Many women today maintain long hair when they're single, and then cut it shorter when they have kids, due to its impracticality. So in a way, that cutting of hair is a ceremony that mirrors that of an Edo period Samurai: an end to an era of someone's life, and the beginning of another.
“A woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life.” Coco Chanel wisely uttered this quote, as she knew the power of a good haircut. That power she referred to is the confidence and sharpness of a new look and feel. It has become synonymous with breakups, new beginnings and the transformative power of change.
The Chonmage was a form of traditional hair-style worn by the samurai and other classes of old Japan. Originally, the samurai, and later townsfolk, would shave the tops of their heads as it was supposedly more comfortable to wear the kabuto helmet this way.
The cutting off of a person's top-knot was a significant event in traditional Japanese culture. The removal of one's top-knot, as voluntarily performed by Zuko, Iroh, and Hei-Ran, was considered a renouncement of title, social status, and pride.
Akanbe (あかんべえ) is a Japanese facial gesture indicating sarcasm but also used as a taunt. It consists of someone pulling down one's lower eyelid to expose the red underside towards someone, often accompanied by the person sticking their tongue out.
The prevalence of hair removal salons for both men and women, and in recent years, even for children in Japan reflects a commonly held belief in Japanese society that hairless bodies look better than hairy ones. In Japanese, body hair is often referred to as ムダ毛 mudage, meaning "unwanted hair."
Japanese Hairstyles for Short hair
The short hairstyle is made to accentuate the smallness of one's face. This kind of hairstyle shows innocence and sweetness which is a look most girls are after.
History. Hikimayu first appeared in the eighth century, when the Japanese court adopted Chinese customs and styles. Japanese noblewomen started painting their faces with a white powder called oshiroi. One putative reason for hikimayu was that removing the natural eyebrows made it easier to put on the oshiroi.
Why do Japanese have weird haircuts? This unique hairstyle is called "mage", which originated from the hair bun of nobles around Gregorian calendar 600. Around 1200, from the Kamakura and Muromachi Periods, men began to shave their hair on the top of their heads and put it into topknot, which is now fairly well-known.
Studies have shown that cutting one's hair (especially when going through a traumatic life change, such as a breakup) can provide a sense of control and emotional release. Changing one's hairstyle can also be a powerful tool in helping redefine or solidify one's identity. Even a simple trim has mental health benefits.
When a romantic relationship ends, it's common for individuals to want to make a change to their hair. “Grief after a break-up can drive someone towards making a big change in appearance, as a way of potentially lifting the literal and metaphorical 'weight' of the hair,” says Newman.
The Japanese do shave their faces, arms, legs, and pubic areas. Those with hairy pubic areas are considered sexy. However, as the Western culture has influenced the country, this practice has become more accepted in Japan.
The hime cut (Japanese: 姫カット, IPA: [çime katːo], HEE-meh; lit. 'princess cut') is a hairstyle consisting of straight, usually cheek-length sidelocks and frontal fringe. The rest of the hair is usually worn long and straightened.
Curly hair isn't common in Japan like it is in other parts of the world, which is why it can be so difficult to find curly hair care products over here. And, to make things even tougher, the seasons in Japan aren't exactly kind to those of us with curly hair.
Ohaguro means simply to blacken the teeth. It's an old custom that was very popular centuries ago among most married Japanese women, members of the aristocratic class, and samurai. It was considered a status symbol to have blackened teeth. The traditional method used was to soak iron fillings in tea or sake.
This may surprise you, but many women in Japan shave their faces. Not all Japanese women shave their face but it is a more common practice skincare regime in Japan than in western societies.
Another interesting fact about this is that although Japanese women shave their face, arms, and legs, waxing bikini line isn't as common. Many women prefer to go au natural down there, but this is slowly changing as more Japanese women watch American TV shows like Sex in the City.
Kawaii (Japanese: かわいい or 可愛い, IPA: [kawaiꜜi]; 'lovely', 'loveable', 'cute', or 'adorable') is the culture of cuteness in Japan. It can refer to items, humans and non-humans that are charming, vulnerable, shy and childlike.
Is it a big deal to change your hair style in Japan? This is one of those things that's mostly done for dramatic, symbolic effect in movies and anime. It's useful visual symbolism, looks dramatic, and makes for great storytelling, even if it doesn't come up often in real life.
Bijin (美人) is a Japanese term which literally means "a beautiful person" and is synonymous with bijo (美女, "beautiful woman"). Girls are usually called bishōjo (美少女), while men are known as bidanshi (美男子) and boys are bishōnen (美少年).
It's thick.
The reason Asian hair tends to be thicker is that it has around 10 layers of cuticles. Cuticles are the small areas around the inner protein structure of your hair–they are there to protect those proteins.
What are the common modern Japanese beauty standards? Modern Japanese beauty standards tend toward light, flawless skin, a slim, petite figure, slender legs, and a quiet personality—although those “standards” change over time and may be largely ignored by future generations.
'No beards'
Beards are also seen as unprofessional in the Japanese workplace. Maybe this is because facial hair is not as common among Japanese. It can be seen as untidy and a lot of Japanese companies want to give off an immaculate image to their customers.
Where the Japanese terms get more interesting is in the cuts' names. Obviously the fringe/ bangs are the front ( 前 mae ) part of the hair ( 髪 kami ), so the Japanese word for this is appropriately 前髪 maegami .
Hime (姫) is the Japanese word for princess or a lady of higher birth. Daughters of a monarch are actually referred to by other terms, e.g. Ōjo (王女), literally king's daughter, even though Hime can be used to address Ōjo.