Job Discussion Forums

JPrufrock · Joined: 27 Mar 2007 Posts: 22

Professioianlly speaking, is facial hair acceptable in Japan?

furiousmilksheikali · Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 5:57 am Post subject: Re: Facial Hair

MeyeQui · Joined: 23 Mar 2004 Posts: 24 Location: Japan

I was concerned about facial hair before coming to Japan. Mainly because I simply can't shave evey day due to VERY thick and curly facial hair. I've been working here since 2004 and there was only one occasion where a higher up (a foreigner) slipped in a ''You should be shaving every day you know''. I only shave about once or twice a week. I've heard of company policies that allow facial hair such as beards and mustaches but are required to be groomed neatly. I've heard that Nova teachers are also allowed to have facial hair but beards for example shouldn't be grown on the job. I guess they grow their beards on the weekend.

My advice to you is don't worry about it. If you are doing a good job I assume your employer won't fuss about a little stuble. If you had the best Japanese teacher in the world, would you care if he had a Mr. Pringles mustache? Probably not. Seriously though, if your are lazy about shaving or have some kind of medical condition you can always compensate by dressing a little sharper than other employees at your company.

furiousmilksheikali · Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 4:23 pm Post subject:

As far as I know stubble or unkempt beards are frowned on in most places in Japan (Universities may be different). There is a general leaning towards unshaven=unprofessional but some companies don't mind beards and mustaches.

NOVA seem to be okay with beards but not stubble.

GEOS seem to be against beards and stubble.

ECC and AEON I am not sure about.

Some public schools allow them, others don't seem keen.

The same goes for private schools.

So, as I said before, it depends.

Neongene · Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Posts: 51

Firestarter · Joined: 12 Feb 2006 Posts: 55

Neongene · Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Posts: 51

sethness · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Posts: 209 Location: Hiroshima, Japan

Depends. In the office I worked in most recently, the most respected worker had a permanent very short beard-- almost like stubble-- and never wore a necktie, while i had a moustache and goatee. However, we only rarely had contact with the public.

In general, though, I think contact-with-the-public jobs are held to a much higher standard, and unruly/messy/outlandish facial hair such as stubble or freakishly big muttonchops would be unwelcome, whereas a very neatly kept beard or moustache would probably be acceptable.

If you have contact with kids, then the rule is probably more severe-- realize that kids are probably seeingtheir first gaijin ever, and already are freaked out. You look like a tall gorilla already-- no need to look like a messy one as well, as it would scare the youngest kids.

In general, when thinking of Japanese teaching positions, imagine someone dressed like a 1940s accountant Mormon, and dress/shave/haircut accordingly.l

AndyH · Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 417

I've had a beard for the last year, and I haven't gotten any flack for having it. Of course, I keep it short and trim, and try to look as professional as possible.
My former employer ( I finished my contract at the end of March) didn't allow beards, unless they were grown during vacation time.

sethness · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Posts: 209 Location: Hiroshima, Japan

I think AndyH is reinforcing what we've all said-- facial hair is mostly, usually, OK-- as long as it's NEAT.

(Beards are never neat as they're growing-- sadly, they look like the person has been on a 3-day tour of local pubs and gutters, for at least the first couple of weeks.)