The sabukaru Guide To Tokyo Hair
Japan is one of the few country’s with more salons and barbershops than convenience stores, a pretty strong statement considering the ever-present sight of a Family Mart or 7-Eleven on every street. But the numbers don’t lie, there are 370 thousand hair salons in Tokyo alone*, all trying to outdo one another and cultivate a cult following.
Tokyo is an extraordinarily image-conscious environment, and for many parts of the city’s cultural underground, a way to stand out in such a hyper-populated place is through a signature [and often flamboyant] hairstyle.
That being said in Tokyo, No color is too specific, no cut is too elaborate, and whatever vision you’ve concocted for yourself is doable- that is if you can shift through the massive array of salons that are listed on the web or that you catch a glimpse of while walking down the street.
Luckily sabukaru has got you covered. We’ve sifted through a massive amount hairdressers, salons, and hair artists to showcase some of our favorites. Although there are tons of worthy names not listed here, the ones that made the cut for this article are known to be versatile, friendly, and make strong contributions to the world of fashion or subculture- often doing the hair of Tokyo’s tastemakers or having talented staff that are all around fashionable people themselves.
In most cases, salons/stylists would be happy to be contacted via Instagram DM or through the Japanese beauty appointment booking website hotpepper.com. A couple of the names on the list aren’t available to the general public, instead, they are session stylists/artists for specific projects, but they can be booked upon request for a shoot or art installation.
All that’s left to do is dream up a look and book an appointment [and perhaps a flight to Tokyo].
Tota Nakagawa from Promille Salon
Tota Nakagawa’s styles romanticizes the very recent past – specifically 2016, a time that’s developed an odd idealization in niche corners of the internet. Maybe the obsession is because of the era’s innocent, slightly awkward aesthetics, which emulate the prettiest girl you know in high school who just happens to be painfully shy, cultivating a subtle charm pretty much the antithesis of an Insta-baddie.
For further inspiration, think in the same style realm as Twilight or All About Lily Chou Chou. Tota’s cuts offer plenty of wispy face-framing layers, curtain bangs, choppy wolf cuts, and movement that makes your hair look slightly windswept. In terms of color, they are subtly unnatural shades like muted mauves, beiges, light browns, and washed-out reds that don’t scream “I had my hair dyed” but still show an alternate slant. Tota is a stylist at Promille, in Harajuku, for appointments you can either book on Hot Pepper Beauty or inquire through DM. This hairdresser is available for general bookings.
Leco hair is out there, and probably what you have in mind when you think “Tokyo hair”.
If you want to have a signature look that no one else will have, the Tokyo-based salon has you covered, especially if you are looking for some insanely complex dye jobs. Continuing the legend of bizarre Japanese hairdos that reached a peak during the Golden Age of Harajuku street style, Leco’s cuts are often spiky, choppy, decora, or punk-esque concoctions that no matter how flamboyant – because they are done with the utmost precision and know-how.
Currently, our favorite looks that have been circulating amongst their clients are raccoon tail-like striped highlights, subtle reverse ombre in shades of burgundy, and updated mullets [trust us they aren’t of the cringy variety] that look like a spiky pixie cut with subtle tendrils of longer hair underneath. This salon available for general appointments.
Shige from Hair Salon Leco
Shige [@leco_shige] from Leco specializes in super intricate dye patterns that could rightfully be called kaleidoscopic. If you want to make an impact or have a hairstyle that works in harmony with your avant-garde wardrobe, she’s the stylist who can make it happen. This hairdresser is available for general bookings.
No color combination is impossible for Shige, as vibrant tones ranging from fluorescent pink, to deep blues, and rich burgundies. Currently, Shige’s clients are requesting “halo” highlights which are bands of color placed vertically usually on top of bangs giving you an ethereal but punky effect as well as raccoon lowlights placed hidden below choppy layers for a “peek a boo” touch of originality.
Fleuri
Fleuri [@fleuri.jp] is a hair salon sabu has devoted an entire article to and for good reason. They simply just “get it”. Every appointment is sort of like a mini image consultation, where you can discuss your abstract idea for a look while a stylist expertly and gently lets you know if it’s doable; making augmentations until they craft something that’s the right fit for you.
Fleuri has a rare skill for understanding different hair types and making the latest Tokyo looks achievable for foreign clients who don’t have pin-straight hair. Fleuri has experience, especially in cutting curly hair or frizzy hair despite being in Tokyo, which is a true rarity that can save you a lot of grief in the future.This salon available for general appointments.
Fleuri serves some of Tokyo’s most notoriously stylish clientele, so the odds are the most naturally fashionable person you know has probably gone to Fleuri at one point or another.
Sakie Miura from Fleuri
Taking inspiration from her time as a hairdresser in NYC, Tokyo-based hairdresser and founder of the salon Fleuri, Sakie Miura [@sakiemiura] has an extremely loyal list of clientele who prefer her balance of subtle edginess and precision to a crazy hairstyle done with poor technique. Sakie’s most notable client is model and actress Kiko Mizuhara, whose super smooth and healthy-looking locks are the result of a long-standing relationship with Sakie and Fleuri.
Aside from pure technique, Sakie has a down-to-earth and authentic personality that's hard to replicate. If you want natural looking hues, especially chocolatey brunette or darker colors she’s an amazing choice. Sakie is also available as a session stylist in addition to standard hair appointments at Fleuri upon request.
Takeru Urushibara from Fleuri
Takeru [@umeboooy] knows how to make his clients feel heard, especially when it comes to deciding upon a look that works best with their natural features and inner personality. Part of what got him into their hair industry was the pure power a good cut can hold. Take loves a good makeover and image overhaul. He is a master at anything from a simple bang trim to a complete transformation.
His signature is crafting wispy face-framing tendrils, bnags that are the perfect length for your face shape and styles with movement, making your hair look windswept even when you’re just standing still. That being said, Take is one of Tokyo’s highest-regarded hairstylists because of his style, demeanor, and image analysis skills. He is also available for bookings as a session stylist for photoshoots upon request in addition to general appointments upon availability.
Not every hairstylist needs to do something off the wall, or exaggerated to be one of the best. Under The Sun [@underthesun_sgj] was often named by those in Tokyo’s creative scene for men-oriented short hairstyles, that have clean fades, nuanced texture, and are good quality but not over the top about it.
With a range of cuts often repped by the functional fashion set, yet also delving into styles rocked by members of shoegaze bands, and other musical influences, Under The Sun gives clean looks with range. Additionally, Under The Sun sells limited amounts of curated goods including shoes, accessories, and fragrances. This salon available for general appointments.
Yusuke Murakami From Under The Sun
Amongst the most requested stylists at Under The Sun is Yusuke Murakami [@yusuke_cut_hair], whose specialty is a shaggy Brit Rock-inspired cut, exemplified by the moodboards he posts of hair inspiration from Liam Gallagher of Oasis or even oddball references like Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman, from Breaking Bad.
Yusuke also is talented at giving natural-looking perms [don’t panic at the word perm!], which are quite popular in Japan; giving straight locks a bit of movement without looking overdone.This hairdresser is available for general bookings.
The Oversea
The Oversea [@theoversea] is a Tokyo-based salon with its roots in NYC, based on the aesthetic of the widely successful and IT Girl staple, Shizen a salon in Brooklyn, NYC. The Oversea and Shizen share the same Koshi [@koshi__007], who fuses more gritty New York City-originating looks with fantastical Tokyo flair.
A great balance between dark edginess reminiscent of the Ramones and your favorite neo-punk bands, with a penchant for the whimsical found in recent Harajuku street style looks. The Oversea is an influencer favorite for crafting signature haircuts with lots of movement, punkish undertones, and a range of options from more conventional blunt bang + bob combinations, to more spiky asymmetrical or wolf cut concoctions.
Recently The Oversea has been coming up with an interesting array of “hidden highlights”, AKA strands with brighter hues mixed into more neutral “natural” hair colors.This salon available for general appointments.
Ryo Saito from The Oversea
Ryo [@_ryosaito_] is the Assistant Director of The Oversea and one of the salon’s most in-demand hairdressers, he trained in Tokyo as well as New York City making him well-suited to style a variety of hair types.
Cutting the locks of some of Tokyo’s best dressed in a variety of scenes be those in Y2K, Americana, grunge, or hyperpop-related communities, he has versatility that still somehow retains his identity as a stylist who adds the perfect amount of texture, choppiness, and unexpected highlights to every wolf cut [his master specialty], mullet, and pixie he crafts. This hairdresser is available for general bookings.
QUQU
QUQU [@ququtokyo], is a salon that's a wonderful shapeshifter of color, shapes, and originality. The level of creativity here is a cut above, and they truly harness the power of what good hair can do to express one's inner self and personal style.
Adding in flare and innovation, the hair stylists in this studio are known for their illustrious style and expertise. Their complex dye jobs have no bounds, case in point: their ability to dye complex shapes like bows or whatever else into your locks, alongside more experimental halo highlights, raccoon strands, and neon pops of color.This salon available for general appointments.
Natsuki [@ququ_natsuki] is a highly sought-after hairdresser at QUQU, who likes to keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible- no style is too crazy to ask for. She is best known for her haircut that's a cross between a choppy pixie at the top, with unexpected long tendrils that reach towards shoulder length. She typically tops her looks off with dye jobs that mimic the texture of tye dye, having a “drip” color effect blending multiple hues.
Natsuki and the salon QUQU are popular with clients who also have an interest in street style from China’s ultra-recent youth subcultures influenced by Y2K and cyber aesthetics as well as more popular looks from lolita-punk to decora stemming from Japan. This hairdresser is available for general bookings.
Mao Ushigaeru
Mao Ushigaeru [@ushigaeru_mao] is a go-to for Tokyo’s cool girl favorites, including an assortment of rockers and models that have more of a grunge and indie rock sensibility.
Mao also frequently does the hair for Japanese magazine, Zipper’s editorials. Mao is easily recognizable by her signature haircut: massively curly light brown hair, that distinguishes her in a crowd. Mao likes to add splashes of bright color in between cuts with face-framing layers and blunt bangs, and is skilled at applying perms that give even the limpest of hair springy bouncy corkscrew curls. Mao is available as a session stylist and for general appointments, DM for inquiries.
Tomihiro Kono
Perhaps, no one understands the transformative power of hair better than Tomihiro Kono [@tomikono_wig], a hair and head prop artist, wigmaker, and self-proclaimed "specialist of total hair design". Although he is not a hairstylist available for standard bookings/appointments from the general public [only for select shoots/exhibitions upon request], when we talk about “Tokyo Hair” he is a major figure in creating a wave of avant-garde hairstyles, which eventually diffused to the masses and on the streets of Harajuku. Tomihiro is perhaps one of the reasons why modern Tokyo hair is so bonkers.
Japan-born but now worldwide-based, Tomihiro Kono has been one of the most unique voices in the fashion world for 20 years. His hairstyles and headpieces have accompanied Junya Watanabe on his most important runway shows and his wigs have transformed the personalities of the likes of Björk and Gigi Hadid, pushing with each of his pieces the limits of what hair can do for art, fashion, and identity. His works are often on display at the gallery he owns in Tokyo called Konomad [@konomadinc]. Tomohiro is NOT available for general bookings, DM directly for project inquiries.
SAL
SAL [@sal_hair_daikanyama] is a men's oriented salon in Daikanyama with an attached gallery space called Saloom Gallery [@saloomgallery], fusing the latest of what's happening in street culture whether it be art or hair aesthetics, all under one roof.
One of their most popular haircuts is a spikey and slightly permed modern bowl cut [not the Beatle-esque kind but something refreshed], that makes hair look perfectly tousled in an “I just rolled out of bed–but I still look stylish” type of way. Many of the clients at SAL are creative people or skaters as well, so it makes sense that their style leans more towards relaxed, urban, and casual rather than overly polished/hard-to-maintain styles.This salon available for general appointments.
Hikaru Nishiharu from SAL
Hikaru Nishiharu [@hkrnishi] is a highly recommended hairdresser from SAL, who creates ”bed head” looks, that look effortlessly styled and don’t require a ton of maintenance to keep their shape/texture due to his highly skilled technique.
He’s also known for his rich red colored dye jobs that have a pop of color but don’t look overdone, alongside Sal’s much asked for choppy updated bowl cut looks. If you are looking for a subtle and well done look, based on what’s current in Japanese punk or skate culture, Hikaru has got you covered.This hairdresser is available for general bookings.
Tsubasa Dicky and Reincarnation Store
Tsubasa Dicky [@tsubasadicky] is a session hair stylist for some of Tokyo’s biggest magazines [Vogue, iD, you name it] and has worked with Japan’s top entertainers.
Perhaps, primarily known for doing the hair of Nana Komatsu, currently one of Japan’s biggest actresses/models, he has branched out to offer his services to the general public through his salon Reincarnation [@reincarnationstore] with his favorite looks posted on [@dickyworks]. Don’t let the number of stars he’s styled intimidate you, the salon is open to whoever makes an appointment and Dicky has said himself he’s not a big fan of cherry-picking customers.
Dicky got his start originally at the Oversea, and then pursued training abroad, eventually crafting simple but well done to hyper inventive looks for runway shows + editorials, before starting Reincarnation [his goal was to run his own salon by 30!] in Tokyo to experiment with a wide range of looks and clients.
This salon is available for general appointments. DM Tsubasa for inquiries about general bookings and specific projects.
Hiroki Kitada [@hiroki_kitada] is a Tokyo-based session stylist primarily, covering shoots from big to small with enough inventiveness to tackle even the most difficult styles or hard-to-name aesthetics.
Known for his attention to detail and ability to think on his feet during complicated photo shoots, whether they be outdoors, odd hours, super renowned clients, or simply crafting the perfect idea with limited time- Hiroki’s patience and talent are truly unparalleled. Hiroki specifically excels at high fashion-driven shoots with his style of crafting intricate updos + braids, plus his ability to mix more traditional “Japanese” aesthetics [think jet black locks and kimono] with today's most up-to-date trends. Hiroki is a session stylist available upon a project basis.Contact directly for details.
Maria Kaneko [@mariakaneko] is a Tokyo-based hairdresser and hairstylist, who does appointments via DM for clients and hair for editorial shoots. Her haircuts and styling are a subtle balance between wearable and original, full of wispy bangs and muted tints of pinkish beige, rust auburn, and milky browns. Perfect for people part of dark kawaii or Y2K-oriented subcultures.
Repeatedly booked by some of Tokyo’s favorite talents, spanning models and actors as well as well-known personalities about town, Maria has a loyal client base partially due to her skills but also her easygoing personality. Maria is also frequently a collaborator with photographer Kuno Mirei for her shoots. Together they are known for crafting dreamy looks chronicling the lives of girls through a magical realist lens. Maria is a session stylist available upon a project basis, contact directly for general appointment information or project availability.
LAND [@landtokyo] is a salon based in Aoyama, Tokyo that is a lowkey favorite for wearable haircuts that still are up to trend and nuanced slightly wavy perms. Able to work with your lifestyle and achieve a simple but flattering look whether it be a short men's cut, or adding tasteful layers to women's longer styles, LAND can achieve what you’re looking for if you want a wash and brush low-maintenance looks that can match a variety of genres.
Pay special attention to their pastel pink and blue hues that achieve the sweet spot of Easter egg softness with a hard-to-achieve cooler base tone.This salon available for general appointments.
Ren Yanagisawa from LAND
Ren Yanagisawa [@renrenhair] is a skilled hairdresser at Land who does short simple masculine styles to ethereal wispy looks often requested by his female clients. Ren is used to cutting curly multicultural hair as well as pin-straight locks, so no matter your texture you’re in good hands.
Hayate Maeda
Hayate Maeda [@hayatemaeda] does minimalistic but impactful hair styling for shoots upon request, using his creations as the perfect accompaniment to functional and niche-minded clothing brands. Keeping the natural and airy feel of windblown hair, his styles enhance the wearer rather than detract from a person's natural charm. He’s quickly becoming one of Tokyo’s rising stars. Hayate is a session stylist available upon a project basis.Contact directly for details.
*Editor's Note: The number of hair salons in Tokyo is 370 thousand according to statistics collected in 2023 and may only refer to officially registered salons. The number is likely subject to change since 2023.
Intro and descriptions for select hair stylists/artists by Ora Margolis
Intro for QUQU by Zoey Sherfan
Intro for Tomohiro Kono by Lionel
Images sourced from hairstylists/artists own Instagram profiles.
