Tokyo’s Muscle Girls bar challenges Japan’s thin-ideal beauty standards for women. Staffed by muscular women, the bar attracts foreign tourists and has gained social media attention for its unique concept. The bar aims to offer a safe space for people who appreciate muscle, especially in women. It is a place where women can celebrate their physiques, exchange fitness tips, and enjoy a sense of camaraderie. While Japan traditionally values thinness in women, Muscle Girls provides an alternative and offers customers the opportunity to celebrate a different aesthetic.

Highlights

Here are the highlights from the article:

* Tokyo’s “Muscle Girls” bar challenges conventional Japanese beauty standards by showcasing women with muscular physiques.
* The bar is popular with tourists and features performances, protein drinks, and unusual extras like face-slapping.
* It fosters a sense of community and empowers women to embrace strength and redefine femininity.

Challenging Beauty Standards: Tokyo’s Muscle Girls Bar Redefines Femininity

A Revolution in Pink and Protein

In the heart of Tokyo, a revolution is brewing. Forget the stereotypical image of delicate, slender women – at Muscle Girls, a bar pulsating with neon lights and booming music, femininity takes on a whole new, powerful meaning. Imagine a dozen women, their sculpted bodies a testament to strength and dedication, crushing grapefruits with their bare hands. This isn’t just entertainment; it’s a bold statement against Japan’s often rigid beauty ideals.

"Most people in Japan generally consider women with small breasts, a slender back and skinny legs as attractive," explains Hitomi Harigae, the bar’s manager. "The customers who come here are different."

Beyond Thin: Embracing Strength and Sisterhood

This unique establishment, a haven for bodybuilders and CrossFit enthusiasts, challenges the pervasive notion that thinness equates to beauty. It’s a place where muscular physiques are celebrated, and women feel empowered to embrace their strength.

• The bar charges 6,000 yen ($40) for 80 minutes.
• Customers are served a protein drink and all-you-can-drink beverages.
• They can enjoy a stage show performed by the staff.
• Some of the ladies perform pull-ups and pole-dancing in leopard-print bikinis.

Customers can even pay extra to be slapped across the face, or hoisted up by the thighs, but is is not neccessarily the primary draw.

The impact is profound. Harigae recalls the moment she realized she was "fine just as I was," a revelation that skyrocketed her self-esteem. "I remember to this day when I first realised that I was fine just as I was, and how my self-esteem shot up," Harigae, 38, said of her early days in the bar. 

This sentiment is echoed by other members of the bar. "Beauty in women isn’t just about being thin," says Yuka Moriya, inspired by her coworkers’ passion for bodybuilding and physical activity. Moriya dreams of winning bodybuilding competitions and becoming the best in Japan. "I wish more people would appreciate the beauty of muscle," Moriya added.

A Statistical Call to Action

The need for this shift in perspective is clear. Shockingly, Japan has the highest percentage of underweight adult women among developed nations – around 9%, nearly five times the figures in the United States and Germany, according to the OECD. This alarming statistic underscores the dangers of equating thinness with beauty, leading to malnutrition and other serious health problems.

In 2023, a Japanese panel of doctors and academics studying obesity warned that the convention of equating women’s thinness with beauty leads to malnutrition and other health problems that need to be tackled.

As Aubrey Lee, a tourist from Los Angeles, so aptly puts it, "Femininity can be muscular and it doesn’t have to be defined by being dainty and small and quiet and not taking up space."

The Winds of Change

While deeply ingrained stereotypes persist, a gradual shift is underway. A 2023 survey by Dentsu Soken revealed that 38.2% of respondents agreed with the statement "Men should be manly and women should be womanly," a decrease from 43.7% in 2021.

Join the Movement!

Muscle Girls isn’t just a bar; it’s a symbol of empowerment, a testament to the beauty of strength, and a challenge to outdated beauty standards. It’s a place where women support women, celebrate their bodies, and redefine what it means to be feminine.

Want to be a part of this revolution? Support businesses that challenge conventional norms and celebrate diverse forms of beauty. Let’s create a world where strength is celebrated, and every woman feels empowered to embrace her unique self.

(Reporting by Satoshi Sugiyama, Kim Kyung-Hoon, and Tom Bateman; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim and Clarence Fernandez)

FAQ

Here are 6 FAQs based on the article about the Muscle Girls bar in Tokyo:

1. What is Muscle Girls? Muscle Girls is a fitness-themed bar in Tokyo that challenges conventional Japanese ideals of feminine beauty. It features women with muscular physiques who perform and interact with customers.

2. What do the Muscle Girls do at the bar? The women at Muscle Girls perform stage shows, do pull-ups and pole-dancing, crush grapefruits with their bare hands, and interact with customers.

3. How much does it cost to visit Muscle Girls? An 80-minute visit costs 6,000 yen (about $40 USD), which includes a protein drink and all-you-can-drink beverages. Customers can also pay extra for specific interactions, such as being slapped across the face or hoisted by the thighs.

4. Who are the typical customers of Muscle Girls? The majority of customers are foreign tourists, though the bar also attracts some local Japanese customers.

5. Why is Muscle Girls considered unique in Japan? The bar challenges the conventional Japanese ideal of beauty, which often emphasizes thinness in women. It celebrates strength and muscularity as forms of femininity.

6. What is the significance of Muscle Girls in the context of Japanese society? The bar represents a shift, albeit a slow one, in attitudes towards gender stereotypes and body image in Japan. It promotes a more inclusive definition of beauty that appreciates strength and physical activity in women.