A man recently turned up at the Omotesando branch of Nail Quick, a major nail salon chain, for a 45-minute treatment. "It's not like I take care of my nails passionately," the man, in blue jeans and a black hat, said, visibly embarrassed to be interviewed and asking not to be identified, except to say that he is in his early 30s and lives in western Tokyo.
"But in December last year, I happened to see a sign for this salon on the street and swung by just to give it a try. I found the treatment quite comfortable."
The man added that his fingernails are fragile and break easily. So on that day, as usual, he ordered the "men's nail" course, which includes disinfection of hands with an ethanol-soaked cotton pad, nail filing and removal of cuticles. After that, customers can have their nails either polished or coated with colorless manicure.