Breaking Beauty Norms: Tokyo's Muscle Girls Bar Celebrates Female Strength and Redefines Femininity in Japan

Muscle Girls attracts approximately 100 patrons daily, with foreign visitors comprising the majority.

In a vibrant underground establishment in Tokyo's bustling district, approximately twelve women clad in athletic bras and form-fitting shorts stand behind a U-shaped counter. Their sculpted physiques are prominently displayed as they collectively squeeze grapefruit with their bare hands.

While music pounds and neon illumination flashes against vivid pink surroundings, visitors at the fitness-themed venue Muscle Girls enthusiastically applaud, eagerly capturing the performance on their mobile devices.

"In Japan, the general perception of female attractiveness typically involves small breasts, a slim back, and thin legs," explains Hitomi Harigae, who manages this establishment featuring exclusively female performers. "Our clientele has different preferences."

Since its inception in mid-2020, the bar has challenged Japan's traditional standards of feminine beauty. It has become a social media sensation and draws approximately 100 customers daily, predominantly international tourists.

For 6,000 yen ($40), patrons receive 80 minutes of entertainment, including a protein beverage and unlimited drinks. The staff, showcasing their muscular physiques, perform stage routines, while others in leopard-print attire execute pull-ups and pole dancing maneuvers.

Additional services are available for purchase, such as receiving forceful facial slaps or being lifted by the thighs.

"Femininity can incorporate muscularity; it needn't be characterized by delicateness, smallness, quietness, or minimal presence," observes Aubrey Lee, a visitor from Los Angeles.

Among developed nations, Japan reports the highest proportion of underweight adult females at approximately 9%, nearly five times the percentage found in the United States and Germany, according to body mass index data from the OECD.

Earlier this year, a Japanese panel comprising doctors and academics researching obesity cautioned that the cultural association between female thinness and beauty contributes to malnutrition and various health issues requiring attention.

This conventional perspective is challenged by the roughly 30 women employed at Muscle Girls. Their passion for bodybuilding and CrossFit is evident, with some displaying abdominal muscles that many men would envy.

"I distinctly recall the moment I realized I was acceptable just as I was, and how my confidence dramatically increased," 38-year-old Harigae shares about her early experiences at the establishment.

For Harigae, Muscle Girls represents a blessing that fosters camaraderie as the women share dietary and exercise recommendations. Even during off-duty periods, she enjoys all-you-can-eat restaurants and nail salons with colleagues.

Female bodybuilding has gained traction in Japan recently, with competitions occurring across numerous cities. Nevertheless, outside this community, traditional ideals persist, notes Harigae.

"When conversing with former schoolmates, I clearly perceive their adherence to those established concepts – they desire thinness," she adds.

However, these perspectives, partially influenced by gender stereotypes, may be gradually evolving.

A 2023 survey conducted by think tank Dentsu Soken revealed that 38.2% of participants agreed that "men should be masculine and women should be feminine," a decrease from 43.7% in 2021.

"Female beauty isn't solely defined by slenderness," states Yuka Moriya, who joined the establishment in 2023 and finds inspiration in coworkers passionate about bodybuilding, pole dancing, or general physical activity.

"I hope more individuals would recognize the beauty in muscularity," adds Moriya, a bodybuilder who aspires to win competitions and ultimately become Japan's premier female bodybuilder.