This might sound like a very strange question, however I have lived here for 6 years and seen it happen a few times, and heard of it happening often, where Japanese locals will touch or pick up foreign children and babies, sometimes giving them gifts and wanting to take photos with or of them without asking for permission from their parents. I’ve spoken to one Japanese person who said it’s something the older generation like to do to “grandparent” other people’s children, however friends of mine have had this happen specifically with their blonde haired children where local Japanese people will touch and rub their hair. An American friend of mine insists they do it for luck, but I can’t find anything online that confirms this and I’m curious if it’s true. So, is it lucky to touch the hair of a blonde haired child or baby in Japan?
ETA: if it isn’t lucky, why do they do it?
2nd ETA: for clarification, my friend thinks the way they do because of information they’ve gotten in the past, but from the comments it seems there was some miscommunication and misunderstanding.
Thank you for your responses and helping me understand this situation better 🙂
16 comments
No.
Lol no… Not at all, in fact their life in school is going to be miserable
No.
No they don’t do it for luck (ffs…), they do it because it’s unusual, cute, what-have-you.
It should be the older generation who does it, mainly because they were themselves raised with the idea that touching strangers’ children is ok if you did it to compliment, but it could be younger people too, if they were raised that way as well.
The luck thing though, no offense to you because you’re asking a legit question, but your friend sounds like he’s a dumbass *eye roll*
Never heard of it…
I was born in Japan and lived there for seven years in the 70’s. I had white blonde hair, white eyebrows and blue eyes. The locals would come and pet my head like I was a mystical creature when we would go to a park or shopping. My parents still have some of the pictures. I told them that’s a form of child abuse lol I love Japan and hope to go back next year.
No! Your friend is funny!
No, though if you went outside with an unusual, but cute, pet you’d get the same reaction.
After reading your profile. You just make shit up for clout, dont You?
Your American friend is either a tit or having a laugh.
No.
nah it’s probably just the urge to interact with something rare or unusual, and when it comes to older adults “admiring” or praising kids, they can (usually) get away with it and not seem too creepy? like, i’m not a kid and i don’t have people touching me without permission, but as reserved as japanese usually are i have had a surprising number of people ask to touch my hair… lol
No. My son had blonde hair and now it is light brown. He looks very foreign and is quite fair-skinned. Nobody says, or said, he is lucky. A few think he is cute. Everyone in the neighborhood knows who he is. Sometimes they ask if he can speak Japanese even though he goes to public school.
Thinking about it, seems more like an anime induced curiosity for blonde kids… most japanese people are not used to blondes or redheads adults, So a very different child stands out a lot in the common environment, Curiosity leads people to behave a little invasive.
What in the human zoo…
It’s simply that they’ve never seen natural blonde hair in their lives before.
In fairness touching them is actually rude.