Before the 17th century, beards in Japan were often considered a sign of masculinity and martial strength, and many warriors wore facial hair. However, by the early Edo period, attitudes had shifted, and beard-wearing had largely fallen out of favor.
That shift was so influential that, even in the 21st century, you will rarely see a native Japanese office worker wearing a full beard. Why did that change happen? What is the history behind the Japanese beard? To find the answers, keep scrolling. And if world beard traditions interest you, our guide to Arabic beard styles makes a striking contrast.
1. Full Beard with a Side Fade
It is a masculine, well-trimmed beard paired with a short taper-fade hairstyle. Maintain it regularly. Trim the cheek line, shape the beard properly, and comb it often to remove tangles. Keep it polished and glossy by applying beard oil.
2. Disconnected Mustache and Pointed Goatee
This look pairs a narrow mustache with a separate, pointed patch of chin hair. The clear cheeks keep attention on the center of the face. The photo illustrates the shape, rather than a rule about what is accepted in Japanese workplaces.
More Asian Beard Style Ideas
3. Long Pointed Chin Beard
This long chin beard has a pointed outline similar to a ducktail beard, but much less cheek coverage. A thin mustache turns upward at the ends. The hat hides the haircut; if you prefer a close haircut, consider a beard with a buzz-cut hairstyle.
4. Salt-and-Pepper Full Beard
This photo shows a salt-and-pepper full beard with a short mustache. Unlike a thick Fu Manchu mustache, its mustache does not hang in separate long strands beside the mouth.
The beard covers the jaw and chin, with lighter growth on the cheeks. Swept-back, tied hair leaves the beard outline visible.
5. Short Patchy Beard
Hiroyuki Sanada wears a short, patchy beard with more coverage around the chin than on the cheeks. The photo does not establish a precise growth time such as five o’clock shadow.
6. Chinstrap Beard
Ken Watanabe is also a well-known Japanese actor. He wears the chinstrap beard very elegantly. His cheeks are clean-shaven, and the sideburns connect to the chin beard through a thin strip of hair. There is also a noticeable soul patch below the lower lip.
7. Rounded Gray Full Beard
This rounded full beard combines dark and gray hair. Keeping the lower edge tidy maintains its shape while allowing fullness on the cheeks and chin.
8. Bald with a Short Gray Beard
A short gray beard adds definition beneath a bald head. The chin and jaw have more coverage than the cheeks.
9. Short Full Beard
This short full beard covers the chin, jaw, and cheeks, with a connected mustache. It is broader than a chin-only beard.
10. Long Full Beard
This long full beard keeps hair on the cheeks and jaw as well as the chin. It pairs with shoulder-length hair; comb through the length and trim the outer shape as needed.
11. Circle Beard
A circle beard connects the mustache to the chin beard around the mouth. Clear cheeks make the outline easier to see.
12. Gray Goatee and Mustache
This gray goatee and mustache keep the focus around the mouth and chin, with the cheeks left clear. It is more compact than a full beard.
13. Disconnected Mustache and Chin Beard
The mustache and chin beard in this photo are separate, with sparse hair along the sides of the jaw. For a more sharply shaped version, compare the Japanese anchor beard outline.
14. Short Boxed Beard with Glasses
This short boxed beard follows the jaw with a tidy lower edge. Glasses and swept-back hair complete the look.
The History of Japanese Beard
When you look at Japan’s ancient history, you will find that “hige” (facial hair) was considered a strong masculine feature. It was associated with samurai from the medieval period into the early Edo period.
As Japan entered the long peace of the Edo period, facial-hair norms began to change. The heavily bearded warrior image gradually gave way to a more controlled appearance, including the topknot hairstyle and a shaved pate.
Many men stopped growing full beards but continued to wear the traditional topknot while shaving the top of their heads. By the mid-17th century, beard-wearing had become heavily restricted.
Even so, the Ainu, an Indigenous people of northern Japan, maintained distinct cultural and grooming traditions that included heavy beards. Later, in the 1930s, facial hair briefly returned to fashion in Japan, and some military personnel wore beards and mustaches.
After World War II, clean-shaven styles became fashionable again among both teenagers and adults. A clean shave came to be associated with neatness and respectability, and that idea still influences public and workplace norms in Japan today. However, there has never been an age-based rule requiring men to wait until 30 to grow a beard.
Can The Japanese Grow A Beard?
Yes, some Japanese men can grow a beard, while others have sparser facial hair because of genetics. Those who can grow one often choose not to, for several reasons.
One major reason is workplace culture, as some companies still discourage employees from growing beards. Like in Korea, facial hair in Japan can sometimes be associated with being untidy or unprofessional, especially in more conservative settings.
