Have you heard of Yamato Nadeshiko? If so, congratulations on your knowledge of Japanese culture, but I ask you to keep reading. If not, well, this text is for you. I believe many men know what their perfect woman should be like. Of course, people who don’t care much about appearance also have their opinion.
What matters is that we have an image of the woman in question… But of course, having that image and finding a person who matches that image are two very different things. We can say that the chance is as remote as a lightning bolt hitting someone’s head.
But the important thing is to dream… Anyway, what I mean is that human beings have always tended to develop an image of what a perfect person would be like. Since the Egyptians, humans have venerated their Pharaohs as some kind of divinity. After that, kings, emperors, and leaders in general had their fair share of adoration.
You might think this is nonsense, but thinking that only indicates that you are not paying attention to your surroundings. For example, who is your favorite idol? A Hollywood actor? A singer? An artist?
If you find that person admirable, that is a form of adoration. But hold on, I know you will say that this is not the same as thinking that person is perfect. And if you are saying that, it is because you are not alienated.
But you have to agree with me that many people would literally kill to defend their idol. And another huge number of people would do something crazy because of the same. And with that, we debunk the myth that nowadays adoration to the point of worshiping other people has ended.
P.S.: If you didn’t need this explanation, I apologize for wasting those minutes of your reading… But it was necessary to clarify a few things. Anyway, let’s get to the focus of the text.
Yamato Nadeshiko – The ideal Japanese woman
Yamato Nadeshiko [大和撫子] is a Japanese term that has a deep connection with what we discussed earlier. But I must warn you in advance that it is not used to describe people who worship others.
The term itself can mean “personification of an idealized Japanese woman” or “the epitome of pure and feminine beauty.” With this, we can understand that people’s imagination of a perfect person is not total madness.
But in this case, the country itself has a balanced image for all people. This means that Yamato Nadeshiko tends to encompass the main characteristics that the Japanese admire in a woman. These include, among others: balanced, decent, kind, graceful, humble, patient, virtuous, respectful, benevolent, honest, charitable, pious, faithful.
Anyway, there are others, but with these, the idea has been conveyed. And yes, a woman with these characteristics is the ideal type for the Japanese. As an honorable mention, we can talk about the term “hourglass figure.” Of course, it doesn’t compare in depth of feelings, but I can’t recall another (leave an opinion down below).
But anyway, Yamato Nadeshiko is what we call a floral metaphor. This is nothing less than when we have a flower designation for something that is not the flower itself. For example, we use “rose” to compliment a girl’s beauty…
Anyway, the term itself comes when we combine the words Yamato and nadeshiko. Yamato is an ancient name for Japan. Nadeshiko, on the other hand, is a delicate pink carnation called Dianthus superbus, whose kanji translates to English as “caring child.”
Beware of the term Yamato nadeshiko
To conclude, it is good to explain a part that may have been confusing. The term “Yamato nadeshiko” is often used to refer to a modest woman or young girl. Additionally, it is used in a contemporary context, which is marked by nostalgia for women with good traits. After all, they are becoming increasingly rare.
Therefore, we can already say that it is pointless to apply the term Yamato Nadeshiko to any woman. She needs to possess the characteristics already mentioned, or at least most of them. After all, not every beautiful woman has a good personality, or is a good person.
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