The Biggest Challenge in Dating Men in Japan That No One Talks About
Who are the herbivore men?
The first time I heard the expression ‘herbivore man,’ I had a good laugh. Then, I dated two of them, and my laughter turned into tears.
When you think of the word “herbivore”, you usually think of animals that eat plants, right?
Well, when we use it to talk about men in Japan, we’re not talking about their diet.
Instead, we are talking about their attitude towards sex and relationships.
A ‘herbivore man’ is a man who is asexual and not pursuing a sexual relationship.
It has been the biggest challenge for me in dating a Japanese man — wondering if you’re truly a couple when the relationship feels purely platonic…
Interestingly, this expression doesn’t exist for women, or we usually refer to women as ‘carnivore.’
The term ‘herbivore man’ became widely known in 2008. Magazines, particularly those for female readers, explored the lifestyle and preferences of herbivore men.
Now, don’t get me wrong, it is totally okay to be an ‘herbivore man.’
However, the Japanese population is decreasing. We need couples to have sex and make babies. Without sex there are no…
