Meet Rin Kambe, a Japanese woman also known online as the real-life Rapunzel for growing her to 6 feet in length.
The 35-year-old model and dancer from Tokyo has not had a haircut for more than 15 years, according to Newsflare.
“I grew up with strict parents and when I was a kid, I was on the girls’ soccer team and always had a short cut because of this,” said Kambe, whose dream as a child was to grow her hair long.
At 20, Kambe ignored her parents and achieved her dream of growing her hair as long as she wants. Her hair is now 13 centimeters (5.1 inches) longer than her height. Kambe has to tiptoe whenever she wants to take a full photograph of her long hair.
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“I grew my hair when I started dancing seriously at around twenty and my hair is now floor length,” Kambe said, according to the Daily Star. “I began to grow my hair because I wanted to shine in my own way.”
Kambe ties her hair in a bun on regular days and dedicates almost an hour every day brushing to remove tangles.
Some people have expressed their appreciation for the effort she puts into her hair, but Kambe said there are still those who look at her differently.
“I get a lot of reactions to my hair. There are men in the world who appreciate it and there are also people who think that it is a monster,” she said. “I think it’s only natural that there are different opinions in the world and if I didn’t believe in myself I would be swayed by the negative opinions.”
Kambe said she turns all the opinions she receives, positive or negative, into a strength.
Kambe said she follows a strict daily routine involving proper diet and sleep to keep her hair healthy.
“I eat a lot of iron-rich food and eat a well balanced diet,” she said. “I think sleep is very important and I have about seven hours every day. Exercise and stretching are also important.”
For Kambe, having long hair is a form of expression, and it helps her gain more confidence.
“I feel like my hair is a weapon of expression. It grew naturally and healthily and is a thing of beauty,” she said. “My hair gave me the confidence to keep doing one thing without giving up.”
Feature Image via @rin_rapunzel
