Japanese Muscle Girls Break Conventional Beauty Norms

In the bustling streets of Tokyo, a fitness-themed bar named Muscle Girls is turning heads and redefining what it means to be feminine. With neon lights flickering against a hot-pink backdrop, the underground venue offers a spectacle where strength and femininity go hand in hand.

Inside the bar, a dozen women in sports bras and tight shorts display their toned physiques, crushing grapefruits with bare hands as upbeat music pumps through the venue. Patrons, many of them foreign tourists, cheer and capture the performances on smartphones.

“Most people in Japan generally consider women with small breasts, slender backs, and skinny legs as attractive,” said Hitomi Harigae, manager of Muscle Girls. “The customers who come here are looking for something different.”

Opened in mid-2020, Muscle Girls draws roughly 100 visitors daily, offering a unique experience where muscular women put on stage shows, pole dancing routines, and fitness demonstrations. An 80-minute session costs 6,000 yen (approximately $40), including protein drinks and all-you-can-drink beverages. Guests can also pay extra for interactive performances, such as being lifted or playfully slapped by the performers.

“Femininity can be muscular,” said Aubrey Lee, a tourist from Los Angeles. “It doesn’t have to be defined by being dainty or quiet.”

Japan has one of the highest shares of underweight adult women among developed nations, with approximately 9% falling below a healthy body mass index. Experts have long warned that equating thinness with beauty contributes to malnutrition and other health issues. Muscle Girls challenges this convention, showing that strength and health can coexist with femininity.

For Harigae, 38, the bar is more than entertainment—it’s a community fostering confidence, self-esteem, and camaraderie. “I remember the first day I realized I was fine as I was, and how my self-esteem shot up,” she said. On days off, she enjoys buffets and nail salons with her colleagues, reinforcing the bond between performers.

Female bodybuilding and fitness have been gaining popularity across Japan, though traditional ideals still dominate in wider society. A 2023 survey by think tank Dentsu Soken found that 38.2% of respondents agreed that “men should be manly and women should be womanly,” down from 43.7% in 2021—indicating a slow cultural shift.

Yuka Moriya, a bodybuilder and performer at Muscle Girls, echoed this sentiment: “Beauty in women isn’t just about being thin. I wish more people would appreciate the beauty of muscle.”

With its bold approach, Muscle Girls continues to inspire visitors and locals alike, proving that femininity can be strong, confident, and muscular—challenging norms while celebrating empowerment.