What Is a Chonmage? The Samurai Topknot, and Why It's Still a Comedy Staple
The chonmage is the topknot hairstyle Japan links to samurai. Here's what it is, why it still gets laughs, and a sketch where a dad's topknot comes to his kid's school sports day.
What is a chonmage?
A chonmage is the topknot hairstyle most people in Japan picture when they think of samurai from the Edo era. In its classic form, the top of the head is shaved and the remaining hair is gathered, tied, and folded forward into a small knot that sits on the crown. Today you're most likely to see it in period dramas and samurai movies, and a similar topknot is still worn by sumo wrestlers. For many people in Japan, it's one of the quickest visual shorthands for "the old days."
Why it shows up in Japanese comedy
The silhouette is so recognizable that a chonmage does comedic work before anyone says a word. Put one on a modern person in an office, a grocery store, or a school event, and the clash between centuries becomes the setup. It can also suggest a character who is proud, stubborn, or clinging to something from the past, and comedians love characters like that. Some readers might think of someone wearing a powdered colonial wig to a PTA meeting, though the comparison only goes so far. The word itself can also sound a bit dated and goofy, so it sometimes turns up as a quick, deliberately corny gag.
The Boyfriend Sales Pitch
A hopeful dater sweetens the pitch with every no. The friend listening won't budge.
3:36
Watch the whole thing (3:36)
We use AI as part of how we create our articles.
Subtitles on this video: AI translation from the Japanese.