The rise of ‘herbivore man’ in Japan

Recently published manga: Grass-Eating Man’s Love Study

In Japan, there’s been a lot of buzz recently around soshoku-kei danshi, which translates as herbivorous or “grass eating” men. Political correctness aside, this term refers to the growing number of men age 20 to 34 who display less “masculine” traits than the “meat eaters” dominating the preceding generation. But before you start envisioning an overdue triumph of feminism in Japan, the reasons for—and results of—this shift in gender attitudes are not particularly positive.

Soshoku-kei danshi are generally considered to have a combination of the following attributes (based on research conducted last year by Tokyo-based market research firm Infinity): lack of ambition at work, preferring to avoid competition; limited life aspirations; low interest or even a negative attitude toward love, sex, dating and marriage; extremely tight with money (saving for the future is a high priority); and sensitivity and concern about their appearance, from fashion to hair and personal care.

It’s estimated that roughly 60 percent of men 20 to 34 fit the bill. If that sounds exaggerated, note that in a survey of 500 single men in their 20s and 30s by Lifenet Seimei Insurance, three-quarters said they regard themselves as soshoku-kei danshi.

There’s much debate as to the roots of this trend, but a common theme is the link to anxiety. These men have bleak economic prospects—they grew up after Japan’s bubble economy burst in the late ’80s and have never known what it’s like to live in good economic times. With a huge opportunity and wage gap compared to men over 35, the defensive response has been greater caution and limiting of life aspirations. As I wrote in a previous post on the high levels of anxiety in Japan, when these young men look to the future, they don’t see much to be hopeful for.

As a result, they are simply turning away. Without work, status or life goals from which to draw self-esteem, they tend to focus on their appearance and their hobbies. Noncommittal in their relationships with women and unwilling to go through the “hassles” of wooing a mate, their sexual drive tends to be satisfied virtually. As you’d expect, this is leaving young women in a bit of a bind, driving already low marriage and birth rates down even further.

For brands, this is a shift that cannot be ignored. Typically masculine messages don’t resonate as much anymore. But there are also new opportunities as men reallocate their disposable income from big-ticket items (like cars), dating and socializing toward more daily, personal rewards in fashion, personal care and hobbies.