3. Point out in a roundabout way that she has fair skin: “Are you from the Tohoku region [the northern part of mainland Japan]?”
Fair skin is considered beautiful in Japan, unlike in the West where tanned skin is preferred. To flatter a Japanese woman, tell her that she has “natural and beautiful skin.” “I feel great when someone tells me I have good skin,” explained a woman in her 20s. You can also use this question as a conversation starter. Ask where she actually comes from and let the conversation develop organically.