I dive more into this topic in the below video:

๐Ÿ‘‰ I Got Stopped 5 Times for Wearing a Kimono! Is this Cultural Appropriation?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBMeiGbfPI4&t=23s&ab_channel=Enim%27sLifeinJapanVlogs

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0:00 Intro
1:20 My Mom Didn’t Want to Wear A Kimono
1:58 Can Japanese People do Black Natural Hair…and Locs?
3:23 Is this Appropriation?
4:32 Can My Mom Speak Japanese? (*Warning: My mom studied Chinese previously…)
6:06 Scan me?
6:40 Breaking Stereotypes in Japan
7:22 Next Video

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39 Comments

  1. I'm from the USA and lived in England for two years. The first year I was able to find friends to help me keep my hair braided which was much more manageable in the wet climate. However, in the second year, I found a salon where one of the women did (what was called on the list of services) afro-straightening. Before my natural daysl. None of the stylists had afro-type hair, but I tried it anyways. Let me tell you, she was without exception the best person to ever do this without pain, burning, or damaging my hair. My presses looked great too! Maybe I got lucky, but I appreciate the level of care she gave.

  2. As you said, no one in Japan has a problem with you and your mom in a kimono. Everyone else should let it go and stop trying to rain on your parade.

  3. I respect those women for the attempt made in trying to do your hair. I'm not much of an expert on the dos and don'ts of black hair ( or most hair in general lol ) and I assume it wasn't a smooth process, but I think the look of your and your mom's hair turned out very well and looked very pretty. Really enjoyed seeing your mom's interactions with some of the locals. Loved the positives vibes of this video overall.

  4. You two look beautiful in kimonos. I am Japanese living in Northern Virginia. Thatโ€™s really nice to know that you are from Baltimore. Another thing is you have been living in Japan for 8 years!!! Love it ๐Ÿ˜ โค ๐Ÿ’•

  5. ๆ—ฅๆœฌใงใฏใ€ๆ–‡ๅŒ–็›—็”จใงใชใใ€ๆ–‡ๅŒ–ไฝ“้จ“ใงใ‚ใ‚Šใ€ๆฅฝใ—ใ‚“ใงใ‚‚ใ‚‰ใ†ใ“ใจใฏๅ–œใณใซใชใ‚Šใพใ™ใ€‚

    ๅคšๆฐ‘ๆ—ๅ›ฝๅฎถใฎใ‚ขใƒกใƒชใ‚ซใงใฏใ€ใใ‚Œใžใ‚Œใฎๆ–‡ๅŒ–ใŒใ‚ใ‚‹ใ‘ใฉใ€ไบบ็จฎๅทฎๅˆฅ็ญ‰ใฎๅ•้กŒใŒใ‚ใ‚‹ใ‹ใ‚‰ใ€ไป–ไบบใ‚’่ญฆๆˆ’ใ™ใ‚‹ใฎใŒๅฝ“ใŸใ‚Šๅ‰ใซใชใฃใฆใ„ใฆใ€่‡ชๅˆ†้”ใฎๆ–‡ๅŒ–ใ‚’็œŸไผผใ•ใ‚Œใ‚‹ใ“ใจใงๅฅชใ‚ใ‚Œใฆใ—ใพใ†ใจใ„ใ†ๆ€–ใ‚Œใ‚’ๆ‡ใ„ใฆใ€ๆ–‡ๅŒ–็›—็”จใ ใ‹ใ‚‰ๆญขใ‚ใ‚!ใฃใฆใชใฃใฆใ—ใพใฃใŸใฎใงใ—ใ‚‡ใ†ใ€‚

    ๆ—ฅๆœฌไบบใฏไป–ไบบใ‚’ไฟก้ ผใ—ใฆใ„ใพใ™ใ€‚ใ ใ‹ใ‚‰ใ‚นใƒžใƒ›ใ‚’ใƒ†ใƒผใƒ–ใƒซใซ็ฝฎใ„ใฆใƒˆใ‚คใƒฌใซ่กŒใฃใŸใ‚Šใ€ๅญไพ›ใ‚’1ไบบใง้Šใณใซ่กŒใ‹ใ›ใŸใ‚Šใ€็„กไบบ่ฒฉๅฃฒๆ‰€ใŒใ‚ใ‚Šใพใ™ใ€‚
    ๆ€งๅ–„่ชฌใชใฎใงใ™ใ€‚ใ ใ‹ใ‚‰้ป’ไบบใŒ็€็‰ฉใ‚’็€ใฆใ‚‚ใ€่‡ชๅˆ†้”ใฎๆ–‡ๅŒ–ใŒๅฅชใ‚ใ‚Œใ‚‹ใฃใฆใƒžใ‚คใƒŠใ‚นๆ€่€ƒใซใชใ‚Šใพใ›ใ‚“ใ€‚ใ‚€ใ—ใ‚ใƒ—ใƒฉใ‚นๆ€่€ƒใซใ€ๆ—ฅๆœฌๆ–‡ๅŒ–ใซ่ˆˆๅ‘ณใŒใ‚ใฃใฆ็€็‰ฉใ‚’็€ใฆๆฅฝใ—ใ‚“ใงใ„ใ‚‹ใ‚“ใ !ๅŒใ˜็‰ฉใ‚’ๆ„›ใ™ใ‚‹ไปฒ้–“ใ ใจๆ€ใฃใฆๅฌ‰ใ—ใๆ„Ÿใ˜ใ‚‹ใฎใงใ™ใ€‚

    ใ‚ขใƒกใƒชใ‚ซใงใ‚‚ๅคšๆฐ‘ๆ—ๅŒๅฃซใŒไฟก้ ผใงใใ‚‹้–ขไฟ‚ใซใชใ‚Œใฐใ€ไบ’ใ„ใฎๆ–‡ๅŒ–ใ‚’ๅฐŠ้‡ใ—ใฆใ€ไบ’ใ„ใซไฝ“้จ“ใ—ใฆๆฅฝใ—ใ‚ใ‚‹ใ‚ˆใ†ใซใชใ‚‹ใจๆ€ใ„ใพใ™ใ€‚

  6. Both of you looked stunning in the kimonos. I don't view this as cultural appropriation, but rather as a sincere demonstration of appreciation for Japanese culture. Keep up the excellent work!

  7. I live in kuwait and I've been wearing the cultural clothing of this country for more than 30 years… people really love it and appreciate it. ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿ˜

  8. Good on you, mum! She really just had a go even though she wasn't sure what might happen next ๐Ÿ˜Š ใŠๆฏใ•ใ‚“ใฏใใ‚Œใ„ใงใ™โค

  9. This whole video is beautiful ๐Ÿ˜ your mother is the best like you โค๐Ÿ˜Š

  10. You two looks really beautiful!
    Really glad you and your mom enjoy our foods, experiences,
    even trying to speak Japanese, good attitudes.

    But from my stand point, culture appropriation is inappropriate.
    Everyone have right to enjoy other countries culture each other.
    Asian people can enjoy rap, corn row and dread hair as well.

    Anyway, I'm really welcoming any race any foreigners
    come to Japan, and enjoy our cultures.

    And itโ€™s good to hear if her cancer is no any problem.

  11. I smiled throughout the entire video! This was so, so awesome!
    I love your mom's adventurous spirit during it all! What amazing memories y'all created together! Thank you for sharing with us.

  12. That was lovely mate ! Really enjoy your point of view and hope more people will think like that !

  13. Your mom is the cutest!! All your videos make me more excited to plan a trip to Japan ใ‚ใ‚ŠใŒใจใ†

  14. Only Americans can be so arrogant to tell others what they can't do in regards to other people's culture…

  15. Living in western society I feel we are all scared to appreciate other cultures we genuinely love out of fear of hate. I feel it is doing the opposite of what it should. I'm glad you are not scared of backlash and are showing how Japanese really see it.

  16. Thanks for being genuine and sharing the truth online! It's pretty rare these days. Have a good time!

  17. This is such a heartwarming video thank you so much for making fun and entertaining content. Watching your content really motivates me to keep learning Japanese! ๐Ÿ˜„โค

  18. In my personal opinion it's not cultural appropriation unless its:
    A: Disrespectful
    B: Incorrectly stereotypical or
    C: Exploitative (the last two can be tricky identifying!!)
    Just my thoughts. It really bugs me when people think that certain people can't participate or involve themselves in something because of the melanin in their skin!!
    Anyways, great video Enim-san! Keep up the great work! ๐Ÿ˜€

  19. Mom looks so lovely! The colors that were chosen were very suited to her. You yourself wear kimono very well and also always look very pretty. I especially think that the locs looks flattering with the kimono. As a person who loves locs (and has wanted them for myself for so long), I would really love to see them worn with many different traditional clothing as well.

  20. Loved the video. Glad to see the postive reactions to you two wearing kimono and your Mom speaking Japanese. Ready for the next video!

  21. ๐Ÿ–ค๐Ÿซถ๐Ÿฟ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฟ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฟ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฟใ€‚

  22. I think it's beautiful, to embrace other cultures..it speaks to…Open mindedness..
    Which unfortunately, some haven't reached tht place of Openiness or willingness
    ,however,Kudos to you for breaking down those racial/cultural barriers…..
    One kimono at a time my sister โ™ฅ

  23. Shout out from South Africa, you guys are really beautiful.
    Don't pay attention to the negative people.

  24. As a Japanese, Iโ€™m happy to see this video. Thanksโค

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