My father can be a tough customer when it comes to gift-giving, and Father’s Day is no exception. I believe this is born partly from his anti-materialist hippie roots and partly from social standards that discourage men from analyzing their own wants and needs.
Luckily, my dad is a huge knife and cooking fanatic, so this Father’s Day, I’m getting him a cheese slicer. But not all the dads, grandpas and father figures in our lives have such easy-to-shop-for niches.
However, one area of life that should be more normalized in mainstream society is the universal human need for grooming. Pragmatically, it’s a way of becoming more hygienic and presentable, yet there’s also an alarming trend of people viewing things like spas, salons and skin treatments as unsuitable indulgences for men.
Japan, which, despite its forward-thinking on male grooming, markets these services largely toward women — even outright disallowing men entry to some establishments — is highly culpable in the matter. A male friend and I were turned away from five different salons some years ago when we tried to get gel nail bookings together.
Everyone should enjoy looking and feeling good, though, so here are a handful of places around Tokyo where you can treat the dad in your life — whoever that may be — to the relaxation and comfort they deserve.
Barbershops and salons
Tokyo’s high-end barbershops offer the most accessible avenue for men looking for relaxation and cosmetic pampering. Compared with a typical barber experience in Japan, which tends to be a rather no-frills affair, luxury shops draw clients in with elegant, old-timey decor (think 1950s Americana), expertise on beard and mustache styling, and a range of services including head spas, nose and ear maintenance, and even eyelid masks. Customers can also find high-quality pomades, waxes and beard moisturizers at these establishments.
Two of the best barbershops in Tokyo are Wolfman Barber, with locations in Jingumae, Shibuya Ward, and Roppongi, Minato Ward; and the simply named The Barber, which is spread across eight locations in the capital.
For more gender-neutral venues, particularly for mixed gender pairs looking to enjoy an afternoon together, Feath Salon (Akasaka, Minato Ward) welcomes both men and women to its head spa, which involves a 100-minute service of mineral-rich water, shampooing, massaging and hair steaming.
Bathhouses and saunas
Almost as predictably as barbershops, onsen (hot springs) and sentō (bathhouses) are another great way of relaxing in Japan for both men and women.
Sentō range from the unassuming neighborhood spot to huge, resort-like “super” sentō like Osaka’s famous Spa World. Somewhere in the middle of that spectrum sits Minato Ward’s Paradise, notable for being primarily a men-only bath (they have ladies’ days on the 10th, 20th and 30th of every month) with shared and private sauna services as well as a wide range of baths in different temperatures.
For a slightly rarer experience, Solo Sauna Tune offers Finnish-style wet saunas (complete with fragrant hanging birch bundles) in Tenjincho, just a few stops away from Shinjuku Station.
With any mention of public baths and saunas in Japan comes the caveat that the country is still a pretty socially conservative one. If you’re shopping for someone who doesn’t fit a traditional mold — for example, if they have prominent tattoos, if they are transgender or nonbinary, or if they’re just uncomfortable getting naked around strangers — it might be worth looking outside Tokyo for accommodations that offer private onsen bookings.
Spas
The epitome of pampering, spas are the best places to enjoy physical relaxation at the hands of a trained masseuse or esthetician. Massages, facials, waxing, and nail and cuticle care are still most often marketed toward women, but men are increasingly interested in these small luxuries as well.
Ginza’s Wa Spa and Azabu-juban’s Mocci Beauty are two spas that explicitly offer all their services to both men and women. Also located in Azabu-juban, Elana Jade offers packages aimed at easing men into what might be new and intimidating territory with services like the “Men’s Down to Earth Facial” as part of its “Executive Men” package.
Some quick notes: Services like manicures and back waxing tend to be more expensive for men than women. And as a rule of thumb, larger spas and massage clinics with multiple rooms and staff members tend to welcome all genders, while solo female estheticians working from their homes are more likely to accept only women.
For a different spin on an in-person spa experience, online stores like Sow Experience offer gift bundles for various spa, onsen, meditation and body training services. The selection aims to lower the barrier of entry for men not used to visiting these stores and also includes skincare products and other items to use at home long after Father’s Day has come and gone.
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