Japan's female bodybuilders stand out in country obsessed with cute

Japan's female bodybuilders help break down gender stereotypes in a country obsessed with the "kawaii" (cute) fluffiness of its ubiquitous pop culture. (Photo: AFP)

Female bodybuilders pose during the Japan bodybuilding championships in Tokyo. The number of bodybuilders registered with Japan's national federation has almost doubled over the past six years to around 3,000. (Photo: AFP)

Female participants show off their physique during the Japan bodybuilding championships in Tokyo. Women make up 10 percent as part of a nationwide fitness boom, officials said. (Photo: AFP)

Japan's female bodybuilders stand out in a country obsessed with the "kawaii" (cute) fluffiness of its ubiquitous pop culture. "I want to look beautiful and keep my femininity. I just don't feel like a regular housewife," said body builder Satoko Yamanouchi. "I'm always striving to create the perfect body." (Photo: AFP)

Two-time Japan body-building champion Yuri Yasui caught the workout bug after initially wanting to lose weight. Women's bodybuilding is a serious business. The oldest competitor at the Japan championship is 64-year-old Mariko Takamatsu. (Photo: AFP)

Japanese bodybuilder Miyuki Sato poses as she warms up backstage during the Japan bodybuilding championships in Tokyo. Other bodybuilding sub-genres have sprung up in Japan, including "bikini fitness". (Photo: AFP)

In ageing Japan, female bodybuilding is dominated by women in their forties and fifties. Many usually only start after their children have grown up. (Photo: AFP)