Quote:
Originally Posted by Nyororin
For guys, I don`t really think anyone is going to care. There isn`t really a culture of body shaving for men, so at the worst they`ll just think that you`re, well, hairy.  More along the lines of noticing the hair rather than being repulsed by it.
My husband is very hairy for a Japanese guy. He has hairy legs, and actually has a patch of chest hair. 
I came to Japan early enough, and had other things to worry about before coming over here, that I never really noticed things like this until I made later trips back as an independent adult.
I use an epilator on my arms, legs, and armpits. I shave my face with tiny little facial razors. It`s not because I am particularly hairy, have a mustache, beard, or anything like that - but because it`s what everyone does. Peach fuzz on the face is a no-go in Japan.
On visits to the US or on meeting up with other foreign women, it really is something you notice. It stands out. I can`t imagine having fur on my arms (even if it`s thin and blonde), but it seems to be something totally normal outside Japan. I also hate those tiny tiny hairs on the face, particularly because I rarely wear makeup so suck at putting it on - those tiny tiny hairs make it all the harder so I shave them off... But I`ve seen women with what look like full out sideburns who are shocked at the very idea of shaving their face. There has actually been talk of it being a pride thing - western women don`t drop to the level of shaving their faces, blah blah blah.  Japanese women do it though, so I`ve never really thought too deeply about it and just go with the flow of where I actually live. |
A patch of chest hair.... the only part without hair on my chest is my nipples.
The first time I went back to Canada was about 2 years after being in Japan.
Honestly I didn't notice the absence of body and face hair when I got to Japan, but when I visited Canada again, it was like ... eewwwwww gross.... and one of the girls at the airport in Canada wasn't wearing make-up and that surprised me too. Oh and she wasn't wearing a tight skirt! Reverse culture shock lol...
I met an average western woman in Japan too just walking around, from a distance she seemed normal, but when I got nearer and started chatting, it was like... peach fuzz blowing in the wind and she was about 2 times bigger than the average Japanese woman beside her, in every way. I actually felt average size again haha.
In Canada I'm not tall, just average, 180cm. Most my friends are taller and heavier than me. But in Japan I'm bigger than the 95th percentile of people I come across, this woman reminded me of my position in the west lol.
Nyororin, if you're a bigger woman, how do Japanese people feel around you?
I understand what kind of impression taller/bigger men get, but how about women? If you're not bigger, do you know anyways?