Faylis Matos

Japanese Shape Shifting: Exploring the Intersections of Race and Fashion Faylis Matos

Japanese Shape Shifting is the ability to transform into the appearance and even the lifestyle of another race but revert back to Japanese when desired. I first visited Japan during the summer of 2010 and was immediately captivated by the varieties of appearance. Japan is well known for being innovative in the fashion industry, but some styles consisted of more than just cute, trendy clothing. I noticed that appearing as another race was also a form of fashion, especially for some Japanese youth who sported brown skin and cornrows. Upon seeing this stylish race-play, I thought to myself, ?Is what I?m seeing really just fashion, does it have a deeper meaning? Do some Japanese young people truly wish to be of another race?? In "Japanese Shape-Shifting," I attempt to answer these questions by examining modern and historical Japanese standards of beauty, changes in culture, European influences and the impact of hip-hop music in Japanese culture.