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Travelling in Japan can prove to be a sensational visual feast for your eyes as Japanese women, intent on showcasing their best self, take extremely good care of their skin and body. Not only that, they also invest a lot of effort in dolling themselves up in fashionable clothes and accessories so as to accentuate their beauty. However, even within Japan, some prefectures are famed to contain a higher proportion of bijin (beautiful women) than other prefectures. As such, which prefectures should you prioritize on your next trip to Japan? Include these places on your checklist if you wish to be greeted by the sight of irresistibly stunning beauties!
Stylish Fukuoka and Kobe women
Due to their strategic geographical location, some prefectures experienced bustling trade relations with foreign countries even though Japan was largely isolated from the outside world for two centuries. For example, Fukuoka enjoyed an influx of merchants from China and Korea eager to engage in trade with Japanese businessmen. Hence, Fukuoka ladies groomed themselves with elaborate care so as to demonstrate their hospitality — a trait that has been passed down through the ages. Even now, Fukuoka women invent novel fashion trends and invest in aesthetic products, thus craving a fashionable image for themselves. In fact, a higher proportion of women are employed in the booming beauty industry here than in the rest of Japan as Fukuoka ladies often patronize nail and hair salons!
The same can be said for Kobe in Hyogo Prefecture. Kobe Port, which was open to trade and commerce, attracted many British businessmen to set up clothing shops. Not only did this spark the catalyst for Kobe people to pick up the ropes related to producing Western-style clothes, this also became the impetus for Kobe women to acquire a refined sensibility in dressing themselves up. They evoke a chic and cosmopolitan look, thus winning them the admiration of their fellow Japanese.
Fair-skinned Akita and Niigata women
Possessing porcelain-white skin is an important prerequisite of a ravishing beauty in Japan, and many Japanese women go to great lengths to protect their skin from the sun, including putting on sunscreen and using a parasol whenever they go. It turns out that women in Akita and Niigata prefectures are blessed with a natural advantage: their harsh winters. These prefectures receive fewer hours of daylight compared to many other prefectures, so Akita and Niigata ladies do not get so exposed to ultraviolet rays. This leads to them having beautiful white skin.
Akita women are so synonymous with attractiveness that the concept of "Akita bijin" is a strongly-held belief among Japanese people. This belief is further perpetuated by the legend of Ono no Komachi, a famous Akita poet in the Heian era who was reputed to be extraordinarily pretty. Ono no Komachi may not be around anymore, but her spirit certainly lives on in the Komachi festival, a lively festival held every year in June. Many gorgeous Akita ladies donned in traditional wear of ichime-gasa hats and kimono will showcase their elegance, so it is a festival not to be missed!
As for Niigata, apart from its cold winters, it is also a land that boasts fresh air as it is located near the Japan Sea. What’s more, the Shinano river flowing through Niigata guarantees a steady source of clear, delicious water. This can only prove beneficial for the ladies in Niigata in regards to diet! No wonder that they stand out from other Japanese ladies based on not just their fair skin but also their height — they are said to be among the tallest women in Japan. Pay a visit to Niigata if you want to meet women with supermodel physique!
Exotic-looking Okinawan women
Ever been to Okinawa and wondered why the ladies there look somewhat different from the women in mainland Japan? Your intuition is not playing tricks on you, for indeed, Okinawan women have distinctive facial features such as sharp noses with high bridges and double eyelids. This is because Okinawa was mainly inhabited by Jomon-jin people in the past, unlike mainland Japan which was occupied by Yayoi-jin. We are surely grateful for such diversity in genetic make-up, for coupled with their sun-drenched skin, Okinawan women’s finely chiseled faces will strike an indelible impression on your mind!
Japan is often said to be a homogeneous nation, but if we look carefully beneath the surface, we can still find interesting differences among her people. This article has attuned you to the various ways in which Japanese ladies employ to maintain a striking appearance: fashion, fair skin and facial features, so do check out these prefectures and find out which kind of women catches your fancy the most!