Model Tsubasa Masuwaka, 23, is collaborating with camera company Kitamura on their photo book ordering system. Masukawa is quite the hit with young Japanese females - the clothes and accessories she wears sell very well among teenagers and ladies in their 20s, so much so that she is said to have generated more than 10 billion yen in sales by herself.
So it may come as no surprise if her involvement with Kitamura does wonders for their service. The system enables users to easily create hard copy albums of photos taken on their cell phones. Known as “Chu-me” (“Kiss me”), the service started in August last year, and Masuwaka’s “wedding ceremony” and “birthday” photo book designs will go on sale in early July. She said it will feature “colors and shades you don’t see in Japan much, designed with an image of American pop.”
Masuwaka said that she takes hundreds of pictures of her 1-year-old son, and that her memory card soon fills up. “I didn’t really think about making albums from my photos, but then I found out about this system, and I thought it could really take off.”
© Japan Today
65 Comments
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roninexile
.."excessive make-up screams insecurity and lack of self-esteem"
Really? I thought excessive make-up screamed excessive make-up.
alterna
Tsu-chan is adorable, but I do agree with the make-up, TOO MUCH! For a business woman like herself, I'd like to see her in something natural! And what's up with the long postage up there? :S Nothing related to the topic! Stay on topic peopleeee!
aelieth
Wow, that's a lot of arguing here and for some reason I read a bit of it. Girls can wear makeup and make themselves look as they like, I'll take my pick of the one that is for me - and have done just that. She wears makeup, but not not tons. She doesn't leave the house without makeup, but she's still lovely without it on, even after waking up in the morning with her hair everywhere.
Took her a couple years of living in rural America to rethink a bit of herself before returning to Japan. She likes fashion, buys cute clothes, blahblah, but doesn't pay as much attention to all the made up fashioon gurus anymore. Tsubasa is cute, probably cute without her makeup, but glad the girls do try and pretty themselves. Always great to have pretty girls. :)
womanforwomen, you're right. It puts me off when a woman is not being herself.
Jkanda
Being dumb is one thing, but pretending to be dumb is what is intolerable. So I guess the whole idea behind Tsubasa and the gyaru thing is more of pretending to be someone you are not and this can put off normal men. I noticed in the posts too that the girls following this trend are not dumb at all.
SpanishEyez37
She's 23? That's a hard 23 yo'... Too much makeup caked on.
ANOTSUSAGAMI
The problem lies in what fatfrenchfool calls the "rent-an-idiot". They call celebs like Tsubasa Masuwaka O-baka Idols. They are actually celebrated for being mentally slow. Contrary to what seems like popular belief, real men don't want stupid girlfriends or wives. And last time I checked, no one looks up to idiots. That goes double for those that simply pretend to be stupid.
Jkanda
I don`t know much about Tsubasa's publicity tactics but her news item has stirred the feelings of quite a few. Yes, the make up is to 'enhance' the beauty and not to create something totally different. And luckily for many asians we don't need too much of makeup. The reason I spend time and money to take care of my looks and personal care is mainly for myself. I feel very confident when I am well dressed and maintain a good figure. The other reason I do it is to get attention especially from men. But I must admit that we tend to overdo these things and lose the balance. So it is not about asian or not.
jonnyboy
..and just because there are others doing it, doesn't make it right. to me, excessive make-up screams insecurity and lack of self-esteem
jonnyboy
far too much make-up. at least she will succeed in selling more make-up, seeing as she is setting a standard for wearing a higher quantity of it at any one time. more generally a little bit of make-up is nice to enhance beauty, but it's a pretty fine line before it becomes a barrier
Gaijinocchio
Um....well, uh....about Tsubasa and the article, then. She has a few books out, if I recall correctly; they mostly detail about make-up application and then pictures of herself frolicking after said application, and seems to be really REALLY popular with the young ladies aged about 14-30 here. It was only a matter of time before she was in your cell phones too frolicking about.
UnagiDon
Great, great display of sock-puppetry going on here., Good to see JT is on top of that as always.
nurse13
Another thing, generalizing about a race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and culture based on a few experiences and encounters is illogical in my opinion.
nurse13
In regards to the makeup and being called ugly discussion, actually; I am not the least offended by others opinion of me and never have been. Perhaps I’m arrogant but my opinion of myself has always been the only one that mattered. Anyway, I checked Masuwaka san on the web and she seems like a good business woman and mature when not working.
Moderator: All readers stay on topic please.
ShibuyaGal
Errr, I really don't like how JakexJenny is saying all those mean things to you. But umm, so like exactly what are you then? A woman? A man? White, or asian? I think if you clarified it would clear up a lot of things. And JakexJenny you don't have to be so racist and rude! Yea I don't like white people that much either but you're just being flat our mean and racist!
seliny19
Yeah, I've been through a lot of the stuff you've stated. Being apart of the second and third generation Japanese is difficult sometimes. My grandparents hate me because I've become "Americanized" and treat me like i'm a sin against nature. They don't think I'm "asian" enough. Just because I dye my hair random colors (it's blonde right now) and speak English. Which is wrong. Because I am very proud of my heritage, can speak Japanese fluently, was raised and follow many cultural traditions my enitre family follows. But like always and most people my grandparents judge me based on outer apperances. Especially a lot of older asian women don't like me because I'm "too white". When they don't even know me, like my aunts random people etc.
I'm into the Gal trend and all and I know what you mean about having skill with makeup. Becoming a makeup up artist is one of the side jobs I'm planning to do once I finish college. Haha, I wanted to be a rock star when I was younger, because I grew up on Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, ACDC, Blue Oyster Cult, ect. All the good ol' classic rock bands. And I assimilated myself into rock culture because I love rock music. And did people look down on me and treat me like a freak for that? Of course! When I fell in love with the Gyaru subculture did people of all types look down on me and treat me like a freak and an outsider? Of course! But it never really bothered me. I mean growing up I got picked on for a lot of random things too like you did. I think we all do, but people just hide the fact that they did and pick on others to "fit in" and feel better. I never did that and still don't because I know how it feels like to be picked on and I never wanted to put that hurt on someone else.
But yeah I've been made fun and picked on for being asian, by a lot of random kids in elemantary school in America. And when I would attend school in Japan whenever my parents moved there for whatever reason (my family moved around a lot) I'd get made fun of by fellow asians for being poor and coming from a not so wealthy family. But I'm not ashamed of coming from a poor family. I'm proud to have come from a poor family. Cause it taught me a lot of things about life, money, and people in general. And after spending 5 years in my homeland and moving back to the states, I'd get pick on for being a nerd, weird, odd, etc. Though I took it as a compliment to be called a nerd because it was mainly preps and jocks who would say that, and the preps and jocks at my school weren't exactly the brightest group of kids out there. So it didn't make me feel bad. It just made me stronger and feel better. I've been rejected from jobs because of race, shunned from clubs and communties for being Buddhist, and other stuff based on shallow sterotypes based on my outer appearance. Idk, sometimes it's hard for people to look past what they see on the outside. And it's much easier to insult and push someone down then looking past what they see and getting to actually know a person and THEN judging that person after getting to know them.
But ShibuyaGal, not everyone is naturally like that. There is always a different side to people that they don't show. And it's better to draw out that kinder and understanding side from a person than to call them all mean and unkind. Because if we were to do that, than we'd be doing the same thing all those people who picked on us did.
ShibuyaGal
Bleah, I guess you are right. But I know what you mean about the whole like discriminating thing. I get made fun of for being Asian by people in California. I was born in Tokyo but raised in America and yeah... White girls would always pick on me for being a "Jap", or they'd make fun of me for being a shorty. Or they would say that I have slanted eyes and all that, and then they'd call me an ugly dirty poor asian girl. And it hurt so much!!!! And I one day realized that I can do makeup very well and had a skill, and I am actually going to Aveda to become either a cosmetologist, hairdresser, or Makeup artist. But my family and I would travel to Japan every now and then and lived there for every other year because of my dad's job, and I got into the shibuya fashion scene :P It was fun, I met and gained a lot of awesome friends. I especially loved the Gyaru category because of all the fun stuff you could do with your hair and makeup. And Gyaru gals are known to be carefree, happy, hyper, nice and laidback. And I loved that about them. So I became Gyaru too and I made so many amazing girlfriends! So like I don't get why people would hate other people just for being different, having fun, wearing some makeup, and being happy. Yea there were a lot of old asian ladies who would look down on us and stuff but we didn't and still don't mind what they think. But sometimes it gets to you ya know?
seliny19
ShibuyaGal - You seem to be confused. The sooner you accept that the world is messed up the sooner you'll be able to look past it and see the better things in life. As for Gyary gals and many subcultures like us...haaa.... People will discriminate anything that they are unfamiliar with. Human history is laden with atrocities because of the way humans don't and can't accept differences amongst others. If an individual doesn't fit their view of how a "normal and regular" person should be that person will be rejected by the masses in the utmost extreme way. I've met people who have insulted and rejected me just for being different - following lifestlye choices - a trend they are unfamiliar with, and not just that either. I've been discriminated for race, religion,and for a bunch of other little things people should not be discriminated for in this day and age. But at the same time I have met kind, accepting, understanding, and gentle people along the way. So don't let the ignorant ones deter you. Be strong, hold your head up high. As long as you are happy with yourself and you have friends and family that love and accept you than you are perfectly okay.
ShibuyaGal
OMG!! Why is everyone arguing on here?! I stumbled on here because I just wanted to read an article about Tsubasa, and I see all this arguing about makeup and stuff?? Why are you guys arguing about makeup?! That's so silly!! But still. what's wrong with Tsubasa's face? She looks perfectly okay to me. And she does to a lot people! It's mean to say that someone's ugly. I'm not exactly the prettiest person out there, i'm pretty average. and i wear makeup because it's fun and I like to. And if someone were to call me ugly... That would hurt so bad omg! What is wrong with you people throwing insults at each other just because of makeup???? Haven't you guys ever like heard of freedom of choice? Everyone can choose what they want to do in life!!!!! And it's not right to say someone's ugly because of how much makeup they wear!! So is everyone gonna start calling me ugly because I wear some makeup!!!??? That's so unfair! You guys don't even know me or how I look like!!! Why is the world so messed up?!
Yelena
She looks like DOLL! Artificial face
fatfrenchfool
agree with many of the points above, following a gyaru trend is in no way shape or form rebellion against society. far form it. is she so self conscious she has to wear half an inch of makeup? she's basically famous for being a giggling rent-an-idiot who does what promoters tell her to do. not much of a role model I'd say.
nurse13
I would like to contribute to the debate as well. Beauty as the expression states “is in the eye of the beholder.” What is attractive to one person may not be attractive to another. With that said, the gyaru look in my opinion is a contradiction. Correct me if I’m wrong but wasn’t the gyaru created by young women because of their refusal to conform to the traditional perception of the traditional Japanese woman’s appearance and behavior. In order words, the freedom to choose what to wear and how to behave. In summation, independence. However, they are hardly individuals; especially with replicas of one another and behavior. I understand the concept behind its origin but still find it a contradiction. The preteens and teen years are the time when young people are finding their self-identity and self-worth by belonging to a group. This is a normal developmental process. However, I find it abnormal when young adults in the 20’s and beyond succumb to such behavior. Stating that 90% of the world’s population judge people on their appearance is inaccurate. I’m not sure of the statistics but yes, some people do judge others based on their appearance. For example, job interviews. Upon initial introduction to someone, his/her appearance is the most visible and the person’s character becomes evident upon further meetings. Therefore; some might argue that appearance should be an indication of one’s character. However, I do not share their opinion. As most of you are aware, appearances can be deceiving. I am now in my early 20’s and used to wear lots of makeup (for example; foundation, mascara, and thick layers of lipstick) but not in excess like the gyaru because I was rebelling against my parents, who were against their teenage daughter wearing makeup. Wearing makeup was a way for me to express my independence although the attention from boys helped too. I was so infatuated with being made-up that I felt exposed and uncomfortable going out without being made-up and fully dressed. Now that I’m in my 20’s, I would like to think that I have matured since then and do go out sometimes without makeup but elegantly dressed. My policy is as long as others are not being hurt in the process, I’m fine with it. I’d like to believe that people are free beings and should therefore have the right to wear whatever they see fit. In addition, I believe all people are shallow on various degrees. I admit my shallowness pertains to my appearance (mostly fashion) rather than others’. Finally, different perspectives make up for an interesting debate/input.
dishdash
This is Japan - kowaii at its best (or should that be kowai?)- Chew you too!
stirfry
thats either a hideous photo, or a good photo of a hideous-looking girl
WilliB
Chu me?? OK, I chu you.
Altria
Hope she isn't selling them...
Wakarimasen
I think she is gorgeous, too much make up or not.
Wakarimasen
I would both "chu" her (maybe spelled slightly differently) and do her. Gorgeous.
Jkanda
I am pretty sure Tsubasa`s eyes would look very beautiful without the fake eyelashes.I love the shape of the Japanese eyes.
Altria
For someone who doesn't want to be judged by her appearance, she sure has gone to a lot of trouble to make herself look like that.
ANOTSUSAGAMI
I understand your 12:44 post, and I'll accept your judgement that I'm judgemental. I can't stand people like this woman who promote what I recognize as self-hatred. Everytime a woman picks up a magazine with someone like her on the cover they get the message loud and clear that thier own natural face isn't good enough. How do you feel when you're being told everyday you'll never be pretty enough without makeup?
Moderator: Readers, please stop going around in circles, repeating the same comments. Please move the discussion along.
seliny19
No. I'll argue with anyone shallow. I hate it when i click on an article and then see all the negative comments when the article in the first place was never meant to be negative in the first place. I know i won't be able stop random negative comments, i know i won't be able to EVER change anyone's views or opinions. I know this. But that doesn't mean I damn well can't try. And just like how I can't change your minds from being too shallow and judgemental neither can you change my mind from hating people who are mean, shallow, and judgemental.
Moderator: Readers, you are going around in circles, just repeating the same comments. Please move the discussion along.
ANOTSUSAGAMI
fatfrenchfool - LOL right on. Am I the only one who thinks she looks like a jack-o-lantern? Maybe I am.
seliny19 - See the problem I have with women wearing "cover up, blush, mascara, and probably fake eyelashes", is that once she's done, she looks nothing like she does without it. That IMO is truly sad. As a woman, don't you think it's sad that so many women feel like they have to become someone else, that their own natural beauty isn't enough? Why would anyone look up to a woman who feels the need to cover her face with so much makeup they're barely recognizable? Kinda funny that the article says "Tsubasa Masuwaka puts her face to cell phone photo album service", when it's not really her face... Why do you equate not wearing makeup with "doesn't take care of themselves ever, too simple etc."? Am I reading that right? You think that if a woman doesn't wear makeup she doesn't take care of herself?
"Life without change, stasis, no fashion, a controlling society that looks down on individualism, and creativity is boring. It's much more interesting and exciting to fight against social norms and the strict rules of society. Which is something people like you will never understand." Really. Unfortunately women wearing makeup is older than Japan itself. There has been no real change in the practice for thousands of years. The men who control this society have decreed that women are to wear makeup when they leave the house, lest they be subject to the "supin yabai" scrutiny. "Conform or be ousted" is the message women like Tsubasa Masuwaka send to the young women in this country. There is NOTHING revolutionary about it, No "fighting social norms" (isn't it a social norm that women wear makeup as you said?) or anything like it, and it's sad. Again, I think that women shouldn't have to hide thier faces with makeup to satisfy someone else's perception of femininity and beauty.
franz75
I want the same ugly hat
beavis
@seliny19
I've read several of your posts on this thread and others. This is just some friendly advice; If I were your age, I wouldn't be wasting my time here arguing with us "old" folks in our 40's. Peace!
seliny19
Ichyawarfare - ALL MODELS wear pounds of makeup on their face. You just don't realize that. But i digress, really? You're saying that me and the youth of today my stupid generation as you're implying needs help? When a good 90% of people in the world instantly JUDGE and base their idea of a fellow human based on LOOKS?! No, naive one it's a good majority of people who need help. All i'm doing is stating how sad it is to see such biased and hate filled comments directed towards someone they don't even know calling her ugly?! Look at yourself in the mirror. Hell, look in your heart and think about how YOU WOULD FEEL if someone called YOU FUGLY. Doesn't feel good does it? People are way too shallow and judgemental nowadays. EVERYONE is beautiful and unique in their own wonderful way. And to push down someone based on looks is a terrible thing to do.
flatearther
P.S- I don't find yamamba frightful, because I haven't seen it close up. I live in Tokyo, not some inaka hideaway.
flatearther
Personally, I would prefer not to suffer through"aging gracefully" considering the AVERAGE lifespan for a woman from my homeland is 70+ years. Also, what you put on your skin doesn't simply affect your skin. In America, they still allow lead to be put in lipsticks and as for the ingredients in foundation, I won't even go there. So, it's a legitimate health concern if the regulations in Japan are just as lax regarding makeup. For the record, I don't judge people on their faces, but I think even ignorant people have the right to know if they're practicing/promoting an unhealthy lifestyle. Perhaps your 19 years of life haven't given YOU enough time to know anything about makeup, but I know all I need to and it can be summed up in 2 words, NO THANKS.
seliny19
Nope. Wrong. You who know nothing about makeup will never understand. Makeup CAN ruin your skin, but there are HUNDREDS of ways to counteract those effects. And personally i hate the Yamanba trend. But Tsubasa is GYARU. Not Yamanba. If you live in Japan you very well know hiw frightfully extreme Yamanba is. But i have friends who are Manba and Ganguro and i,m perfectly okay on accepting them for they are. Why shouldn't i? They're human beings just like Tsubasa. There's more to a person than JUST A FACE. I don't like judging people for how THEY LOOK ON THE OUTSIDE. Which is a concept you can't seem to grasp. Besides like you say 20 years down the line maybe the makeup will ruin her skin. But by then she'll be 43. So it doesn't matter because she'll be old. And that is the time all human beings should age gracefully and accept their mortality. So who cares if "stupid teenagers" and young people have fun while we're still YOUNG. Who are YOU to judge ALL of the youth in the eorld because of OUR FACE. Gee, shows how wonderful and accepting of aperson you are.
30061015
Truly frightening!
IchyaWarFare
seliny-fashion icon and trend setter? Tsubasa? wow, this generation really needs help.
Sorry, have seen many beautiful young women who do not need to put on all that make up on and look just plain F U G L Y.
TokyoGas
Ug... She is a model? Jeez... where are the standards...
fatfrenchfool
p.s. don't be sad, let your inner beauty shine through with your rebellious fashion sense and liberal use of cosmetics!
flatearther
For the record, it really isn't healthy to wear that much makeup, that's what my post was about. I'm sure she's beautiful, for the moment. After wearing all of that toxic stuff for 20 years, I'm sure she'll look far better in the future (sarcasm).
fatfrenchfool
I know sooo much more about this than you ever will, I was the same at 19 as you are and am the same now. Sadly the youth of Japan are more about baaaaa than roar. using phrases like 'trend setter' and 'look up to' talking about models has little to do with rebellion. she's one step away from yamamba, get over it
The_True
SELINY.
What is beautiful for you maybe is not beautiful for others.
i think she is Ugly, but that is just me. and i think you have a ugly way to take other people opinion. she looks like a old ladie if you ask me.
Okinawamike
flatearther at 05:07 AM JST - 10th June
Holy cow! I'm 30 and I don't wear that much makeup!
Well, guys should not wear that much makeup.
seliny19
Sadly I AM ASIAN and a Japanese girl. So your logic and comeback fails. Maybe for older people like you prefer seeing the ALL NATURAL, never wears make up, doesn't take care of themselves ever, too simple etc. But if like you say REALLY DO INDEED live in Japan which i higly doubt you do. You would know that models like Tsubasa are fashion icons and the trend setters for us apart of the younger generation. If you really live in Japan you would know about this and see the youth and especially the trendier girls of Japan and know why we look up to and admire models like Tsubasa. Life without change, stasis, no fashion, a controlling society that looks down on individualism, and creativity is boring. It's much more interesting and exciting to fight against social norms and the strict rules of society. Which is something people like you will never understand.
fatfrenchfool
because I don't see Japanese women solely on the internet or glossy magazines as I presume you do. I live in Japan, have done for 10 years and I see hundreds of beautiful Japanese women everyday. this one makes my eyes and ears hurt.
seliny19
All right FATfrenchfoot. Give good reasons about why you think her face is ugly hmm? And don't say the usual crap about: BLEAH HER FACE IS TOO FAKE AND PLASTIC!!!! Or: BLEAH her eyes are too small and slanted!! And if you were to say that, well hooray for you on furthering a racist stereotype. Give me ACTUAL good reasons and i'll believe you. Cause to a good majority of people out there she's beautiful. Maybe not to the few overly hate filled, judgemental, people on here. But to most she's gorgeous.
Moderator: All readers calm down please.
soldave
So it's a photobook? Something that other sites and companies have done for years.. And this qualifies as entertainment news how?
Altria
For the record, there's nothing wrong with kissing Michael Jackson (as long as you're of legal age)
PepinGalarga
10 billion yen in sales??? 100 Million USD??? I find this so hard to believe. this is crazy?? recession??? damn!
fatfrenchfool
I dont know about her personality. I was just saying her face is ugly
seliny19
Tsubasa is a wonderful, nice, down to earth and gorgeous model. NEWS FLASH PEOPLE A good majority of females wear makeup. All celebrities and models wear makeup and have had plastic surgery at one point in their lives. All she's pretty much has on is cover up, blush, mascara, and probably fake eyelashes. OMG THAT IS SOOOO MUCH MAKE UP. Does it bother you SOOO much that women wear makeup? People wear makeup to look and feel good. And if you're going to CONDEMN someone based on outer appearances.... I swear people these days... So freakishly judgemental. She is beautiful with or without makeup, i've seen her pictures without makeup and she looks perfectly fine. Please don't judge and push down people you don't even based on outer appearances.
Altria
Would be like kissing Michael Jackson.
fatfrenchfool
yikes, what a shocker. I'll take the back end of a bus please
Potsu
What's wrong with her face ??
ANOTSUSAGAMI
Not sure I want my lips anywhere near that chemical-laden face...
nurse13
I like the top and would like it more if it were navy, dark brown or black.
blvtzpk
What does she do, apart from being a walking promo?
Sarge
"Chu-me"
Sure.
flatearther
I think it's somewhere under the makeup, I just can't see it............ I really hope their health and safety standards regarding makeup are a little stronger here than in the US.
herefornow
flaterther -- agree. She would definitely not pass the "swimming pool test", as her face would wash off in the pool. What happened to natural Japanese beauty?
yabits
I'll have to chew on this one for awhile.
flatearther
Holy cow! I'm 30 and I don't wear that much makeup! Is this the fashion among teen and 20 y.o's the article was talking about? Yeesh....no offense, but no thank you. Wearing that much makeup is seriously bad for your health.