What You Should Do First When You Start Noticing Gray Hair “I’ve started getting gray hair, so I guess it’s time to dye it.” The moment many people think this, they begin looking for a hair salon. However, at the very first stage of noticing gray hair, choosing to dye it right away is also an action that often leads to thinking later, “This isn’t what I expected.” In this article, I want to share the way of thinking you should first organize in your mind when gray hair starts to appear. “Gray hair means dye it immediately” has become too automatic The most common flow in gray hair consultations […]

Don’t All Hair Salons Basically Look the Same? “They cut your hair, color it, perm it, straighten it, and then maybe add a treatment or a head spa.” To be honest, I think a lot of people feel this way. And actually, I’ve felt the same way myself for a long time — even as a hairdresser. The location is different. The price is different. Whether it’s famous or not is different. Stylish, luxurious, kind of ‘charismatic’… But when you look only at what’s actually being done, the differences are hard to see. This isn’t because clients are insensitive. I think it’s a very natural feeling. In a way, it’s […]

“Lately, I’ve started to notice my gray hair…” This is something I hear almost every single day. Regardless of age or gender, gray hair and thinning hair are often perceived as the first visible signs of aging for many people. And in most cases, the next step people take is almost always the same. “So, I guess I should dye it, right?” Yes, that’s a completely natural choice. Hair coloring and gray coverage are the most obvious and immediate solutions. But after seeing the hair and scalps of over ten thousand people, and observing hair types, skin types, and scalp conditions from all over the world, there has always been […]

Recently, I read a book. The Skin: The Strongest Organ in the Human Body. The author is a physician specializing in dermatology at Kyoto University Graduate School, and a leading expert who has spent many years researching atopic dermatitis. To be honest, this book was fascinating. Because what it describes aligns almost perfectly with what I have long felt through years of working in the beauty industry, as well as with the conclusions of modern dermatological science. Why Has Dermatological Medicine Lagged Behind? There was one point in the book that left a strong impression on me. Compared to other medical specialties, dermatological diseases are often considered “less directly life-threatening.” […]

Why Technique Alone Isn’t Enough. Through Hair, People Design “Youth” and “Social Position” “High skill = high customer satisfaction.” When I first started my career as a hairdresser, I believed that too. If my cutting improved, people would be happy. If the precision of my perms improved, people would be impressed. And yes—those things aren’t wrong. But at a certain point, I started to realize something. No matter how much I polished my technique, satisfaction didn’t rise as proportionally as it used to. This isn’t laziness, and it isn’t arrogance. If anything, I think it’s a kind of “healthy wall.” Technique Has “Diminishing Returns” In economics, there’s a concept called […]

The One Hairstyle I Never Recommend — A Look Chosen Only to Fit In with Others Lately, during consultations with my clients, there’s something I find myself noticing more and more. Far more people than you might expect are choosing hairstyles not for themselves, but **“for the eyes of others.”** Of course, everyone cares about how they are seen by others. At work, at school, within the family, with a partner—each situation has its own idea of what looks “appropriate.” Adapting to that is not a bad thing in itself. And yet— even so, there is one hairstyle I never recommend. It is this: A hairstyle chosen for one reason […]

Why Are Hair Salons in London So Different? — Lessons from a Multicultural “Normal” Today, I want to share a little about the “fundamental differences” I felt in hair salons when I worked in London. First of all, Japan is a country where more than 90% of the population shares the same cultural background — in other words, an almost homogeneous nation. London, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. Asia, Africa, Europe, South America… everything is mixed together. People with a purely “100% British” lineage are actually very rare. So naturally, hair salons come in many different forms. • Salons specializing in Japanese and Asian clients • Salons […]

Why I Wear Bold Clothes ― A Message About Living Freely “Taka, why do you always wear such bold and colorful clothes?” Clients ask me this from time to time. Blue, green, yellow, red, purple, pink… I intentionally incorporate high-saturation colors into my everyday outfits, so yes, they definitely stand out. But the truth is, I don’t wear them because I want to look flashy. ■ What I value most is protecting your individuality I always tell my clients: “It’s okay to value your individuality more.” “Prioritize what you like over what others think.” “Life and hairstyles become more fun when you stop forcing yourself into a box.” I’m not […]

When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do. The Power of Acceptance I Learned in London and How It Shapes My Hair Design Philosophy There is a saying: “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Whenever I hear this, it reminds me of my life in London. I missed Japanese food so much that I tried desperately to find the ingredients, or paid a fairly high price to eat at Japanese restaurants. But no matter how hard I tried, it never became “that taste.” The flavor was different, the atmosphere was different—something just felt off. This wasn’t about money. It was because I was forcing something into my life […]

The Idea That “Hairdressers Should Also Choose Their Clients” ― Great Hair Design Begins with Compatibility In Japan’s service industry, there is a phrase that has remained deeply rooted for a long time. “The customer is God.” Of course, in the sense of “treat customers with great care,” this is not wrong. However, when this phrase takes on a life of its own, • “The customer is always right” • “Hairdressers should simply follow whatever the client says” this atmosphere can become unnecessarily strong. I value a slightly different perspective. Just as clients choose their hairdresser, hairdressers should also choose their clients. People are sometimes surprised when I say this, […]