How is well trimmed facial hair viewed in Japan?

19 comments

1. Need pictures to confirm.

2. Why do you care? Do you live your life based on how others want you to live it?

3. I’m not sure, I teach at a JHS in Okinawa and about half of the male teachers, including myself, have well trimmed facial hair.

   Also, did you just feel that earthquake? Lol

4. While I agree with some comments here, let me answer your question. In Japan some conservatives view facial hair as messy, yes. However some Japanese men have no facial hair and can’t really grow a beard. Also teenagers or guys in their 20s in Japan also don’t really grow facial hair, just because they can’t and don’t have facial hair.

   For example my husband has a beard and long hair and his mom always comments on it! He doesn’t care lol and I have seen many guys with beards. It’s up to you, Japanese like to comment on appearances without malicious intent, either tell them to stop commenting or sometimes I thank them, as in if they gave me a compliment even though they didn’t lol

5. Unkempt facial hair? That’s a paddlin. Stubble? That’s a paddlin. Well trimmed facial hair? Oh, you better believe that’s a paddlin.

6. Have beard. Quite long. No one cares. Asked when I went for my current job if I have to shave it. They said they have a rule againt beards, but it’s outdated and no one will force someone to shave. Never been a problem.

   But seriously, it makes for a good litmus test. In the rare case someone has cared, it was a good warning I’m dealing with a lunatic.

   As far as your well trimmed beard goes, just do whatever makes you happy.

7. I’ve seen a high increase in Japanese people having facial hair lately (in Tokyo), especially a goatee which seems really trendy.

   I’ve done it on and off also, my company never cared, but that’s a foreign company and my boss is American.

8. Depends, in my experience, on how foreign you are. And that’s either 100% or 0%. 👍🏼

9. It is viewed as well trimmed facial hair.

10. Ok. I’ll answer your question without busting your balls.

    I’m the past facial hair of any kind to include just a mustache was considered strange and not ok. It would even exclude you from job opportunities.

    It’s still kind of that way even for foreigners trying to work for a Japanese company.

    However. Lately it is considered cool. But still might jam you up at work.

11. My partner rocks facial hair, and since he’s in the medical field he gets away with just wearing a mask. YMMV

12. Facial hair is viewed very easily due to the lack of pixelation.

13. I have a full beard, nobody has said a thing except young kids when I was teaching English, mostly they just wanted to see it.

14. Putting aside the strong influence of the US Military on Okinawa’s Westerners.

    Standards for what is OK in a Japanese person (or generally most other Asians) is going to be different than what you can do if you are a Westerner.

    My Korean friend cannot get away with a beard whereas I’ve had a close stubble for 20+ years.

    Dating is also interesting as Japanese women tend to feel rather strongly about this subject (either way love or hate, but mostly hate.)

15. I just recently shaved mine for wedding pictures and will continue to be clean shaven from now on. Most of the comments were “It must be nice to be able to grow a beard!” because they might have workplace rules that don’t allow for facial hair. I never had anybody talk poorly of my beard outside of the first week or two when it’s growing in during that weird period. As long as it’s trimmed and maintained, it’s a great look.

    My wife loved it because I looked the part of the models from an L.L. Bean catalog. But for the wedding a clean shave makes me look younger so I had to revert.

16. A lot of men in Japan just don’t grow facial hair or it’s incredibly slow. I grow a full beard in a month and can’t be bothered to shave/trim every day. Never received a single comment except for students when I used to teach.

17. If you’re white, it’s more accepted than if you are asian. I have a trimmer beard, sometimes long sometimes short, but taken care of.

    I never had issue at work with it.

    Facial hair can be seen as unclean and lack of respect, especially since a lot of young people are not able to grow a nice volume of facial hair and look likes a plucked duck.

    If it looks clean, it’s okay in most situations.

18. Most are jealous they can’t grow a beard. Don’t mind them.

19. Nah. It’s nothing to worry about.