Viveka Odmann (Saitama) Japanese people are often perceived by the outside world as healthy, young-looking and more importantly, beautiful. When my mother came to Japan for the first time, she admitted that she had not imagined there were any ugly Japanese people. She thought all Japanese people were somehow beautiful because she had only ever seen beautiful Japanese people on TV before. She was quite shocked to discover this was not the case. From a western viewpoint, it is easy to see where her ideas about Japanese people come from. I can imagine the same can be said for any Japanese person whose only exposure to foreigners are Hollywood movies.
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I am often complimented on my body here in Japan— my white skin, my long legs and my small face. But, the longer I live in Japan, I find it harder and harder to accept these compliments. In a recent resurgence of self-love and acceptance, inspired by influencers such as The Fab Five and Jameela Jamil, I have changed my perspective and wish to do the same for others here in Japan. When it comes to any culture’s societal beauty norms, there is a desire and expectation to fit in especially for women. However, the more collectivist a society, the stronger the pressure to conform. Simply put, the
