Long hair in Japan on men.

Hi, maybe this is a stupid question, but I am wondering, how would a Japanese person percieve someone with long hair?
I am a young person who is visiting Japan soon, and I have long straight black hair which I usually cover my face with because I am quite picky with my facial looks. So what I mean is, with my long hair, how will people percieve me in Japan. I am from England, and I am English, so I am a foreigner to Japan, and some people I know cover their face with their hair so Japanese people don't notice that they are foreign, do you think that is a good idea? Or would a Japanese person think you are hiding something, and if they thought you were not a foreigner, and then they caught a glimpse of your face, and saw you were a foreigner, would they think you were lying to them in some form? Sorry about the weird questions..

I must say they are indeed weird questions in my pov, and that weirdness will probably be more unacceptable than your long hair.

In terms of length, hair in Japan is pretty much like the UK. We have heavy metal, we have graphic designers...men with long hair covering your shoulders is not unusual at all.

But someone _trying_ to cover his face with hair?? That is something weird and uncomfortable. I think it's normal for humans to prefer people with confidence.

And why must people not notice that you're foreign? That is also weird.

You wrote;
''Or would a Japanese person think you are hiding something, and if they thought you were not a foreigner, and then they caught a glimpse of your face, and saw you were a foreigner, would they think you were lying to them in some form?''

No. They'd just don't get why you were hiding your face.

Here in Japan, I see people with big birthmarks, big burns, big ugly faces putting their hair back. I think it's cool. I mean, I don't know what kind of a weird face you have, but the only time I see weird faces hidden behind hair is in case of monsters and ghosts at a lousy theme park. If your intention is to scare people, it's working, but...

I'm just curious. Is the fact that you hide your face with hair truly accepted in your town??

Huh, weird, I just posted back to a forum saying how great it is htat you can post a question, when you know bugger all about Japan, and still get a decent response!

Don't attack this person for their question. It is important to them, and they deserve a respectful answer.

There are no stupid questions, just stupid people. ...the question wasn't stupid, so that just leaves your response!

I thought I was posting a respectful answer. Sorry if it didn't sound that way. I just didn't know how else to put it. Maybe someone else can expressing their opinions on this matter in a sweeter way. I'm just hoping that Vibri will have a nice time in Japan.

Fair enough!

I gotta lot to learn too, I haven;t been overseas before, but this thread struck a thought with me that different cultures are like email, if you are unable to interpret the mood of the other person, (like email is really tricky because it does not convey sarcasm well etc..) then you may take offense at something that was never meant to be offensive!

In turn I appologise for attacking you... now, nobody appologise for reading this thread! Ha!

I'm half Japanse, and will be going to Japan soon. I understand the desire to cover your face with your hair, I'm just gonna wear a hat. I can speak Japanse, but I don't look all that Japanse, and I don't want people to steroetype me as an 'outsider'.
But on men, I'm not sure if long hair on men is very common in Japan. You could always cut it short in the back and leave the front long to cover your face, some Japanse guys have similar hairstyles. Good luck.

Besides, I think even if you cover your face a Japanese person will pretty soon spot that you're not Japanese. It is that whole body language thing.

I'm a scientist, mid40s, long hair (ponytail), bushy beard, Westerner. The hair never posed a problem for me when I was in Japan last summer.

About 10 years ago, when I was going to a scientific meeting, I looked about the same (but my beard wasn't gray yet!). Again,
no problems EXCEPT once. At Narita, the customs agent asked what I was doing in Japan; I explained that I was a professor going to a scientific meeting. He then asked me if I had any illegal drugs, then if I had marijuana, and then rifled through my bag. It was pretty clear that it was my hair.

I had no problem after that, and I have no idea how typical that was, and it was 10 years ago -- but I guess it's something I'm always prepared for at customs.

Covering your face is a bit unusual for any culture. People will think that you are avoiding being seen or hiding something that should not be there.

Also I have been wondering, what do girls in Japan about guys with long hair, do they love guys with long hair or hate it.

Been therw with very long hair, with short hair, without hair, never seemed to make any difference whatsoever. Never been asked about drugs either... Just consider this; whatever hairstyle you've got or want, there's bound to be an even weirder' one walking around there somewhere :). In my experience they don't seem to judge on 'appearance' as much as europeans do.

Well, every girl has different thoughts about guys. I personally like really short (army) hairstyles. But in Japan many anime shows feature guys with really long hair (Inuyasha anyone?) It all depends. I think many girs will be very interested in you.

Well I don't believe there should be a problem with you having long hair. My ex-boyfriend who is from Japan and moved here a 3 years ago had long hair and he says it was okay. He said though some people may find it weird others wouldn't give you a second glance, much like in England. But he said he found England gave him more grief about your appearance than Japan did, he reckoned that in Japan the majority of people there had unique styles and trends so having long hair on a man wouldn't seem out of place, but if you cover you're face wouldn't you seem suspicious in any culture? I mean you don't need to hide anything so why cover your face. Unless you're Samara from The Ring I don't see why. Perhaps you should consider tying your hair back then. But I reckon it wouldn't matter too much, you're over worrying yourself, I'm sure the people there wouldn't mind at all! ^^

Long hair is an essential part of the Japanese male culture.Samourais, commoners etc. all had long hair.. Sumo wrestlers still have long hair.. and of course quite a few young dudes have not only long hair but died as well!!

I feel bad for the poor man if he indeed covers his whole face because he doesn't have enough confidence in his looks. He really needs help ASAP. Besides he must definitively have his hair tied back when going through customs/ immigrations and has to have his photo taken!
it would be a rather unpleasant situation for all parties if he refused to show his face when entering Japan!

I also don't understand the idea of covering your face with your hair- it's definitely not going to please Immigration as they take photos now! It's not a shameful thing to be a foreigner in Japan, and people will notice anyway! Why would you want them to think you were Japanese?

There are lots of Japanese men with long hair, especially in the bigger cities. What people think of it is an individual thing- in the conservative corporate world it's not really considered acceptable, but in society in general it's not considered that odd.

When I went to Japan for a year, my hair was very long, past my shoulders. When I went to school I tied it back in a ponytail, but at home/out with friends I let it hang loose. I have blonde hair btw. I think most people don't care, as long as you keep your hair clean and tidy.

Uco said "In terms of length, hair in Japan is pretty much like the UK."

This is simply not the case. The average man in the UK will have very short crop hair, or short back and sides.

On the other hand, most men under 30 in Japan will have "bigger" hair on top (often with gel or wax, spikey or messy), and bushy hair at the sides (covering the top of the ears), long whispy sideburns and bushy hair at the back. This gives Japanese men a certain "look" (the Manga men's hair look) which is different to other countries for sure.

Longer hair in both places is not that unusual, of course....

hi, I'm Allan and I'm from Southern California.I have big curly hair, kinda like an afro, but im white.
will japanese judge me badly cause of this? in particular the girls around my age (20-25)
even in california i get some attention cause of the hair.
i ask because in japanese films often the person with the afro are depicted as "bad guys" or delinquents lol

You don't have anything to worry about. Life in Japan is not really like it is in manga, that is like assuming that life in US is like the Simpsons or South Park!

You will stand out because you are a foreigner anyway, and you may hear comments about your hair, just like in California, but Japanese people will not make assumptions about you based on having afro hair.

Whether girls in their early 20s will like your hair or not is an individual thing, and most women are more interested in personality anyway.

I wasn't basing my opinion on manga or anime. I just mean in real life films.
Films usually have some cultural bearing on real life, and i was just wondering if afro one is true.
Just as the matrix where people wear all black leather maybe classed as renegades. And the simpsons also classes Homer as the 'typical american man' which isn't far from the truth :D
Of course don't make some absurd statement from entertainment media. But my one was quite a fair question.

long hairs are always impressive.