Kozue Sakurada, 50, developed body image insecurities in third grade. A boy in her class once stared directly at her, repeating the word "ugly" 10 times. Other children even made up songs to mock her large nose.

From that point, Kozue believed she was unattractive. As an adult, she remained so sensitive that if she saw someone covering their mouth and laughing on the train, she assumed they were ridiculing her and would rush off at the next station.

Kozue took photos to change her appearance. Photo: QQ

A turning point arrived when Kozue was 37. To keep her boyfriend, she desperately tried to change her appearance to meet his aesthetic standards. However, six months later, he left her. In her despair, Kozue realized she needed to improve her appearance, but this time for herself, not to please anyone else.

Instead of plastic surgery, she embarked on a persistent 13-year journey of self-transformation. She approached beauty as a scientific research project. Every day, Kozue consistently took full-body photos in front of a mirror. Over a decade, she amassed 30,000 images to analyze her body's strengths and weaknesses.

Kozue experimented with every clothing style, adjusting skirt lengths centimeter by centimeter, and changing various necklines to find what suited her best. She also participated in body structure analysis courses and discovered that an elegant, minimalist style suited her better than frilly, elaborate dresses.

"I looked at myself objectively from a producer's perspective and asked: How can the girl in the picture look more appealing?", Kozue shared.

Despite her improved appearance, Kozue's spirit collapsed at age 40. She realized that even dressed impeccably, deep down, the "I am ugly" obsession persisted. The effort to conform to rigid beauty standards left her exhausted.

During a psychological counseling session, when prompted to recall childhood memories, Kozue remembered her love for sewing. She immediately bought floral fabric and hand-stitched a dress.

"When I wore the dress I made myself, I was truly happy. It was more beautiful than any standard I had ever pursued", she said. That moment helped Kozue understand that while others' opinions could be considered, valuing her own feelings was paramount.

Kozue's transformation after her journey of self-discovery. Photo: QQ

Currently at 50, Sakurada Kozue is no longer a woman who avoids eye contact in public. Instead, she is an elegant lady with a natural smile. Her story is strongly inspiring on Japanese and Asian social media in early 2026.

"I believe that the more people accept themselves, the more beautiful they become. The secret to beauty lies in ceasing to seek approval from others", Kozue said.

By Nhat Minh (via SCMP, QQ)