Are your friends and colleagues ringing in the new year with a fresh new look? If you’re thinking of doing the same but don’t know where to go, here are some hair and makeup beauty salons in Tokyo you can go to now, or anytime you’re in need of a makeover.
QB House
We figured a mention of QB House was in order since we’re talking about cheap hair services. This is the barber-shop-like chain that offers the infamous 1,000 yen/10-min cut, and it’s as ‘no-frills’ as it gets. We’ve got a more devoted article to QB House and its more obscure competitor Unicut 1000 here.
2. FaSS
FaSS (‘Fast Salon for Slow Life’) is probably what you can call the equivalent of QB House for women, though no bias, guys. For only 2,160 yen (1,944 yen for students), you can get a simple but pretty good cut and styling service. Like QB House, you make an appointment with the in-store ticket machine to get a waiting number, no booking in advance. The salon does come with some hi-tech perks: via your cell phone/smartphone, you can check how busy it is, get a waiting number, and receive an email notification when it’s almost your turn. They’ve got multiple salons around Tokyo, so drop in to whichever one’s closest to you.
3. Assort
Luckily, no matter what their name says, most Japanese salons do both hair and makeup. If you want a place that gives the full-on salon service, Assort in Aoyama is a standout. Assort lands more in the middle-price range with its cheapest haircut at 6,000 yen, but you get top-quality service in return. As a bonus, people say it’s ‘Tokyo’s #1 English-friendly Hair Salon’, and 90 percent of its clientele are foreigners, ranging from expats to tourists.
4. Hayato Tokyo
Another place that touts its foreigner-friendliness is Hayato Salons. All stylists are highly-skilled and bilingual, with 2+ years of training in New York. This is the place to get the royal treatment without the royal price tag. The lowest price for a haircut is only 5,000 yen, complete with Shiatsu massage during shampoo and treatment. Men’s styling goes from 2,000 yen and up.
5. Afrodita (Yokohama)
Okay, so not quite in Tokyo, but if you live in the Yokohama ballpark (just south of Tokyo), this is another solid option. Around 30% of their clients are expats, and the stylists know how to cut non-Japanese hair (their words, not ours). Along with a good range of hair services, they also offer nail and waxing. Giving customers “‘elite’ Tokyo results at Yokohama prices,” women’s haircuts are 5,000 yen and up, and men’s start from 3,500 yen.
6. atelier haruka
If all you need is a quick hairstyling or a makeover, atelier haruka is a popular salon specializing in just that for a great value. Customers can get a “down style” in 10 minutes (1,800 yen) or an updo in 20 minutes (2,800 yen), and makeup services are offered in a similar deal. Locations include all the convenient spots like Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Ikebukuro. A few do offer services like hair cuts, nails, or kimono fittings. It helps to have some Japanese language skill, though photographs go a long way if you’re lacking in that department.
7. Ai nomura – English speaking expert stylist
Last but certainly not least, Tokyo born, ex-London stylist and friend of Tokyo Cheapo Ai Nomura is a high quality and highly affordable option, plus she’s a fluent English speaker! Both women’s and men’s cuts for around 3500, a discount off if you use the booking link in the article we wrote about Ai.
And with that, here’s to a fabulous new you (and year)!
Since you’re already looking into salons here, check out our article on how to get free haircuts in Tokyo.
