Is Yamaguchi cursed to have"ugly" girls? (Places in Japan Known for "Beautiful" & "Ugly" Women) | Japan Station 200/Ichimon Japan 50
Japan Station: Deep Dives into Japanese Culture, Language & Society
Release Date: 03/15/2026
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info_outlineThis is a re-broadcast of an episode originally released on 8/21/21.
On this episode of Ichimon Japan we ask: Is Yamaguchi cursed to have "ugly" girls? We also discuss other places in Japan known for having many beautiful/ugly women.
Topics Discussed
- The three most scenic views in Japan
- What the Sandaibijin (三大美人) is
- What places in Japan are most known for having beautiful women
- Fukuoka (Hakata), Akita, and Kyoto's status as places in Japan known for having many beautiful women
- How Kanazawa/Ishikawa/Kaga is known for having beautiful women
- Some theories about why Hakata, Akita and Kyoto (supposedly) have so many beautiful women
- The theory that short days and humid climate contributes to the white and moist skin of Akita's women
- How white/fair skin is considered beautiful by many in Japan
- The theory that the women of Kyoto are cultured and refined so that results in there being so many beautiful women in Kyoto
- The theory that collagen consumption via motsunabe and chicken helps produce the beautiful women of Hakata
- How pleasure districts might be connected to the impression that Akita, Fukuoka, and Kyoto have many beautiful women
- The idea that the Sea of Japan side of Japan is home to many beautiful women
- The theory that genetic mixing may be a reason for why the Sea of Japan side of Japan supposedly has so many beautiful women
- What the Sandaibusu (三大ブス) is
- The three places in Japan known for having "ugly women"
- Sendai, Nagoya, and Mito's status as the three places in Japan known for having many ugly women
- The theory that claims Tokugawa Yoshifusa sent groups of "ugly" women to Sendai, Nagoya, and Wakayama
- Nagoya's reputation as a boring place
- The so-called urban legend that women from Yamaguchi are all ugly
- The story of Oman's curse as a possible explanation for why women from Yamaguchi are supposedly ugly
- Throwing snakes at women
- And much more!
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Sources, Links, Videos, Etc.
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Here are some of the Japanese language articles found when researching the topic of this episode.
- もっともブスな女性が多そうな街は…「日本三大ブス」説が崩壊?
- 茨城ブスについて。 都市伝説をさらっと考えてみる。
- 石川県金沢市は美女が多いのでしょうか?
- 日本三大美人の根拠&美人が多いと思われている都道府県は?
- 日本三大美人!なぜ、この三県が?その理由やいかに!
- 秋田・京都・福岡が「日本三大美人」に選ばれた理由とは? 様々な三大○○に面白おかしく迫る!
- 山口ブス伝説
- 【山口ブス伝説】女子にとっては超迷惑な「姫山伝説」知ってる?
- 姫山のお万
- 月曜から夜更かし「山口呪われたブス伝説」 (山口姫山伝説)のルーツ?
- 【ネタ】山口の女性はブスばかり?「呪われた山口県ブス伝説」に迫る
Don't forget to check out the latest episodes of the Japan Station podcast via the links below.
- Black Box: Discussing the Shiori Ito Story (Allison Markin Powell Part 1) | Japan Station 72
- You Know What I Mean? On Translating Japanese Fiction (Allison Markin Powell Part 2) | Japan Station 73
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Japanese Vocabulary List
Most episodes feature at least one or two interesting Japanese words or phrases. Here’s some of the ones that came up on this episode. All information is from Jim Breen's WWWJDIC.
- Bijin
- Busu
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Special Thanks
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