10 Popular Tokyo Hair Salons for Tourists: Omotesando, Aoyama, and Shibuya Edition

1. SUNVALLEY Omotesando

The hair stylists here are experts when it comes to treating the hair and scalp just right, with weekday head spa services where you’ll get the scalp massage of your lifetime as well as a wider range of hair treatments than most, including the new TOKIO Inkarami that’s currently making waves in Asia for its stunning effects on damaged hair. Every booth even comes with a Dyson dryer to minimize heat styling damage!

This care carries on to their amazing hospitality. They have a private room that families can use at no extra cost, as well as a large table where people can sit down and wait while sipping on a free drink and browsing one of the salon’s several iPads. Some of their stylists even speak English, which is always a happy discovery for the occasional non-Japanese-speaking customer that drops by!

2. air-AOYAMA

This top-class hair salon has appeared in numerous magazines and gets all kinds of clientele, from big-name celebrities to families with young children. Even foreign tourists like to visit thanks to their prime location and amazing foreign language support. Not only can some of their staff speak English, but they even have an English version of their salon menu as well as sheets filled with common phrases used in hair salons that come with English and Chinese translations. Simply point to the phrase you want to say and the stylist will be able to understand your order!

Although a cut and color is their most popular request, the team is able to perform a wide range of services including head spa courses performed by certified professionals that are believed to help in the prevention of AGA (male pattern alopecia).

They also stock their own original salon-quality hair care products, which they claim to be so gentle that they can even be used on babies! If you're interested in learning more, just ask about "PLATINUM DROP by air" (link goes to their Japanese product page) while you're there.

3. RENJISHI AOYAMA

Most salons in Japan don’t know how to deal with non-Asian hair, but thanks to the owners’ drive to always offer new and innovative services, this particular place has a team who have trained in international techniques such as Sassoon and are familiar with all types of hair. They also happen to be one of the few salons in Japan to offer Olaplex treatments, which help reduce the damage from perming or bleaching and do not weigh down the hair, which is a common result of most Japanese hair treatments.

Whether you come alone or with family, the team here will warmly welcome you into the salon's simple yet chic interiors. Just make sure to book in advance to ensure that you get one of their stylists who can speak a moderate amount of English. You can do so and also learn more about the services they offer through their Japanese and English pages (links below).

4. VeLO

Come here if you’re looking for a unique haircut made just for you. The team of stylists here are up to date with the latest Japanese hair trends and top styling techniques. Using their expertise and knowledge gained from the thorough consultation performed with each and every customer, they work their magic to create a custom made look that best matches their customer’s lifestyle and preferences.

Step into the salon and you'll quickly come to realize that they are all about offering a premium experience, whether it be in the form of the open interior with a terrace that visitors can freely use or in the fact that they only have a small number of seats to ensure that every customer gets their full attention. While they are willing to extend this premium experience to foreign clients, just note that only a few of their stylists are able to speak basic English and that they don't accept walk-ins.

5. vetica

This hair salon is actually located right below VeLO and run by the same people, albeit with a different team of stylists. The difference between VeLO and vetica is that VeLO is aimed more at older clientele, with slightly higher service rates, while vetica is for younger customers interested in street fashion and trends. Both salons offer only the best, however, so regardless of which you choose to visit, you will be satisfied.

The interiors of vetica also show off the slight differences between the two salons. VeLO gives off a more mature and sophisticated air, while vetica is incredibly chic and slightly eclectic. Both have warm wood tones that will make you feel right at home, with plenty of sunlight spilling in through the wide windows.

6. Lani5710

The team at this salon prioritize having healthy hair, and as such, they offer an extensive range of head spas and hair treatments that will strengthen your hair from within, leaving your locks silky to the touch and beautifully shiny. We especially recommend their System Treatment which is custom arranged to suit each customer's hair troubles and preferences. All of their stylists speak English to some degree, so it shouldn't be too hard to communicate what you want. They also happen to have a branch in the Philippines, so they are fairly used to dealing with foreign clients.

Another interesting feature of this salon is that they stock and sell products that you won't find in your typical Japanese salon. Some examples include salon-exclusive Shiseido products and items from Davines, an Italian hair care company well known within the beauty community for their high quality and sustainable practices. If you just want to browse and purchase their unique products, you can drop by even without a reservation, but otherwise it is strongly recommended to reserve in advance as they are usually unable to accept walk-ins, especially on weekends.

7. Tierra Harajuku

It is said that your hairstyle can greatly affect a person’s first impression of you, and the stylists at this salon take this seriously. Using all of their skills, knowledge, and experience, they make their customers look so good that it is said that their customers soon find love after getting their hair done by them! The team here are especially skilled with coloring, and have a unique blending method that eliminates any red or orange in the hair. For this reason, they get a lot of customers who request ashy colors like ash brown or ash black.

Of course, it’s not just their coloring services that keep people coming back. This salon has been featured in multiple Japanese magazines for how well their stylists’ cut hair, framing the face in a way that often makes it look smaller than it actually is. It also has an original hair treatment menu that helps revitalize damaged, dry hair. Why not visit this beautiful, spacious salon to have your inner beauty expressed externally?

8. MARIS HAIR & TREATMENT Omotesando

Many salons in Japan charge extra for people with medium to long hair, but this is a salon that doesn't. In fact, they are experts when it comes to hair of all different lengths, using all kinds of unique techniques to get the hair shiny and smooth with as minimal damage as possible. One particular service we highly recommend is their original treatment, which adds amino acids, protein, moisture, and all sorts of other good stuff to the hair to make it silky and healthy. It's a treatment that many Japanese celebrities and models order!

MARIS Omotesando is actually not just a hair salon, but a full beauty parlor that offers nail and eyelash services as well. That makes it the perfect place for someone looking to experience all kinds of Japanese beauty techniques in one go! Just make use to reserve an appointment in advance, as they do not accept walk-ins. Also, we recommend bringing an image of the hairstyle you want as not many of their staff are fluent in languages other than Japanese.

9. K-two AOYAMA

This salon just so happens to be one of the most reviewed hairdressing places in the Aoyama area on Hotpepper Beauty, Japan's largest booking site for beauty-related services. Their specialty is the "ko-gao cut", in which your hair is cut to frame your face in a way that makes it look small. They are also unique for letting each client choose which shampoo they want used on their head out of 30 different kinds of shampoo. You're in for an enjoyable and relaxing time thanks to the gorgeous view from the window-facing hair washing sinks.

Apart from providing hairdressing services, the estheticians at this salon are able to work magic on your eyelashes and eyebrows, and they can even give you a complete makeover! Just note that not all of the stylists are here all the time, so it is strongly recommended to make an appointment in advance. So, feel free to come here if you're looking to glam up while in Japan. The team of stylists here will warmly welcome you in!

10. TONI&GUY Aoyama

This multi-award winning hair salon chain from the UK has over 600 salons in over 50 countries worldwide, and it just so happens that one of these salons is in the Aoyama neighborhood of Tokyo. It can be incredibly difficult to find a hairdresser that knows how to handle non-Asian hair in Japan, so if you really want to make sure that you're being worked on by an expert, this is the place to visit. This is especially true if you do not speak a lick of Japanese but absolutely need or just want to try getting your hair done while in Japan.

The hair stylists here are able to transform your hair into almost any hair style out there and are up to date with the latest hair trends. They offer all kinds of services, from dyeing hair a bold color to doing a perm. Some of them can even speak English, ensuring that you'll walk out incredibly satisfied with your look!

Get Your Hair Done in Japan!

Japanese hair stylists are renowned worldwide for their knowledge and skills, so if you have the opportunity to visit Japan, you definitely shouldn't miss out on experiencing their expertise for yourself. Before visiting any of the famous salons in this article, just keep in mind the following tips:

→ If they do have English-speaking staff, they might not be available every day, so please make a reservation in advance using the methods described above, otherwise they might not be able to accept you when you visit.

→ Bring a picture or a Japanese-speaking friend with you to your appointment if you are not confident in your Japanese. That makes the ordering process a lot easier for both you and the stylist.

→ Please do not be late for your appointment or it may be cancelled. If you can make calls in Japan, call them as soon as you realize that you might be late.

 

If you do end up making a reservation at any of these salons, you will find these two guides incredibly useful:

A Brief Overview of the Buildings These Salons Are Located In

About JRF

All the salons in this article are located in commercial facilities managed by Japan Retail Fund Investment Corporation (JRF).

JRF has been listed on the Real Estate Investment Trust (“REIT”) section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (securities code: 8953) since March 2002. It was the first investment firm in Japan to specifically target and invest in retail property assets.

As the largest J-REIT that specializes in retail properties, JRF strives to secure stable distributions for its unitholders and steady increases in the value of its property portfolio through selective acquisitions of prime retail properties.

For more information: https://www.jrf-reit.com/english/index.html

 

Disclaimer
* This article was made for the purpose of promoting Japan Retail Fund Investment Corporation (JRF). It is not an invitation for investing in JRF’s securities or other financial instruments. Please make investment decisions at your own discretion and risk.
Asset Management Company: Mitsubishi Corp. -UBS Realty Inc.
(Financial Instruments Business Operators: Kanto Local Finance Bureau (FIBO) No. 403, Full Member of The Investment Trusts Association, Japan)

 

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