# Beards



## Raffish_Chapish

How are beards seen in Japan? As in...longer than stubble but neatly trimmed.

In London for example pretty much every bloke who can grow a beard has one and it's seen as pretty trendy - ladies rather like it too

I'd be interested in the views in Japan. (I have one - so it's a vested interest!!)

R_C


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## intkap

I had the same question. After googling seriously one hour (one hour of my life spent in understanding if a beard would be inappropriate...what a waste of time) I found some posts saying that this would not really matter. Yet, long hair on a guy would however lower your chances to land a job. This I read quite often (also one of the reasons why I looked for the beard issue thingi). Anyway, I wont shave it off if I decide to go to Japan.


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## larabell

It's a tough question. If you're working in an IT job, for example, where you're hired based on specific skills, it shouldn't matter. If you're just a grunt in a sales team, it could hurt your chances. You're not likely to get fired for it but beards are only recently starting to be seen as acceptable and, before that, were associated with seedy characters (ie: the guy with the beard on a TV drama will often be the bad guy).

As for the ladies... I'd say it's 50/50. Some say they like the look... some say they don't like the feel (and, of course, some say they don't like either). I tend to let mine grow until it gets annoying and then shave it off. The sudden change seems to prompt more comments from various people (male and female) and this is just my impression based on those comments.

It probably also depends on the average age of the people you're working with or hanging out with. Most of the beards I've seen are either on older men who don't care because they're not working any more or younger ones who are picking up on Western style. I can't recall off-hand seeing many Japanese salarymen in their 40's sporting a beard.

Ethnicity also makes a difference. In places like Tokyo where they get a lot of foreign visitors and workers, people are aware of (and, for the most part, tolerant of) cultural differences (and, in some cultures, beards are almost expected). The less you look like a Japanese, the less likely anyone will even think twice about a neatly-trimmed beard.

That's all just my personal impression. Your mileage may vary...


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## Raffish_Chapish

Thanks

I think I'll trim it shorter and see how I go - I had a beard in all the interviews for my job and they didn't mention it so I guess its fine.

I'll take 50/50 odds too


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## Bellthorpe

larabell said:


> As for the ladies... I'd say it's 50/50.


Well call me old fashioned, but I think a beard on a lady is rather a career limiting attribute.


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## intkap

Bellthorpe said:


> Well call me old fashioned, but I think a beard on a lady is rather a career limiting attribute.


LOL good one!


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