From ‘Carnivore’ To ‘Herbivore’: 5+ Types Of Men You’ll Meet in Japan

The “carnivore,” “herbivore,” and “soy milk” guys in Japan explained.

In the past, I’ve covered the eight types of men you’ll meet on dating apps in Japan. This time, we head offline to discover an even broader spectrum of guys—men you might encounter in the Japanese dating landscape. Typical for Japan, these types of men have been labeled under some category over the years, depending on their characteristics. In this article, I take a look at those trends, introducing the five most common types of men (and their sub-trends) you’re likely to meet in Japan. Know the signs before it’s too late!

1. Nikushoku-kei: The “Hunter”

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肉食系男子 (Nikushoku-kei danshi; “carnivore man”) is a term that refers to a man who is traditionally “masculine” in nature. He may also be described as:

• A flirt
• Sexually driven
• Very confident
• A “hunter” by nature

He usually has quite the experience with the ladies and knows how to sweet-talk someone. However, he is also considered likely to cheat, be emotionally unavailable and not be able to have a steady or serious relationship.

Within this type, you’re likely to meet guys who consider themselves to be:

• がっしり系 (gasshiri-kei; “well-muscled or stocky body types”)
• 細マッチョ (hosomacho-kei; “thin but well-muscled body types”)

Men who work in high-powered, aggressive fields such as construction, sales and PR, for example, often consider themselves nikushoku men. They can be fun to date, and not all of them are cheaters. However, because they tend to work in very driven industries, you might not get to see them that often. If you’re looking for someone to see on a regular basis, you might want to steer clear of nikushoku-kei men.

2. Soshoku-kei: The Reserved Type

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This term was coined back in 2006 when I arrived in Japan. I can vividly recall hearing it on TV for years afterward. Essentially, 草食系男子 (soshoku-kei danshi; “herbivore man”) refers to men who are generally quiet, not very experienced and lack an “aggressive manliness.” This category is now considered to be one of the widest in Japan simply because there are so many different ways in which they can present themselves.

Some subtrends are:

• ネット弁慶系 (nettobenkei-kei; “guys obsessed with the internet and social media”)
• サブカル系 (sabukaru-kei; “obsessed with some form of subculture”)
• オタク系 (otaku-kei; “extreme fans of anime or manga”)

Generally speaking, soshoku-kei men like to do indoor activities. They are big foodies or really into sweets, not all that interested in fashion or going out and spending money in general. They will also most likely still live at home, simply because it’s the easiest option for them.

Although they don’t have problems relating to or interacting with women, they are often not actively pursuing a relationship. Yet, due to their quiet nature, many women believe they are less likely to cheat and cause drama. They are also often the preferred “marriage material” type in Japan.

These types of men can be great friends and good people with whom to explore new bars or restaurants. However, if you’re looking for an adventure and like to have regular relationship sparks, you may find this type boring.

3. Combined Types: Chicken, Fish & Soy Milk

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After the above two types were first discussed, it wasn’t long before other combinations came out. In 2011-2013, three new kinds of guys became the talk of the town (these men are a combination of nikushoku-kei and soshoku-kei):

魚食系 (Uoshoku-kei; “Fish Type”)

Uoshoku-kei like to leave things to instinct and will approach someone when they feel the time is right (like a fish seizing bait). They might be your friend for a while and then suddenly confess their love for you, seemingly out of the blue.

鶏肉系 (Keiniku-kei; “Chicken Type”)

Keiniku-kei are slightly calmer and steadier in their approach, but they can be aggressive pursuers (just watch a chicken feeding video on YouTube, and it’ll make more sense). These guys act very casually and are a lot of fun to hang out with, and then they might try to sweep you off your feet on a special occasion.

豆乳系 (Tonyu-kei; “Soy Milk Type”)

Tonyu-kei are men who tend to act somewhat feminine (using beauty treatments, dieting, taking more care of their appearance than other men might) to attract women to them. They tend to be very fashionable and like fashionable women. Some might even come across as gay to casual observers, but these guys are very much interested in being part of a “beautiful heterosexual couple.”

4. Danjiki-kei: “Fasting” Men

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断食系 (Danjiki-kei; “fasting men”) are men who, while likely to date someone, aren’t all that interested in a physical relationship with them. This term came about in 2013, and basically means a guy that may have a girlfriend, but also goes out and spends time with his friends, has his own hobbies, and otherwise is quite content to do things on his own. In general, they aren’t that bothered with the standard course of dating someone or may not even be all that interested in the physical side of a relationship.

絶食系 (Zesshoku-kei; “extreme fasting men”) is an even deeper form of fasting men. The term came about in late 2016, early 2017, on social media. What the term basically means is that these guys are so uninterested in the opposite sex that they can’t even name a female celebrity that they like. Some may consider themselves to be asexual or aromantic.

This isn’t to say that you can’t date a fasting man—you just have to act like you have no interest whatsoever in him in terms of a relationship. Go in with zero expectations of him doing anything romantic or direct towards you.

Every now and then, they might (heavy emphasis on might!) ask you out on a more standard date, especially if you appeal to them in some regard. Just keep in mind that you’re more likely to be waiting for an eternity if you straight out expect romance.

5. Inu-kei: The “Will Boyfriend”

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In mid-2015, the ウイル彼 (uiru kare; “Will Boyfriend”) came onto the scene. A Will Boyfriend is a guy that you like to spend time with and could potentially date in the future, but isn’t your boyfriend. Sounds confusing, doesn’t it? Basically, this is the Japanese version of the friend zone. A Will Boyfriend, however, has a better chance of escaping the friend zone as long as he doesn’t suddenly change his behavior or try to push a relationship on the lady in question.

This type overlaps with what other publications call the 犬系 (inu-kei; “dog type”) because he is loyal, trustworthy, friendly, will follow your lead and is overjoyed at any show of affection.

Will Boyfriends tend to also be within the chicken or fish subtype. They can technically belong to any of the categories mentioned, but it all comes down to how you act around him. It also depends on how you feel about him and whether or not he’s someone you’re interested in.

The only problem with a Will Boyfriend is that, if he’s good enough to be a Will Boyfriend to you, then someone else might think he’s good enough to make a serious boyfriend.

Bonus: The Unexpected Types

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As a bonus, two of my favorite terms that have been used to describe a type of Japanese man are:

• アスパラベーコン巻き系 (asupara bekon-maki kei; “asparagus wrapped in bacon type”)
• ロールキャベツ系 (ro-ru kyabetsu-kei; “meat rolled in cabbage type”)

They basically mean a guy who looks like a nikushoku-kei, but when you get to know him better, turns out to be a soshoku-kei, and vice versa. I think those are the two types I go for, or at least the types I attract.

How about you—who do you prefer out of these different types of men in Japan?