Why do Japanese girls always make the "V for victory" gesture in photographs?

Answer 1

♡Well, I live in Japan too and not all Japanese girls do it,
http://img1.travelblog.org/Photos/79/563/f/1116-Tokyo-Tower-Girls-0.jpg
and some guys do it too. Actually, I've seen people of all ages do it!
Since coming to Japan 9 years ago I always wondered WHY?! people did this. When I asked I always got different answers such as "Everyone else does it!" to 'It's like a tradition." Hmmmm, I don't think people really know why they do it, just something to do. Take a look at what these Japanese people said when asked "Do you know why Japanese people make the V sign with their fingers when they pose for a photo?":
http://www.crisscross.com/jp/popvox/358
Interesting answers, right?
Take a look at what Wikipedia says about Japan and the V sign:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_sign
Hmmmm, I think we may never really know WHY anyone does it!(*^o^*)

Answer 2

I remember we had a book of headlines of wither the New York Times or LA times when I was a kid. A couple of pages stood out... The Titanic and when the Allies won wwii. I think the headline had this huge hand holding the V pose and it said something like V for Victory. Must have been a very powerful symbol that literally seared itself into the back of the Japanese mind. In the Movie Kill Bill vol 1 O-Ren Ishii stated that she will speak in english so that they would know how serious she was in the board meeting of bosses. This is also referencing how serious the allies were that they used the A bomb twice. Now that's serious.

Answer 3

I think it's really cheesey that they do that.

I was born in the UK, but my foreign chinese cousins still do the V sign when they have their photos taken - when I have a photo with them, they put the V sign above my head - - - I mean, grow up, you're 24 now, not 14 anymore!!!

How annoying.

Saying that though, I much prefer the Japanese/chinese people did that than get rowdy after getting hammered after a night out with the girls/lads and start showing their boobs and lifting their skirts up in a cheap and provocative manner or start fights and hit someone over the head with a glass bottle like some english people do.

Answer 4

The "V" sign implies peace. It started during World War II when young boys and girls used to copy the men in uniform as depicted in photographs published during that time. It however has become a sort of tradition and continues.

Answer 5

I never knew why, but I used to have a lot of Japanese pen-pals that sent me pictures and in all of the photographs they would make the gesture. I just never asked them why they did it.

Answer 6

Its not only Japanese girls, there was once a phase when everyone did it, as said previously it means peace. I guess they are a bit behind the times. We did it when we were at school. That was about 16 years ago.

Answer 7

They don't really understand the origin, and it's just something to do with their hands! You know how it's easy to feel self-conscious when you're about to have your photo taken, well waving your hands around like that helps - it's a bit like how people smoke because they need to keep their hands busy, or they bite their nails, twiddle their thumbs etc.

They don't ALL do it, although it IS very common! And as someone said, males do it too...!
; )

Answer 8

V reminds the triangle of love.What it means in Japanese I do not know.It is the place where two legs join.When the legs are apart then also V .In body language V is symbol of availability.

Answer 9

Because it means peace over there. I'm American but do that too in some of my pictures with my friends cuz we're anime freaks and we picked that up from that. PEACE!! V

Answer 10

I live in Japan girls and guys give the PEACE sign