. Nothing can compete with curls like those. We need to appreciate all types of people.
Admire your ability to get people to talk to you so comfortably! This was a great topic and I thought all the ladies gave very thoughtful and insightful comments! Well done....keep up the good work!
I think half of the beauty standards in Japan is to be able to instantly recognize and categorize a person at face value. It serves to identify socioeconomic status. It’s cool that the uniformity brings distinction, but a lot of the expression is lost when always trying to fit in a mold. I appreciated the Tanzanian woman who kept her sense of self. Interesting video Takashii-San.
That's pretty much half the world. Clothing, shoes, or hair style (as well as speech and mannerism) indicate the upbringing, education-level, and socio-economic class of the individual.
In ancient times, it was more extreme. Artificial cranial deformation was practiced to show aristocracy such as in nomadic Huns. The Chinese famously had footbinding to show social status.
Pro tip. Don’t fall into their beauty standard coz we foreigners have our own beauty and that’s what makes us special.
Thank you 😭 I’ve been living in Japan for a while now, I have a lot of muscle on my thighs and legs and I feel pressure to be more skinny like the other girls at my school.
I’m thankful for the people who think pretty is not just what’s in the beauty standards here
Very true👍
Hmm.. their beauty standard is also part westernized. Original Japanese beauty standards are not that bad.
@@cinnamonstar808 What? Western like big girl of all flavors, Japanese like them thin and pale. In what way has it been 'westernized'?
@@dougdimmadomeownerofthedim2918 However most of the Japanese men prefer pin-up models with glamorous body rather than super thin fashion models in fact.
My experience of being a brown girl visiting Japan was positive. I do not wear alot of make-up and my hair is wavey and also brown. Im a swimmer and sun-tanned,super sporty and tall... and wasnt worried about what beauty standards was cause i had my own. Im from Cape Town and walked on the beach in Japan with a gold bikini......they loved it!!!! Didnt speak Japanese but the men made a prominent effort to speak English. 😂 so be yourself!
It was really great to talk to you and share a little bit of what I think and my experiences. Thank you for the opportunity and good time!! 🙌🏼
Same here!
Thank you too!
Gostei de ver uma brasileira no canal! Top! 👏
Absolutely love the way you interview people. ❤️
When I came to Japan I wanted to be like them. Then I realized that I look completely stupid in Japanese clothes. So now I buying European clothes and cosmetic on line again. I will remain to be myself, no meter where I live.
I have a hard time finding friends in my own country. I can't imagine making Japanese friends in Japan. And I wouldn't want to be friends with only foreigners.
Anyways, super awesome how people are learning the language to such a high level. I need to practice more.
It's usually the language barrier. It's hard for both sides if you can't fully understand the other person.
I lived in northern Japan for 2 years and have a mid-high level of Japanese. Still made almost no Japanese friends during my time there... I felt most people were pretty closed off and not interested in foreigners much.
Very interesting video Takashi! Seems to be really tough being a woman in Japan especially to upkeep a certain look. I am proud of your guests that decide to stay true to themselves💖
I’m the opposite of the beauty standard too, but it’s never affected me. I like the fact that people don’t approach me and just leave me alone. Back home, people would approach me and I never liked it. I like being left alone, so I’m grateful that I don’t fit the mound.
Me too, being a 178 tall woman, with brown skin and curly hair 😁
ik i’m late for this video, and this is slightly off topic- but gosh, the 3rd girl is absolutely enchanting. her skin is flawless and her hairstyle is super pretty, it looks so effortless. me and my head full of thin hair are crying. her jacket looks hella comfy. i might have gone overboard but i just can’t help it 🥲 aside from that, i appreciate how all the girls kept their original makeup and clothing style for the most part, while only adjusting a little bit to fit in with the japanese standard. what i’ve noticed in several other videos from different foreign content creators living in japan is that a lot of girls start to wear lighter makeup and they often draw their eyebrows in a straighter line- i think this kind of makeup style is cute but it doesn’t really suit everyone’s faces.
thanks for putting out your videos, Takashi! they’re very informative and i enjoy watching them and learning more about Japan, since i do really wanna visit someday. 💕
//happy valentine’s day, everyone! take this day as an opportunity to wear a cute pink outfit and tell your close ones that you love them. i also apologise for my english, it’s not my first language and sometimes i struggle with forming sentences so i hope my statement above made sense:)
you should interview parents or elderly people asking if they would allow their child to be in a relationship with a foreigner.
He already did that.
My kids are mixed (Japanese & Black) and have gloriously dark skin and afros and now it's cute and they model in Japan for high labels but I worry when they get older if their school will make them shave their hair (a big possibility)
I remember my cousin telling me of a Japanese lady who came to his Uni somewhere here in SEA on a student exchange program. He told me that everyday she wore make up and dressed neatly and in layers but she was shocked that most of the people there didn't wear make up. Here we don't care much about appearance, if you like to dress a certain way then go for it. If your tan or dark that's ok, you can't exactly help it. But of course there is this beauty standard that people unconsciously and implicitly go by. So a month roles by and she became more relaxed and just wore make up less, gained more confidence and she enjoyed her time. That is to say there is nothing wrong with make up but it's nice to know she was able to feel more comfortable with herself. Hope she's doing well.
I had a bunch of Japanese friends (cause I speak Japanese fluently). They were all exchange students. When it was time for them to go back, they all said that they were dreading going back because they would have to put so much more effort into their appearance compared to in the states.
I had similar experiences living with young Japanese &. Korean women near the beach in Sydney AU. (I'm Aussie.) They really embraced the freedom both culturally and in the way they dressed. Little to no makeup (they didn't need it anyway), wearing revealing loud clothes. THis was 2009, so it was the neon, rhinestone, Ed Hardy era of fashion. Lots of cut off denim shorts. They'd get tans because we worked nights and spent many long days on the beach. (Not saying excess sun is good btw, but they were more relaxed about getting a natural tan because they wouldn't be judged here.)
Then when they returned to Japan & Korea (and start working conservative jobs & have kids) they looked like complete strangers to me. Alabaster white from avoiding sun completely and heavy pale makeup. Even wearing super heavy makeup in photos playiing at the park with their kids. Their style was like my middle aged BIble study teachers dressed in the 90s - all white/pale grey linen & cotton, huge sun hats, long blouses & dresses. One French friend who lived with us in Sydney visited a Japanese friend from that time a few years after she went back to Japan, and said she even acted completely diffeerent to the wild party girl we knew. Acting coy & girlish.
@@bogantellectualReputation is extremely important in Japan if course she behaved differently.
@@bogantellectualEd Hardy is back in style. My middle school niece just asked for Ed jeans for Christmas.😮
7:38 BRASIL BEM REPRESENTADO ❣️ IM ALSO PROUD TO BE BRAZILIAN CAUSE HERE WE DONT HAVE 1 STANDARD BEAUTY HERE WE HAVE VARIOUS TYPES AND THAT'S WHY NO ONE HERE IS EXACTLY THE SAME 🇧🇷🙅🏻♀️🤌🏼
Let me be honest, as an asian what the people describe here in this video about Japanese beauty standard, its not only in Japan, its more to an “Asian beauty standard” its kinda said, where you are catogerize as “beautiful” or “average” or “ugly” 😭 Beauty in an asian terms meaning having light fair skin, slim , slender, small build bodies, i am tanned skin & since young i am never proud of it, as i have always being criticize by family members as mostly my siblings are fair-skinned, whenever i go out with both my Sisters no one believe we are siblings due to the colour of my skin, and i do workout & exercise just to lose weight on my butt which is fleshy, which i hated it so much, i will lose other parts of my body but not my butt, having big & fleshy butt as an asian, we are considered fat! And i really adore those white people who are proud of having big butt, and surprised asian are not! As i grow older, i started to realise, i should love myself for who i am & what i have been gifted by God, I love my natural straight & black hair, and im proud of it, cheers to all the beautiful ladies around the world, love & appreciate who u are, ❤❤❤
Korea people don’t want blonde hair so how
I like what the Tanzanian girl said, " if you have confidence, you don't have to rely on makeup ". That's word up girl❤
Happy Valentines Day Takashii I hope you had a wonderful day.
I enjoyed hearing each person’s insights on the beauty standards in Japan. The one interviewee that caught my interest the most is the Tanzanian woman who was born and raised in Japan. I am curious to know more about her.
I like how regardless of body type or position on Japanese beauty standards, everyone was dressed well and reserved. There's a different culture in the air there, so much so that most foreigners know to adjust, regardless of how briefly they'll be there.
Very good point.
Wow, Takashii-san, this a very deep subject! You’re awesome for covering this!
Thankssss I try to make it deep
Definitely agree on same colour palettes. I remember the spring of 2016, beige was in. A sea of beige coats!
Beige is still here.
Whoa! I definitely need to get out more but the lady from Tanzania's high-level speech was fascinating to hear!
I'm not used to seeing a lot of fellow dark-skinned women speaking Japanese so eloquently and it's so encouraging to listen to.
So great hearing everyone's differing viewpoints!
I love how nice you are with all those people from different cultures and how you understand that the differences are something interesting and beautiful.
It looks like they felt well doing those interviews, thanks for sharing...
Saludos desde Venezuela
The girl from Tanzania definitely had a Japanese accent to her Japanese since she was born and raised there. It was interesting to see the difference between those who had it as a second language or learned it in school later as an adult.
I noticed her mannerisms were also that of a native Japanese, obviously. I just found that interesting to observe. Our environment determines so much of who we are.
But she's not from Tanzania really, she's actually from Japan but identifies as tanzanian probably after her parents
@@limirl You are correct - once again the lines of nationality & heredity are being blurred.
She is of African & Japanese descent. This would be in reference to her biological lineage. She was raised as a Japanese national & was molded by the Japanese culture.
Her current or future citizenship - or what she or others chose to identify her as - is of little consequence when discussing her heredity & major cultural influence.
@@Meisha-san She's not of Japanese descent; she said both her parents are Tanzanian. She's Japanese, of Tanzanian descent.
I started watching your videos a year ago and I'm so happy about how much your channel has grown! Your videos are so interesting and I hope you keep getting the recognition you deserve!
These "beauty standards" are not only in japan. As long as it's east asian people, yep, it's the same stupid standards. I just realized another point why i was viewed as a reject by my chinese family-- i have leg muscles & i have thighs. I have fluffy floffy hair. I'm not fair skinned, but i'm not dark, just not vampire white. I have thighs, apparently that's not a thing. I'm flat footed. Etc etc etc.
But overall-- I DON'T CARE. That's their problem, not mine. That's just sick. Why does everybody have to look the same????
You are cool with your mindset tho
Why do people say “ it’s all Asia” when it’s about Japan, but with other countries like china or Korea they “ Korea/china is the worst.” “ Korea has the worst beauty standards” ?
I enjoyed this video! I definitely understand what the one woman was saying about covering up in the summer. I'm from Canada and visited Japan with my husband. It was late October but around 22 degrees celcius. For me, that is a very warm day; I wore a tank top blouse and we approached a Japanese woman for directions and she was lovely and showed us where to go. She kept touching my arm though, genuinely concerned that I was going to get sick from being outside with my arms bare (we weren't at a shrine that day, so I thought it would be appropriate). I will never forget her level of concern. Very sweet!
You have a wonderful way of interviewing -- you tend to get truthful answers in my opinion.
Wow. The woman with Tanzanian parents’ Japanese is really amazing! She must’ve went to pure Japanese schools, not international schools. And she’s so beautiful too!
She said it herself, she was born and raised in Japan. Her Japanese is native, even her way of speech/intonation/word choice is native Japanese.
@@TheRagman100not all non-natives that grow up in Japan speak Japanese perfectly. This can happen if they spend most of their time in international settings, such as attending international schools or schools on US military bases.
@@shikamaru526 I see! Thank you so much for the clarification :)
I haven't even thought about that possibility. I just assumed by her way of speech that she went to normal local schools haha
Cheers!
@@mfreak1126 Ok? No need to be rude, man :)
It was just an honest comment with no negative undertones intended.
she did not know English. that is my great take away. Swahili 🇹🇿 + Japanese 🇯🇵
I’m also from Tanzania. It was interesting to hear the Tanzanian young woman speak Japanese. What a beautiful and confident young woman!
She sounded 100% Japanese. Couldn't see her face, the young lady carried herself proud and super confident.
Hey there Takashi great interview with the foreign people that's awesome! One of the girls were Brazilian, so I'm Brazilian too. I got happy when I find some from Brazil.
It's crazy that the hawaiian girl feels that the beauty standards in Japan are playing against her. She would be considered very good looking in pretty much any western european country, probably many others as well.
She’s in the wrong country. If she moved people would admire her beauty. But in Japan they idolise blonde and white pale westerners only.
Forget good looking...she's beautiful!
Japanese people aren't very used to black people. You can spend two weeks in Japan and get to see only two black people in your whole stay (and that would only be in big cities). Also the concept of "foreigner" is definitely a white person. I think Japanese people get more and more accustomed to appreciating black physiques nowadays than they did 30 years ago, tho. Thanks to celebrities like Beyonce, Will Smith, etc.
@@AliEtSaMamanshe’s not black goofy. She’s clearly mixed with a bunch of stuff probably Hawaiian too.
👍 Very interesting topic and nice interview. But I believe that every woman should maintain her self-esteem even if it can be difficult. Diversity is what characterizes human beings and as such should always be valued. Also I think every woman has her own beauty beyond the standards of a society. Thanks for this video and Happy Valentine's Day Takashi! See you soon!😊
love how you pick up on the nuances, the very subtle details of the experiences of your interviewees.🤷🏾👍 thank you for being so thoughtful & aware of such details of their experiences. because it says & offers *a LOT* about so many aspects of life, about so *many* things..since we, human beings, can be so complex re: at *least* some if no many aspects of our life experiences abroad, especially.🌏💞🌎💛🌍🧚🏾♀️
Sometimes, some people have different opinions on beauty standards.
Nothing more attractive than someone who is comfortable with themselves, so they say.
Great content. My favorite part is to see foreigners speak in Japanese. So impressive and gives me the desire to try one day!
I enjoyed this video. Particularly the end when you went off script a bit. You seem to be getting much more comfortable with these interviews. Thank you for your time and effort you spend on the video's. Always interesting.
I think beauty standards in general are kinda crazy, but in East Asia, they’re either approaching or crossing the line of inhumane. I don’t think the women are crazy at all, I think the expectation to be anything other than what you already are or other than what you truly want to look like for something that’s unnecessarily demanding is what’s crazy.
Well it's actually all over the world. What Westerners think of skinny is actually just lean figure based on their genes. I've been in Japan but those standards being mentioned here , eh kinda just very idealistic or just wrong assumptions of outsiders. Westerners and Easterners have different natural body configuration so it ain't exactly the same too. Nevertheless think of how be who you are thing in the West just gave the rise of people wanting sex change , while Easterners view of the ideal healthy body ended up pressuring people to stay the same despite their body not actually compatible with it and it forces some to go extreme lengths of dieting even though they had done the right way already
Especially when the standard is not something you have naturally as a people. It's ridiculous to worship white skin when you don't naturally have it like in India. Makes no sense to apply white European standards universally and then bleach, dye, apply white make up, have surgery on your eyes and go through painful disfiguring surgery to gain height. I'm not against doing things like tanning if you like it or wearing a wig or makeup, but when you're cutting up your face, eyelids, and breaking your legs you've gone too far!😢
I agree. Probably the only place on Earth with harsher beauty standards than Eastern Europe (only for women, of course...).
@@Mehki227The preference for white skin existed in Japan, Korea, and India before any interaction with Europeans. The skin preference is not based on European standards.
Enjoy watching your interviews. I wish they are longer
I've learnt many things about Japan by watching your videos ! Very interesting. I will definitely save money and travel there as a tourist. (yeah my destination definitely changed these days, Japan seems to be the country that has to be visited at least once)
It’s sad everyone said “yes” as everyone you interviewed was beautiful
if everyone is beautiful then no one is.
@@captainvanisher988 they are all beautiful in different ways
@@captainvanisher988 He didn’t interview everyone.
@@Kaddywompous sure but the sentiment of "everyone is beautiful" is very common nowadays. No everyone is not beautiful and that's okay. Same way that a lot of men are not tall. But you can make up for it by working on yourself on things you can work on.
@@mike4088 sure but you can't force a culture or people to change and accommodate the way they are beautiful. They either accept and adapt or move into a culture that cherish their beauty. They are beautiful for some guys and some cultures. They are not in this culture and that's okay.
The thing I noticed recently was that sometimes buying clothes can be hard purely by being a different race. Like some of us just have a bigger bone structure yknow. It's not even always about having more "fat". But even with that in thought I'm still really enjoying the fashion, sometimes you get lucky and sometimes not.
There's no such thing as "Having a bigger bone structure"
Google it up - bones of normal people vs. fat people
もうすぐ桜の季節、観光客も増える 🌸🇯🇵hope to see more vids soon! Super interesting seeing foreigners perspective ~ it’s nice a lot of people want to be themselves yet appreciate Japanese culture/beauty standards too!
There is nowhere in the world where I am the beauty standard, so in a way it’s a relief. I just think about being my best self.
You are very pretty! I am African American. I think once we, as a people accept that we will never be the standard and live by the highest standards, which are God's standards, we will finally be at peace 🙏🏿!
WOW great content to cover. I have never visited Japan..what a great topic!!! Regardless, end of the day, we just need to be confident in our own skin regardless what other say about you. You don't have to be skinny to be beautiful.
All of these ladies are so beautiful!
5:54 That woman is beautiful, and the way she thinks is really what people should take to heart.
Woow!😮 my Tanzanian Sister speak fluently Japanise, very proud of her😊 🇹🇿
Almost a MILLION subscribers Takashii! Really happy for you!!
So interesting that a black woman can be born and raised in Japan and it's still a valid question "Is it easier to live somewhere else?"
The Tanzanian woman seems to have a great attitude towards life, my dad's family is from Trinidad and my mom'd is from England, so it's nice to see people of colour living and thriving in Japan
all the girls on here were beautiful. the Hawaiian girl was shy and adorable. I agree with the brazilian girl. same can be said with guys. I know when I first went and If i went to a bar or club, I always would see Japanese girls run up to random white blonde hair blue eys guys and ask for a picture like they were a celebrity. 😂
This was a good video and made me more relaxed about our trips to Japan this Sept12-29. We are going to meet people and to see a lot of the country
All lovely ladies! The Tanzanian lady stands out in her flawless brown skin and confidence ❤
@@nessy3087she's just the prettiest to me. We all have our opinions❤
Beauty standards...what standards are those? Lol🤣🤣🤣BTW they cover up in the hot summer to avoid getting dark!🤣
When I was in Japan, I knew I wouldn't need to go to clothes stores xD I am a bit chubby, so it's quite impossible to find cloths. The beauty standards are high, but Japanese people are very good with fashion. It's like a daily contest, which could be pressuring I suppose. For me, I didn't care about my style, because I can't fit in the fashion trend anyways.
I have traveled to another country from Detroit as an African American woman of traditional build, that is to say, I have a very curvy hourglass figure. Two issues concerned me about living in a country where Black people are rarely tourists or become short term residents (three months) is where to get my hair done and where to buy clothes.
Really insightful answers, thanks for sharing. Agree a lot with not changing what you like just to fit in. Had some issues with that and still kinda do.
You are awesome, buddy. Thank you for introducing me to so many people who look like me and are invested in Japanese language and culture You are taking time to ask the right people the right questions in my opinion I support you!
4:55 you are my girl 👍🏼💪🏼 if u feel unsafe n fragile all the time by new sets of beauty standards that feeling will never go away cuz every couple of years there are new trends and every place in the world also has its own trends , so if big butts are in for a decade what will you the when the trend is over n small butts are in , nose eyes face shape breast size waist size ... there goes the never ending list ... esp for women 👎🏼 "live your life n love yourself " should be are motto , cheers to all the strong women out there single/ dating/ married 🥂🍻
Happy Valentines Day to Takashii and all viewers
Happy Valentine’s Day!!!
@@takashiifromjapan thanks.
In Japan, I was able to blend well. Locals didn't notice I am a foreigner. 😅😅😅
This topic is so interesting - well done!
Wow, Ukrainian girl was so beautiful 😍
Such flawless facial structure.
Takashi,you literally made my fav channel,good job 😊
It's fun to see people views. Good interview
I think the pressure for women to have pale skin and thin bodies is much more prevalent in Japan. When I was there a lot of women covered every inch of their skin and had umbrellas because they didn’t want to tan. Whereas, in America people would be in tank tops and shorts to stay cool.
Great insight into striking the balance between the need to fit in and that empowering feeling of being true to you. I think beautiful foreigners are privileged in this regard however. Perceived beauty standards would surely be more crushing for Japanese ladies or foreigners less conventionally beautiful
10:01 "THAAANk you fortheintervie... whereyoufrom?" LOL
Love your videos, Takashii-san 😁
Wow!!I'm from Tanzania 🇹🇿 too so happy to see her ,i mean the girl from Tanzania living in Japan,it's such unexpected!
Another great video Takashii!! You interviews are very interesting. You ask great questions and have such a wonderful personality.
thanks, so nice video so honest and super kind, you are 🌺a great gentleman from today I will see your videos and show them to my children, take care.
I love your videos Takashii and really want to visit Japan soon becuase of them!!!!
I think any beauty standard anywhere is a passive aggressive message to women to maintain dissatisfaction with one’s appearance. This means that the beauty industry will always be a huge money spinner. Seriously, if we all embraced our individual beauty, the beauty industry would cater to a much smaller market.
I think every country has their own beauty standards, not only Japan.
I'm from Colombia but for sure I don't looks like a Colombian person.. So I think this is general for every country.. I have been living in Europe and US as well an its the same. They have their own preferences
In Africa we dont have any beauty standard people must conform to
This is so interesting, in a psychological level that's fascinating to see how an human being from a different background can evolve in the society where they are not born and raise, especially in a place with such a drastic dynamic. I never been to Japan but Im curious on how they can have so much polite manners circulating around and as a same time such a repression of freedom. I appreciate to see all this ladies don't denying who they are, staying brave and positive while in flow with their environment. And thumbs up to you, I like how candid you approach your video, it make such a beautiful honest exchange, thank you.
Wow that girl with the parents from Tanzania is really strong. She feels insecure sometimes with her going against the grain and people telling her that it's unusual but she still does it.
SO glad for your channel. I used to live in Japan and this resonates with me so much.
Colonialism is everywhere. "black skin, white masks" is an excellent book about the consequences of making people feel like they need to represent a color/class that they are not part of.
Japon was never a colony, you are a genius
@@banditlegal7452 , hello. Japan is under USA military occupation.
@Fordance100 military occupation is not colonialism you genius, it was more of a rehabilitation from War crime and military expansionist of Japan.
@Fordance100 we are in America too
I moved to seoul and found that foreigners are considered undesirable unless they look very close to Asian. I have blue eyes and had a lot of comments on my eyes and and i have high cheekbones which koreans don't like. I feel very depressed sometimes and even had surgery.
Lol move
Those girls are so pretty. In Japan, the beauty standards for women are to be thin, have straight long hair, and pale skin. I once had a Japanese girl tell my best friend she should cover up during the summer, right in front of me. I was shocked and didn't know how to respond, it felt like she was saying darker skin was not beautiful. I love the clothes in Japan you can find so many more unique styles not only for women but for men too. My favorite brands are still Japanese brands like Axes Femme and Liz Lisa and I wish we had more brands like that in America. I guess the kids these days would call it Princesscore or Cottagecore. It was kind of hard to find my makeup shade in Japan but before I left even that had improved, at least in Harajuku. Also, I started to see more brown skin models too like Willow Smith and Naomi Osaka on advertisements in Tokyo so that is nice.
Willow Smith isn’t japanese or East Asian. If they use darker skin japanese or mixed race japanese with darker skin then that might be a breakthrough
@@kling8460 It is still a breakthrough to see any dark-skinned woman being praised for her beauty in a colorist society and FYI they do have mixed raced half Japanese ads as I said with Naomi Osaka and even with Ariana Miyamoto who was crowned Miss Japan .
Wow!! That Brazilian girl is gorgeous!!
Every nation has beauty standards, we can go somewhere and be so pretty than to another place and be a beastly creature. Some African nations think skinny women are extremely poor, they prefer chubby women. In Latino communities in the US they go for tall, dark and handsome men. Every one has their own cup of tea. Every culture has beauty and beasts.