Extreme Beauty in Japan

We see ourselves everyday but we choose how we want to see ourselves. We all try to present a “better you” for the society and this has intensely been focus through our outer beauty rather than our inner beauty. This idea is universal but how we view ourselves is different across culture. I’ve notice this particular since I’ve been living in Japan; their self-ideal image is very different from what I observe in Western countries. Like many other cultures, the media constantly influences the depiction of beauty through TV commercials, Internet advertisements, billboards and magazines. In moderation beauty in the media is fine but some people become easily convinced of the media’s definition of beauty, which leads to obsession with the way they look. For some reason, I can see that in the younger generation of Japan, who follows what the media labels them to be.

Japan is one of the largest advertising markets in the world with all big colourful billboards and adverts covering metropolitan cities. Here you will clearly discover how differently the Japanese models are portrayed on the adverts. Obviously, the media keeps on placing beauty with beauty however in the Japanese media, they emphasize more on the eyes, hair and make-up. Apart from advertisements, another way to clarify image of Japanese perception of beauty is through the Japanese purakira photo booth. It’s a famous Japanese photo booth that makes your skin look smoother and your eyes look bigger, basically it makes you look more beautiful. In reality, girls have circle eye lens and fake lashes (the bigger the better), stylish dyed hair (often light brown and always perfect), skinny body (more acceptable than curvy and slim body), high platform/heels (has to be worn anytime and anywhere) and of course make-up, which should be recognized as the biggest transformation to beauty. These steps to make you more beautiful are very common in Japan particularly in metropolitan cities. In fact, steps that make you look more western are highly recognizable especially in the media.

It’s also very interesting to see how the way they look can affect the way they are. I believe that being obsessed with your physical appearance changes your personality. The idea of “must-look-good” for other people and constant satisfying the society through their appearance might be the ultimate way to express their individuality as Japan is a country with lack of individuality compare to the western. Therefore I can only imagine having a strong “ideal-social-self image” is very important.