When the sun shines, Japanese women shave

A recent survey has found that come summer, many of Japan's women turn into hairy ape-like creatures in desperate need of a good shave. At least, that's our interpretation of the poll by Dimsdrive (translated by What Japan Thinks). 

It discovered that while armpits, eyebrows, mustaches and lower legs were favored spots for hair riddance, during the sunlit summer months nearly 40 percent of the 2,684 women polled trimmed back unwanted tufts on their hands and fingers, nearly 30 percent felt the need to de-fur their feet and toes and nearly 10 percent got to work on their shoulders and back.

Bikini lines, "delicate zones", noses, chests, stomachs and the back of the neck also featured in a list of various hairy spots that the ladies liked to keep smooth. 

It seems the Shibuya Shore look is no walk in the park. 

Japanese women shave, but not for the guys

Most of the people surveyed were married and in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s. So we thought this may have been a thoughtful example of self-grooming for the benefit of the partner. But not so. 

Just one in 10 of the women polled said they removed their body hair for the sake of the guys. And perhaps with some justification.

When the guys were asked their opinion, just 16 percent said they were often bothered by excess body hair on women, 28.2 percent barely noticed it and 17.1 percent claimed they couldn't care less. 

Japanese men are keen to keep themselves smooth though, and a new product has been launched to help them. Click here for more.