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Japan, the Juvenile Beauty

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Beautiful. To be beautiful is a matter of perception. Beauty is determined by oneself and oneself only. Countries across the world all have their own version of the perfect beauty. Even though beauty is determined by oneself, countries can become the personification of their perfect beauty. Japan has become the personification of a juvenile beauty. Almost every individual in Japan desires a youthful appearance and is willing to go to extreme measures to acquire it.
“If you were to create the ideal Asian woman . . . her skin would be pale, unlined, babyish in its softness and porelessness” (Yoshiwara). For this reason, throughout Japan, a sea of pearl faces can be seen. Haruko – Chan, a bloggist of daily life in Japan, describes it as, “Apart from paying a lot of attention to skin care, and possibly genetic factors, I think the main reason [Japanese women achieve such beautiful skin] is that [they] stay out of the sun . . .” (Chan). This fixation on pale skin is not something taken lightly in Japan. “Japanese women take staying out of the sun to a whole other level” (Chan). Through the more sunny parts of the day, one could see Japanese women walking around with parasols or umbrellas. Shopping centers even sell arm length gloves to shield from the sun. For the everyday bicyclists, protective sleeves are also available to attach to the arms and shield the hands while riding (Chan).
“Some young Japanese women are now having dentists artificially enlarge their incisors so as to achieve a look associated with a small mouth crowded with teeth . . .” (Wade). This new trend, by the name of yaeba, has caused peaked curiosity as to why someone would want purposely crooked teeth. In America, this trend could be seen as unusual consid...

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...in the phrase "shikata ga nai" — it can't be helped. And although purists might argue that this sounds more like resignation than acceptance, its intended effect — toward peace, not yearning — is the same. (Yoshiwara)

Works Cited
Chan, Haruko. "Sun Protection in Japan." TheJapans.wordpress.com. N.p., 2 June
2013. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.
Strochlic, Nina. “DIY Plastic Surgery: Can You Change Your Face Without Going Under the Knife?” The Daily Beast. The Daily Beast Company LLC, 6 Jan. 2014. Web. 1
March 2014.
Thomas, Rhiannon. “Double Eyelids is a Fashion Trend in Japan.” Modern Tokyo
Times. Modern Tokyo Times, 5 Feb. 2012. Web. 1 March 2014.
Wade, Lisa. “Japan’s Yaeba Trend and Cosmetic Infantilization.” MsMagazine.com.
N.p., 12 Nov. 2011. Web. 1 March 2014.
Yoshiwara, Mume. “Beauty, Redefined.” Marie Claire. Hearst Communication, Inc., 30
May 2012. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.
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