With manicures and make-up, Japan's 'genderless' blur line between pink and blue

Tokyo

WITH the precision of a craftsman painting a ceramic doll, Toman Sasaki blended foundation onto his fine-boned face, shaded the side of his nose with blush and shaped his lip colour with a small brush.

After 40 minutes of primping in his tiny studio apartment in the Hatsudai neighbourhood of Tokyo, he peered into a hand mirror and gave himself a nod of approval.