This time, I’d like to talk about beards.
Why do Japanese people grow beards when they go to America?
Life in Seattle
I studied abroad in Seattle in my twenties.
Until then, I had been working for a well-known company in Japan, living a life where I was always picked up and dropped off by a chauffeur and had porters carry my luggage during my business trips two or three times a month. However, I fell ill and resigned.
I knew that my lifestyle wasn’t due to my own abilities, but rather the power of the company and my position. So, in order to reset all my senses, I decided to go to Seattle, a place no one knew me. While the major cities on the East Coast were also appealing, the necessary costs were significantly different. The West Coast was more affordable, and even though I had funds I’d worked hard to save, I had no guarantee of my next income, so I chose Seattle. At that time, Ichiro, Kenji Jojima, and Demon God Sasaki were all active in Seattle, which gave me a sense of familiarity.
I shared a house with strangers from Asia and got around by bicycle and public bus. I attended classes at school, and after school I’d go out with my Taiwanese classmates or stay up all night talking about careers with my Korean classmates.
Living completely detached from the power dynamics that had existed solely within the company until then felt, quite frankly, refreshing—as if I were finally being my true self.
Asians tend to look younger.
In that life, I was often mistaken for a middle schooler. It seems Asians tend to look young anyway. And I have the kind of baby-faced features even among Japanese people. At 165 cm tall and 55 kg, I’m petite even for an Asian. Even when I told my real age, people wouldn’t believe me and would often laugh, asking, “Did you skip grades or something?”
My English pronunciation was poor, sounding childish to native speakers. Yet because I’d majored in British literature at a Japanese university, the English I used was old-fashioned British English. I must have seemed like a strange Asian. People often burst out laughing, saying, “It’s like talking to a grandpa professor.”
Given that situation, my American name was “Michael,” but everyone called me “Mikey.” The adult nickname is generally “Mike.” Calling me ‘Mike’ is normal for someone in their late twenties. My professor explained that “Mikey” is typically a nickname used for Americans up until middle school age, and after that, only childhood friends would use it. That professor kept calling me Mikey though.
The Psychology of Growing a Beard
I never even considered growing a beard because it simply doesn’t suit me, but my Chinese, Taiwanese, and Korean classmates started growing beards one after another.
When I asked them “Why?”, they replied, “We want to be seen as adults” and “We don’t want to be looked down on.” I found this intriguing and decided to look into what kind of psychology was at work.
Symbol of authority, dignity, and maturity
Beards have long been regarded as symbols of power and wisdom.
From an evolutionary psychology perspective, beards have played a significant role in sexual selection and intraspecific competition.
Beards grow under the influence of testosterone, a male hormone, in order to suggest maturity, high reproductive capability, and a larger physique. This allows men to display dominance and aggressiveness to others, while appealing to potential mates as a more mature, healthy partner. This is instinctive and can be considered unconscious behavior.
Furthermore, since facial hair grows as part of secondary sexual characteristics, it also serves as a symbol of masculinity. Many men likely believe that growing a beard emphasizes their manliness and wild side.
Social Identity and Belonging
From a social psychological perspective, facial hair serves as a means for individuals to express their group and cultural identities. Specific styles—such as a neatly trimmed mustache, stubble, or a full beard—can signal affiliation with particular cultures or lifestyles, like that of an adventurer or an artist.
This stems from a psychological need to convey the message “This is who I am” to others and seek connection with people who share common values. Many of my American classmates had friends who grew beards. By belonging to such a group and adopting similar behaviors, they may have unconsciously demonstrated a sense of belonging. In fact, when I was in Seattle, I often faced discrimination or different treatment simply because I was Asian.
It could have been an attempt to show that “I’m adapting to American culture.”
Self-expression and confidence
Beards are deeply connected to an individual’s self-concept and self-evaluation. Growing a beard can serve as a means to emphasize one’s masculinity and perceive oneself as a strong, mature presence.
This is not only an action taken in order to gain approval from others, but also to boost one’s own confidence. Particularly during times of major life transitions or self-transformation, there may be a psychological drive to establish a new self by altering one’s appearance.
The international students I was with seemed like a group of people eager to learn something new or make a change. Perhaps they were searching for a turning point in their lives.
Looks can be deceiving, even to yourself.
You know how some people start growing beards the moment they get into a high-ranking position? Whether it’s conscious or unconscious, I don’t know.
Similarly, the friends around me might have been trying to show how well they’d adapted to America, or perhaps they were trying to prove things like, “I’m not as immature as you think,” or “I’m a strong person.”
Honestly, Americans and Asians differ in both physical stature and the power of their will. Frankly, it makes me feel like I’m losing confidence.
In the struggle to survive within another culture, the act of growing a beard seems quite logical as a means to motivate oneself, build self-confidence, and consciously remind oneself that one is no longer the same person as before.
When I see players who challenged Major League Baseball on TV after a long time, they often have beards. Of course, it could just be a fashion statement, but every time I see their beards, I can’t help but remember their time in Seattle.
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