Yuumi Kato thrills audience at pre-broadcast event by transforming from sexy ninja to magical warrior Sailor Moon in seconds.
beauty pageant
Participants from the recent Miss Universe pageant tweeted photos of themselves au naturale to encourage women everywhere to love the skin they’re in.
An MC from a Japanese variety show recently visited the prestigious Miss & Mr. Aoyama Contest and discovered some very tough competition.
Beauty pageants for boys dressed up as girls are kind of a thing in Japan now. Whether you think they’re awesome or kind of confusing, you can’t help but admit that the entrants usually manage to pull off the cute girl look surprisingly well.
This month marks the annual Miss Komaba High School Pageant, a contest that has been going on for several years now and which invites young men to dress like their female peers . Last year’s contestants were pretty good, but can this year’s pretty boys give them a run for their money? Let’s find out!
Tuk tuks aren’t the cheapest or the safest way to get around Thailand, but as one of the more iconic local and tourist symbols of the country, they’re worth taking for a ride around town at least once.
Decked out with flashing lights and homages to the Thai flag and royal family, they’ve even recently become a fashion icon in the least likeliest of places, like the upcoming Miss Universe Pageant.
In many ways, Miss International Queen is just like any other pageant: finalists parade in evening gowns, swimsuits and national dress, and the winner will perform twelve months of promotional and charity duties. There’s one major difference, though: all the contestants are transgender women, and the top prize includes cosmetic surgery for the winner – if she wants it.
As the world’s largest transgender pageant hits the stage in Thailand (where else!) for its 10th anniversary year, we take a look at this unique contest.
Perceptions of beauty pageants in modern society have definitely changed since the 1960s. While we’re sure that there are plenty of varying opinions out there regarding beauty pageants’ place in modern society, we can certainly get behind the idea that there’s more to a person than how physically attractive they are. That said, we’re sure that for winners of the pageants, like Apasra Hongsakula here, who was 18 when she won Miss Universe in 1965, the shows are source of tremendous pride and happiness.
But winning an international beauty contest isn’t the only thing that separates Apasra from the rest of us ugly shmoes–if recent photos are any indication, she’s been practically reliving her glory days for the last 47 years, since the 1965 Miss Universe still looks like Miss Universe today even at the age of 67!
Is this the best-looking guy in the Philippines? You might think he’s an actor from some detective drama, but he’s actually a real life cop, and now also a male beauty pageant participant. The muscular man in uniform (and often out of it) has captured hearts across the Philippines and is currently enjoying a burst of celebrity, although he swears show business isn’t for him.
Last April, a case of overdose on Photoshop caused a group of ‘Miss Korea’ contestants to look like cloned beauties produced by the same plastic surgeon. Though it is now clear that the ladies were not high technology clones created to take over the pageant, the incident made some of us feel that beauty pageants these days are geared towards finding a certain type of beauty standard, rather than celebrating the beauty in different women.
Is it really necessary to “enhance” the beauty of these already stunning women? Let’s take a look at the Miss Korea pageant ladies before the era of Photoshop and cosmetic surgery!
Usually being called a witch is an insult, but a Japanese beauty magazine reclaimed the word a few years ago and declared a new category of woman: “Beautiful Witches.” To celebrate the women over 35 that possess an almost “magical beauty untouched by age,” the fourth annual National Beautiful Witch Contest was held last week, with a 39-year-old housewife from Aichi Prefecture taking home the top prize in a Halloween-themed pageant.
Ukraine is known for being home to some of the most beautiful women in the world, and also these two.
It seems the gene pool is so refined in Ukraine that even their soldiers and gorgeous, and the military must know it because every year they hold the “Miss Trooper” contest, a beauty pageant to determine the most stunning soldier female soldier in the Ukraine army.
At Japanese universities, female science and engineering majors are definitely in the minority. Even in Tokyo, it’s not uncommon for ladies to make up less than 10% of enrollment for science departments. But the elusive rikei joshi, or “science girl,” does exist and Japanese student organization CURIE is holding a pageant called “Miss Rekei Contest” to give them a chance to prove they’ve got beauty as well as brains.
MOST POPULAR
Now
Japanese high school girl Saya returns to blow everyone away with her new look for 2016
Who makes Japan’s best Spam-style onigiri convenience store rice ball? Let’s find out【Taste test】
Tommy Lee Jones cries, says sayonara to the Heisei era in epic new Boss coffee commercial 【Video】
Which convenience store onigiri rice balls are the most popular? Survey reveals surprising results
Japan Extreme Budget Travel! A trip from Tokyo to Izumo for just 30,000 yen [Part 2]
Chance to play Teris on a massive staircase in Kyoto Station coming in March
Potama serves up epic rice balls like no other, and there’s only one store in Tokyo
Amazing papercraft kit looks, and even sounds, just like the Nintendo Famicom【Photos】
Secrets of the sumo ring: Behind-the-scenes rituals that support the wrestlers…literally【Video】
Japan’s craziest burger chain takes menchi katsu to new extreme levels
Weekly
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever Hinamatsuri Girls’ Day Frappuccino
Japanese restaurant chain serves Dragon Ball donuts and Senzu Beans this spring
Highest Starbucks in Japan set to open this spring in the Tokyo sky
Japan Extreme Budget Travel! A trip from Tokyo to Izumo for just 30,000 yen [Part 1]
Japan has only one airport named after a samurai, so let’s check out Kochi Ryoma【Photos】- Japan Extreme Budget Travel! A trip from Tokyo to Izumo for just 30,000 yen [Part 2]
- Japan’s craziest burger chain takes menchi katsu to new extreme levels
Japanese drugstore sells onigiri at pre-stupid era prices, but how do they compare to 7-Eleven?
Yakuzen ramen restaurant in Tokyo is very different to a yakuza ramen restaurant
Tokyo Skytree turns pink for the cherry blossom season
Monthly
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Foreigners accounting for over 80 percent of off-course skiers needing rescue in Japan’s Hokkaido
Super-salty pizza sends six kids to the hospital in Japan, linguistics blamed
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourism
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to locals
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth
Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting the lines at a popular Tokyo gyukatsu restaurant?
Yearly
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home- Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
- Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Chance to play Teris on a massive staircase in Kyoto Station coming in March
Potama serves up epic rice balls like no other, and there’s only one store in Tokyo
Amazing papercraft kit looks, and even sounds, just like the Nintendo Famicom【Photos】
Secrets of the sumo ring: Behind-the-scenes rituals that support the wrestlers…literally【Video】
Japan’s craziest burger chain takes menchi katsu to new extreme levels
-
