Have you ever left the hair salon disappointed or in tears? Though it’s not as common today, there used to be a word for it in Japanese: 上げ劣り(ageotori) — the tinge of sadness felt after an unsatisfactory haircut. Placing the fate of your 髪の毛 (kami no ke, hair) in someone else’s hands doesn’t have to be so intimidating, though.

The key to feeling スッキリ (sukkiri, refreshed) and 大満足 (daimanzoku, fully satisfied) with your salon visit lies in knowing your 髪質 (kamishitsu, hair type). This increases your chance at finding a 美容室 (biyōshitsu, beauty salon), 床屋 (tokoya, barber) or バーバー (bābā, barber), or 専門家 (senmonka, specialist) that can handle your hair type, properly care for it and achieve your 希望の髪型 (kibō no kamigata, desired hairstyle).

According to Curly Girl Rin, a Japan-based curly hair advocate and brand owner of Curly Me, what you research 予約前 (yoyaku-mae, prior to booking) matters just as much as the 予約 (yoyaku, appointment) itself. For textured hair, for example, searching #癖毛を活かす(kusege o ikasu, embracing your curly hair) versus #癖毛トリートメント (kusege torītomento, curly hair treatment) on social media can mean the difference between finding services that enhance and care for your curls, like the former, and those designed to smoothen and hide them, the latter.

It’s worth considering the following questions prior to your research: 自分の髪って、ストレートなのかウェーブなのかカーリーなのか？ (Jibun no kami-tte sutorēto nano ka uēbu nano ka kārī nano ka?, Is my natural hair straight, wavy or curly?), or どういうスタイルがいいのか? (Dō iu sutairu ga ii no ka?, What style do I want to achieve?) According to hair type and need, here’s how you can identify some key services in Japanese.

For all hair types

  • カット (katto, cut)
  • カラー (karā, color)
  • シャンプー (shanpū, shampoo)
  • リンス (rinsu, conditioner)
  • トリートメント (torītomento, hair treatment)

To achieve or care for straight hair

  • さらさらトリートメント (sara-sara torītomento, hair smoothening treatment)
  • ケラチントリートメント (kerachin torītomento, keratin treatment)
  • 縮毛矯正 (shukumō kyōsei, permanent hair straightening)

To achieve or care for curly hair

  • パーマ (pāma, curl perm)
  • レイヤーカット(reiyaa katto, layered cut)

Men’s hair

  • カットと顔剃り (katto to kaosori, cut and shave)
  • フェード (fēdo, fade)

Using these key words and following them with 〜して下さい (〜shite kudasai, please do~) is useful for communicating your request. A Japanese app called ホットペッパービューティー (hotto peppā byūtī, Hot Pepper Beauty) can also be a useful tool for filtering through services and specialists, as well as making reservations and requests in advance.

Regardless of texture or service, Japanese 美容室 and バーバー take pride in quality of service and care for their customers, reflecting the old adage that お客様は神様 (o-kyaku-sama wa kamisama, the customer is God). Your comfort will be prioritized, and the following questions may be asked of you so points can be confirmed and your expectations are met throughout the appointment.

  • When cutting: 長さはこのぐらいでいいですか (Nagasa wa kono gurai de ii desu ka, Is this length OK for you?)
  • When shampooing: お湯が熱かったら気にせずに言って下さい (Oyu ga atsukattara ki ni sezu ni itte kudasai, Don’t hesitate to tell me if the water is hot)
  • When confirming satisfaction: こんな感じで大丈夫でしょうか (Nani ka go-fumeiten arimasu deshō ka, Do you have any questions or concerns?)

Your hairdresser may use slightly less polite Japanese for easier comprehension if they know you're not a native, so questions may come in the form of single words: いい？ (ii?, good?), あつい？ (atsui?, [too] hot?), 苦しい？ (kurushii?, uncomfortable?)

More than 50% of the Japanese population report having くせ毛 (kusege, textured hair), though most 美容室メニュー (biyōshitsu menyū, salon services) and beauty trends cater toward straight textures. It’s also common for advertisements across Japan to circulate tag lines like, サラサラの髪へ (Sara-sara no kami e, Making your hair silky straight).

縮毛矯正 (Shukumō kyōsei, permanent hair straightening) treatments remove 縮毛 (shukumō, frizzy hair) permanently and are often recommended during the summer months, when the humidity reaches its peak. 縮毛を伸ばして長持ちしますが、根元が伸びるとリタッチが必要になってきます (Shukumō o nobashite nagamochi shimasu ga, nemoto ga nobiru to ritacchi ga hitsuyō ni natte-kimasu, The process permanently reshapes hair bonds so as the roots start to grow, it will require routine touch-ups).

On the other hand, if embracing your curls is a priority, Curly Girl Rin says, “Hairdressers that specialize in パーマ (pāma, perms) are often well-versed in caring for curly hair.” Post-perm styling methods are similar to natural styling and are also a good alternative.

Knowing the right questions is, of course, helpful. Equally important is knowing how to speak up for yourself and ask for what you want.

The mutual expectations between customer and hair professionals are not always obvious, but using the following phrases can help your 予約 stay on the right track:

  • When showing a photo: こういう感じでお願いします (Kō iu kanji de onegai shimasu, Please do something like this)
  • When showing length: このぐらいでお願いします (Kono gurai de onegai shimasu, Please cut about this much)
  • When confirming length: この長さはちょうどいいです (Kono nagasa wa chōdo ii desu, This length is just right)
  • When requesting to cut more: もう少し切ってもらえませんか (Mō sukoshi kitte moraemasen ka, Can you please cut a little more?)

When requesting a shave, you’ll need to use the verb 剃る (soru, to shave). Make the request simply by using the verb in its te-form with ください (kudasai, please [give me]): 〜剃って下さい (〜sotte kudasai, please shave ~).

  • バリカンで 剃って下さい (barikan de sotte kudasai, please shave with the clippers)
  • 髭を剃って下さい (hige o sotte kudasai, please shave my beard)

As a customer, there is only one real rule you need to follow when getting a hair cut in Japan: 予約を守る (yoyaku o mamoru, keep your appointment time). The rest is open to self-expression and exploration.