9 Main Characteristics of Herbivorous Men in Japan Revealed

Herbivorous men or “sōshoku danshi” (草食男子) refer to young men who seem to have lost interest in romantic and sexual relationships, and tend to avoid competition and confrontation. They prefer a peaceful and non-aggressive lifestyle, similar to herbivorous animals that only eat plants. This article discusses the characteristics of herbivorous men in more detail.

Definition of Herbivore Man

Herbivore Men are men who are not aggressive towards the opposite sex and are passive in terms of love. These herbivorous men are said to be increasingly common in modern Japan. This is a tricky situation for couples who want men to take the initiative in the relationship. Especially if the person you love is a herbivorous man, it can be frustrating if the relationship does not develop.

Herbivore men are men who, although not completely unlucky in love, do not proactively approach partners. The antonym of herbivore men is carnivore men. Meanwhile, the synonym for “herbivore men” is “cabbage roll men”. The characteristic of cabbage roll men is their shape like herbivores but inside they are carnivores like cabbage rolls made of minced meat wrapped in cabbage. This gap is what makes them popular among the opposite sex.

According to MyNavi Woman, it seems that almost 70% Japanese men are aware that they are “herbivorous men.” Meanwhile, according to CanCam, more than 60% men consider themselves herbivores.

Characteristics of Herbivorous Men

Not Approaching Your Partner Proactively

Many Herbivore men are not good at approaching people they like, and even if they do approach people they like, they won't make a move until the person they like gives them some signs that she is interested in them.

Many of these herbivorous men are cautious and tend to care more about not being hated than about making their own love lives work.

Not interested in romance

And to start with, they may not be interested in romance. It’s only natural that you wouldn’t fall in love if you weren’t interested. It seems that some people feel that romance is unnecessary in life. For herbivorous men, love is often seen as just “one of the elements of life.”

Even when they meet someone they like, they don't feel that they absolutely have to date the person, or that their life will be over if they can't, but tend to think things like, “I would love it if we could date.”

Have your own world view

They often live their lives based on their own values without worrying about public opinion. Since they don’t have to worry about not having a partner or the ideal age to get married, they may ignore the urge to get married around them and the pressure from their parents to “get married soon.”

Appreciating Time and Hobbies

Many of them have several things that are important to them besides love, and they value their alone time. They spend their weekends doing their hobbies and also spend their money on them, and do not have the mindset to spend most of their time and money on their partner.

Many men have hobbies that they can do alone, or hobbies like camping and fishing that they can enjoy with other men, so they don't seem to want to spend time with their partners. Men who have very expensive hobbies may want to spend the money they would have spent on dating their partners on their hobbies. They live a lifestyle where they spend time and money on themselves and their relationships.

Hard woker

In some cases, people may be entrusted with a big job and only want to concentrate on their work, to the point that they don't have time to think about romance. Many people work on weekdays and rest on weekends, so they don't have time to date.

Can't ask someone out

Carnivorous men often don't think much about mustering up the courage to ask someone out, but just go with the flow. However, when herbivorous men ask someone out, it often takes more courage than they might imagine.

Many people are shy and have a hard time inviting others. Because they are afraid of rejection and being hurt, they tend to always take a passive stance, so unless the other person makes an invitation, the relationship may not develop into anything.

It's easy to give up when you think "there's no hope"

Many men are somewhat philosophical in the sense that rather than forcing a relationship to work, they will quickly give up and move on to the next thing if it doesn't seem to be working. He believes that this way he won't get hurt and he won't inconvenience his partner either.

In addition, when a rival in love appears, herbivorous men tend to back down before the match even begins. Because they are shy, they sometimes give up easily when they think there is no hope.

Lack of self-confidence

People who lack self-confidence tend to be reluctant to approach others, and in some cases, these relationships have a hard time developing into romantic ones. Even if you are in a relationship, you may end up forcing yourself to follow along because you are not sure if your partner likes you, or you may end up being too loyal to him or her because you are not sure if he or she loves you. This can easily lead to unnatural interactions, and this makes it difficult for a relationship to thrive.

Having trauma about love

Of course, one reason for being shy in love is because one has little experience in love. On the other hand, there are also cases where one is traumatized by a past relationship and becomes shy. It seems that many people become shy because of bitter memories of past relationships, such as being betrayed by a loved one or being dumped.

Closing

Herbivore men, with their complexity, reflect dynamic social changes. The term sparks discussions about gender identity, societal expectations, and the dynamics of modern relationships. It is important to remember that every individual has the right to determine their own path in life, regardless of stereotypes or social pressures. Understanding this phenomenon in depth can help us create a society that is more inclusive and tolerant of the various lifestyle choices of Japanese men.