The Invisible Risks of Inflation and “Unchanged Prices” Prices are continuing to rise worldwide. Japan is no exception, and the cost of everyday goods and services is gradually increasing. Yet, haven’t you noticed shops or services whose prices haven’t changed for years? At first glance, it may seem “kind and considerate.” But is it really so? The Hidden Side of Keeping Prices the Same When prices remain unchanged, it means profit margins are inevitably shrinking. This always creates “strain” somewhere. The owner’s share decreases Employees’ salaries are suppressed The quality of services or products declines Especially in salons, where “time,” “tools,” and “chemicals” are directly connected to the customer’s body, […]

Circulation Is the Starting Point of It All — An Easier, More Sustainable Alternative to Massage “My hair feels thinner.” “I’m getting more gray hairs.” “I’m worried about hair loss.” Whenever I hear these concerns, the first thing I always tell clients is: “Circulation is the foundation of everything.” In Eastern medicine, hair is said to be “leftover blood.” In other words, hair is formed from the surplus of blood that circulates through the body. From this perspective, if blood doesn’t flow well to the scalp, of course healthy hair won’t grow. Not just the scalp—whole-body circulation matters When people think of circulation, they often think of scalp massage. But […]

Designing the Essence, Not Just the Surface — What Truly Matters in a Hairstyle? The word “quality” isn’t used only for products or services—it’s also used to describe people and ways of thinking. High quality, poor quality, classy, lacking class—quality is always a key element in many contexts. As a hairstylist, I always strive to create hairstyles with high quality. But more than that, what truly matters is whether it’s essential and meaningful. Is dyeing gray hair really the essence? For example, take the action of “dyeing your hair because gray strands are bothering you.” At first glance, it seems simple—but in many cases, it’s not the essence. That’s because, […]

No Two Hairstyles Are the Same — Beauty Lies in the Details of Hair Design Even the same hairstyle can take on a completely different meaning and appearance depending on why it is chosen and who wears it. Clients often request, “Please do it the same as last time,” or “Make it like that person’s hairstyle.” But in reality, it is impossible to reproduce the *exact same hairstyle*. That’s because subtle differences always arise depending on who the stylist is — their sense of touch and perception vary. Even when the same stylist works on the same client, the details inevitably change depending on the condition of the hair and […]

My Role as a Hairdresser in Relieving Stress When it comes to maintaining the health of hair and scalp, special treatments or one-time procedures have their limits. What truly matters are the right daily habits. Sleep, diet, and exercise—these three are considered the foundation of health in medicine, and I believe they are equally essential for the hair and scalp. However, there is an even more fundamental factor that influences the continuation of these three habits. That factor is “stress.” The Vicious Cycle of Stress When you are under stress, Your sleep becomes shallow Your diet becomes unbalanced (craving sweets or junk food) You lose the motivation to exercise This […]

Nobody really cares about your appearance or hairstyle When changing your hairstyle, many people first think, “How will others see me?” Will my friends say something? Will I stand out at work? Will people think I look strange? But let me be honest. Nobody actually cares that much about your appearance or hairstyle. Of course, in the first few seconds people may notice: “Oh, you got a haircut,” or “Your color is brighter.” But after that, they go back to their own lives. Nobody is spending their days constantly thinking about your hair. Japanese people care too much about “what others think” I have worked on countless clients’ hair in […]

Narrow Bangs Can Make Your Face Look Bigger — The Importance of Balance and Contrast When cutting hair, it’s important not just to shape the hair itself, but to consider how you want to present yourself through that style. Do you want to make your neck look slimmer? Make your face look smaller? Appear more youthful? As a hairstylist, I believe my role is to design styles tailored to each person’s specific goals. Common Mistakes When Trying to Make the Face Look Smaller One style I often see around town is where people make their bangs extremely narrow and cover the sides of their face with hair in an effort […]

This Is the Technique I’m Not Good At — And Why I Choose to Say It Out Loud Many hairstylists promote the areas they excel in. On social media and websites, they highlight statements like “I specialize in this technique” or “This is my area of expertise,” emphasizing the advantages for potential clients. Of course, that’s an important part of attracting new clients. But can clients truly trust information that only lists what someone can do? I actually believe it’s more important to be honest about what I can’t do. Why Do I Talk About What I Can’t Do? People tend to care more about avoiding loss than gaining something. […]

Turn Everything Into My Work. Turn Everything Into My Way of Life. In our everyday lives, we receive countless services. Shopping at the supermarket, dining at a restaurant, getting treated at a hospital, having our hair done at a salon, getting the car repaired, getting a massage… These days, many things can be done entirely online, but we still often visit stores and interact with people face-to-face. And in those moments, we always connect with “people.” For better or worse, we experience all kinds of things. Turning Both Good and Bad Experiences Into Fuel Sometimes we encounter incredibly kind and pleasant service, while other times, we might deal with poor […]

Brighten Your Gray Hair ― A One-of-a-Kind Highlight Just for You We humans carry many clues to beauty that we find in nature. When we gaze at the green of forests or the blue of the sea, we feel calm—that’s instinctive. Because we’ve spent so much time coexisting with nature, we find comfort and beauty in its shapes and colors. Gray Hair as a Canvas to Enjoy Color, Not a Negative When people start to notice gray hair, many think negatively: “I want to hide it,” or “Does this make me look old?” But here’s how I see it: Gray hair is a canvas that can be any color. Imagine […]