women appear most beautiful when viewed from afar, in the dark, or when wearing a bamboo hat; seeing less is more
Proverb meaning that a woman looks more attractive when not seen clearly; by extension, things are often better when not examined too closely.
As the saying goes, 'women appear most beautiful when viewed from afar, in the dark, or when wearing a bamboo hat,' so maybe it's better not to look too closely.
True to the proverb, she looked very beautiful when she was far away.
Standard kanji form of the proverb.
Variant using 傘 (umbrella) instead of 笠 (bamboo hat); both are used.
Kana ending うち instead of 内.
Variant with 傘 and kana ending.
A traditional Japanese proverb. The exact origin is uncertain, but it reflects an old aesthetic sensibility.