Are there any western hairdressers?

[Anonymous]

Hi,

This question is embarassingly superficial, but I'm a western woman with blonde highlights. My hairdresser says that japanese salons aren't used to doing western hair, will i be able to get it done over there? i don't speak japanese either, will that be an insurmountable problem?

Thanks,
A

[Osakan]

You needn't worry. Your stylist has it wrong, at least if you're going to a big city.

My experience as a foreign man has been that the haircuts I've had in Japan have been much better than those I had in the UK. There are two, or perhaps three, reasons for this.

The first is that Western hair is rather easier to cut than Japanese (East Asian) hair, because much finer. This, at least is what I've been told by Japanese stylists. So the person cutting your hair has spent most of his/her working life engaged on rather trickier projects than you'll be presenting.

The second reason is that, for all that stylists in the big cities are not-unused to cutting Western hair, still the opportunity to do so is a minor novelty, and the stylist will devote more time to you than s/he might to a Japanese customer, taking best-advantage of the chance to have some practice.

That third reason, unrelated to your being a foreigner, is that there's a cultural difference in haircutting between Japan and the UK. Here, a haircut is a tremendously expensive and peculiarly protracted business, typically involving both scalp and shoulder massages, lengthy consultations among a team of stylists, two washes and etc. Even as a man, and with short-ish hair, I've got used to expecting to be in the chair for over an hour. My girlfriend can be there for the better part of the day, before parting with well over a hundred quid.

[Anonymous]

my wife and I get great hair attention for ¥5000. I think prices must be posted outside by law, because they are everywhere. Almost every japanese woman and an awful lot of guys have various colours of hair. Very few are the natural black. There seems to be a hair shop on every corner and several in-between, and they are usually architectural masterpieces, to put norman foster, renzo piano et al to shame. The hairshop on my high street is bigger than the local supermarket.

[pixelsmudge]

I was really worried too before I came to Japan, I also have blone highlights and I'd heard all the horror stories about burnt scalps and hair falling out in clumps! However I was really relieved when I got here (Osaka) - there's so many salons and they open late with great service, including head and neck massage! To be on the safe side I checked out Kansai Timeout for ads and found a salon just 5 mins away where they speak very good English and you get discount for the first 3 visits so if you're clever you'll find 2 salons and use them alternately for colour and maximum discount! Check English mags & newspapers for ads.
Prices vary but you're looking at about 5000 yen for a wash, cut & blowdry, 6000 for colour in a good salon. Salons in Osaka tend to close on Mondays.
Having said that, my boyfriend gets a 900 yen wash and cut just around the corner - lucky bugger!

[pixelsmudge]

I was really worried too before I came to Japan, I also have blone highlights and I'd heard all the horror stories about burnt scalps and hair falling out in clumps! However I was really relieved when I got here (Osaka) - there's so many salons and they open late with great service, including head and neck massage! In fact it's much better than back home. To be on the safe side I checked out Kansai Timeout for ads and found a salon just 5 mins away where they speak very good English and you get discount for the first 3 visits so if you're clever you'll find 2 salons and use them alternately for colour and maximum discount! Check English mags & newspapers for ads.
Prices vary but you're looking at about 5000 yen for a wash, cut & blowdry, 6000 for colour in a good salon. Salons in Osaka tend to close on Mondays.
Having said that, my boyfriend gets a 900 yen wash and cut just around the corner - lucky bugger!

[Anonymous]

i am having the same trouble finding a hair salon in japan to get my highlights done and have discovered that most places cannot cope with western hair.ive had my hair turned ginger twice now.i have not found a salon as yet that stocks western hair hiighlighting products,so if anoyne can tell me the address of a salon in osaka or kyoto my seriuosly bad roots problem will be resolved,yay!

[Anonymous]

Can't help with Osaka or Kyoto, but if you're ever passing through Nagoya, e.m.a. can do highlights on Western hair. I always go there, and I've always been satisfied.

[Anonymous]

"Gotcha" near Sannomiya station is worth checking out. The hairdresser speaks great English and is more than happy to chat afterwards over a beer !!! (Corona 200yen..bargain!) Not really helping Angel I know but for those of you in the area....

[Anonymous]

Hi all!

While we're on the subject of coloring western hair . . .

I regularly dye my hair with an over-the-counter do-it-yourself brand in the States. Does anyone know if it would be illegal or problematic to have family send boxes of dye to me through the mail while I'm in Japan?

Thanks a bunch!

[smallworld]

Not at all, I've brought dye over and had it sent too. Never a problem.
These days my visits back are rare and my folks less willing to send boxes and boxes of stuff. so now I usually use Feria. It's sold here but the colours are slightly different from back home, so it took a bit of 'experimenting' to get used to it.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the info!

I use Feria, too, so maybe I'll get lucky and after some experimenting will find something useful there. I feel so relieved. I know it's superficial, but, darn it, I like my hair to be mostly one color. ;)

Thanks again!

[Anonymous]

I never had problems with hairdressers in Japan,.... actually when I came back to the US I MISSED my Japanese hairdresser. They do SUCH a good job with haircuts there and I LOVE the way Japanese girls do their hair. No one here will do what I want, even if I bring a million pictures... *sigh*

Anyway, with regard to hair dye, the Japanese products are REALLY good! Especially for me, since I have dark hair, American dye doesn't work without bleach. And since they EXPECT Japanese girls to have to bleach, most of the dyes have lifting agents and most of the bleaches don't ruin your hair. I would always use MaCherie by Shiseido, and I HATE that I can't get it here. They do also have Feria and Schwartzkopf too.

Never had my hair dyed at a salon though, only cut. But my hairstylist didn't speak English and wasn't advertized in a gaijin magazine, it was just the salon my host sister used and I loved it. Probably like anywhere, it depends on YOUR hair (not "japanese hair" or "western hair" because everyone is different) and your particular stylist. Pick one that looks nice, and if you don't like the results, try another until you do... ?

[chotto dake]

For people with simple hairstyles are there cheap places for a haircut? I have kept my hair very short for the past few years and I don't have any intention on changing it while in Japan, should I bother with going for a haircut in Japan or should I just buy an electric trimmer?

[Anonymous]

since we are on the subject of hair, does anyone know the criteria for becoming a hairdresser in japan? i am a hairdresser in the u.s. and would love to do hair there. if no one knows, can someone at least point me in the direction of where i can find out? i would greatly appreciate it! thanks.

[1884]

Does anyone know of an english speaking hairdresser in osaka with experience doing blonde highlights in gaijin hair?

Thanks!