Facial hair in Japan

So I've been wondering about this for a while but haven't seen any topics on the Internet: why don't many Japanese people have facial hair in Japan?

Also, are there any positive/negative stigmas associated with facial hair in Japan? The reason I ask is because I'm partial to keeping a well-trimmed beard most of the time and will (hopefully) be teaching in Japan in the near future. I don't want to keep the beard if it's considered unsightly or something like that, but I really like having it and don't want to shave it unless I have to.

Well, I'm native of Japan, but I don't have sufficient answer to you about why Japanese don't have facial hair.
But I can certainty say that there is no negative stigmas, or considered unsightly. If it is well-trimmed, you don't have to worry about all the more.
In these days, some young people wear beard as a fashion. So I think you don't have to shave.

Lots of people of various origin don' t have much body hair. Asian, native North Americans, native South Americans...Africans...of course each group has exceptions...including the Japanese..there are hirsute Japanese!!!
Even amongst Caucasians there are lots of guys with little body hair (in Scandinavian countries for example...)

In my own family my dad and I have to shave daily plus one more time in the evening if we go to a fancy party..BUT my brother only shaves once a week and even then he has less hair on the cheeks than dad and me every morning
.

tcatsninfan,

Happy New Year. If you mean beards, mustaches and sideburns, a lot of Japanese men in their 20s and 30s wear them, except for those in conservative business such as bankers. For the other age range, it's just not their way of style.

If you mean, "Why aren't they hairy?" that's how Asians are genetically.

If you are talking about women, it's customary for women to shave off their facial hair. A lot of them have negative views towards women who don't.

I notice a lot of Caucasian language teachers in Japan wearing modest beards. I see no problem about that unless your employer has special rules or issues about it. On the other hand, people do tend to expect Japanese teachers to shave off their beard, mustache and long sideburns, although some wear them.

it's just extreeeeeemely unpopular among most japanese young women.

i am 24 and i have asked every single japanese girl i know whether they prefer me with facial hair or without (i know a LOT of japanese girls..!) and out of around 50 or 60, only one said she liked the beard & mustash.

i think it's pretty common among most japanese girls. there are a few who do like facial hair but it's pretty rare in my opinion. you're far more likely to come across girls who like a clean shaven face.

that being said, if you don't care what girls think it's not a negative thing to have a beard and mustash or anything.