• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Smith's School of English

To provide English speakers the opportunity to own their own business teaching English in Japan.

  • Franchise Entry
    • Buy a Developed Franchise
    • Start Your Own
  • The Franchise
    • Work Visa & Taxes
    • Franchise Training
    • Franchise Support
      • What Franchisees get
      • SSE Products
      • FAQ’s
  • Testimonials
  • About
    • Coaching Confidence
    • Contact
  • Blog
    • English School Articles
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

Blog · March 8, 2013

To Beard or Not To Beard, That is the Question

You are here: Home / Blog / To Beard or Not To Beard, That is the Question

Reading the newspaper, my eye is often drawn to the strange and unique. My favorite articles tend to be more on the social side, and articles about men’s health, Japanese society and facial hair always draw my eye. As someone who sports a [rather small] goatee, I like reading about cultural feelings towards facial hair. In Canada, where the winters are long and cold, facial hair is not just for fashion, but for warmth too. In Japan, beards have been viewed less favorably in recent years.

The Japan times ran a story about a new bylaw passed in Ishigaki City, Gunma Prefecture which banned civil servants to wear beards at work. The reason given was that the public viewed bearded men as being “unpleasant”. After doing further research I found that globally this feeling has been growing, however a recent article from Australia has countered this feeling. The article states, in fact, that beards make men MORE HANDSOME! On top of that, they have health benefits, primarily protection from UV rays and thus keeping we bearded men looking younger, longer!

In conclusion: Beards = Healthy, Handsome and Youthful! Time to chuck out my razor and grow myself a beard. Check out the aforementioned articles here:

Beards Keep You Young, Healthy & Handsome, Says Science
Gunma Bureaucrats get Beard Ban

Doing a quick count, I found that almost half of the Japanese Prime Ministers from the Meiji Era until now sported facial hair of some sort, from waxed mustaches to pointed goatees to full flowing beards. However, in the past 50 years, NO Prime Ministers have had beards. I find it very interesting how society has changed. I’m going to go look up the Canadian Prime Ministers to see if this trend is true in Canada too…

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • X

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

Filed Under: Blog

Mark Smith

Reader Interactions

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Search

From the Blog

  • Blog
  • English School Articles
  • Smith's Sustainabilty
  • Sustainability Development Goals
  • Testimonials
スミス英会話メインページ

2 weeks ago

スミス英会話メインページ
-----🗣️ BREAKFAST CLUB MAY 2025☕Date: May 7th Wednesday Time: 10:00 - 11:00Place: スミス英会話大津校初心者🔰経験者🤠見学者🫣どなたでも大歓迎👌-----New Art Design: Ayumi (スミス英会話大津校)Thank you, Ayumi! Your designs are amazing! -----The 3rd photo: Lake Biwa in Otsu, Shiga#スミス英会話大津校#englishevent ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

スミス英会話メインページ

3 weeks ago

スミス英会話メインページ
今週のワンポイントレッスンはコチラです★What’s your plan for Golden Week?ゴールデンウィークの予定は?smithweb.co.jp/2025/04/one-point-lesson-6a90/#スミス英会話 #月謝制英会話 #ワンポイントレッスン ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Blog Posts
  • Discussing Milestones
  • A Common Listening Problem English Learners Have
  • Protected: The Japan Iwaskows
  • Christmas holidays in Germany (part 2)
  • German Christmas (part 1)
  • Autumn in Japan vs Autumn in Canada
  • Unique Japan- Smith’s School of English, Sagamihara
  • Edward’s Language Journey
  • Osaka Higashi Line – Convenient Fuse
  • Small Talk in Katsura
Smith’s School of English Franchises
#101,8-21-5, Hanafuku-building, Fukushima-Ku,OsakaTel: 0120-222-248 (Japan)
Tel: 81-6-6455-8050 (Other)
Fax: 06-6455-8052
E-mail: info@sse-franchise.com

Copyright © 2025 · Smith's School of English, all rights reserved. · Privacy · Log in

%d