The English word charisma comes from a Greek word meaning "gift of the gods." As the ancient Greeks saw it, a person with charisma possessed superhuman powers, such as the ability to perform miracles and predict the future. Recently the word has entered the Japanese language, where it is commonly used to describe experts at particular jobs, such as chefs, beauticians, or - as in the term karisuma shufu - homemakers.

While such women may not be able to perform miracles or foretell the future, they nonetheless possess some impressive skills and talents. Karisuma shufu are the leading figures of the housekeeping world, capable of creating delicious and delicately prepared food and expert at such tasks as table setting or household management.

The quintessential example of the karisuma shufu is Kurihara Harumi, whose fame as a "charisma housewife" goes back a decade. Other women who have earned the accolade are Arimoto Yoko, an expert at Italian cooking, dessert queen Fujino Makiko, and Kondo Noriko, who gives advice on household management.

The expression also applies to housewives whose talents lie outside the home. Such women include fashion models Kuroda Chieko and Miura Risako and stock trader Yamamoto Yuka.