Getting a haircut in Tokyo: a newcomer's guide
You don't need much Japanese to leave a Tokyo chair happy. Here's the difference between a barbershop and a salon, how the 10-minute cut chains work, how to book online, and a few phrases (plus a photo) to get exactly what you want.
Few everyday errands feel as nerve-wracking in a new country as getting your hair cut. You can't easily point at a menu, and a haircut is hard to undo. The good news: Tokyo is full of options, the standard of work is high, and you can walk out happy with almost no Japanese — especially if you bring a photo. Here's how the system works and how to ask for what you want.
Barbershop or salon?
Japan splits hair into two licensed trades, and knowing which is which helps you pick the right shop:
- Barbershop (理容室 / 床屋, riyoshitsu / tokoya): licensed to shave you with a straight razor, so you can get a proper neck and face shave. Traditionally strong on shorter, neat men's cuts — fades, tapers, classic styles.
- Hair salon (美容室 / 美容院, biyoshitsu / biyoin): the place for cut, colour, perm, and styling. By law a salon generally cannot give a full razor shave, though many will do light neck cleanup. Best for longer styles, colour, and treatments.
- Quick-cut chains (e.g. QB House): cut-only specialists built for speed — roughly 10 minutes, no appointment, no shampoo, no shave. Great for a fast trim between the two categories above.
- Foreigner-friendly salons: many Tokyo salons have English-speaking or overseas-trained stylists. They cost more but take the language stress out of a big change.
The quick-cut chains (QB House and friends)
QB House pioneered the cut-only express salon. There's no booking — you check the wait, buy a ticket from the vending machine by the door, and wait your turn. The menu is literally one item: a haircut. Per the official guide, shampoo, shaving, and blow-dry are not offered, and the cut takes around 10 minutes (that's an estimate, not a hard limit). The standard cut price is 1,400 yen (tax included) as of 1 February 2025; check the official site for the current price.
Booking a salon online
For a full salon, the standard tool is Hot Pepper Beauty (ホットペッパービューティー), Japan's largest salon search-and-booking site and app. You can browse salons, photos, reviews and coupons, and reserve online 24 hours a day — no phone call needed, which is a relief if your Japanese is shaky. Filter for your area and station, and look for salons that mention English. Tipping is not customary in Japan, so the listed price is what you pay.
How to get the cut you want
- Bring photos — the single best trick. Two or three pictures of the result you want (front, side, back) beat any sentence. Save them before you go.
- Show, then say. Point at the photo and add a phrase: 'Kono kanji de onegai shimasu' (like this, please).
- Length: 'mijikaku' = shorter, 'sukoshi dake' = just a little. To keep the length and only tidy up: 'nagasa wa kaezu, soroete kudasai.'
- On the sides/back: 'karuku' = lightly. For clippered short sides and back (a fade or undercut), the word is 'kariage' — or just point at the photo to show the sides. For 'don't take off too much,' say 'amari kiranaide kudasai.'
- Translation apps work fine here — typing or showing a translated sentence is completely normal and welcome.
What to expect in the chair
At a full salon, expect a thorough experience: a counselling chat (or pointing), a shampoo at a reclining basin, often a relaxing head or shoulder massage, the cut and style, and a neck tidy-up. Many places offer tea. At a barbershop you'll typically also get a hot-towel face and neck shave. At a quick-cut chain it's just the cut and a vacuum to whisk away loose hair. No tipping, anywhere.
- Do I need to speak Japanese?
- No. A photo of the style you want plus a few words goes a long way, and translation apps are normal. For big colour or perm changes, an English-speaking salon (searchable on Hot Pepper Beauty) takes the pressure off.
- Do I tip?
- No. Tipping is not customary at hair salons or barbershops in Japan. The price you see is the price you pay.
- Can a salon shave my face or neck?
- By law, full straight-razor shaving is a barbershop service. Salons can do light neck cleanup but generally not a full face shave — go to a 床屋 (barbershop) if a real shave is what you want.
- QB House — how to use (official, Japanese): vending-machine ticket, cut-only, what's not offered (opens in a new tab)
- QB House — FAQ (official): payment and IC-card acceptance by store (opens in a new tab)
- Hot Pepper Beauty (official): search and book salons across Japan (opens in a new tab)
- The Japan Times — Japan's barbers (feature): the razor-shave distinction explained (opens in a new tab)
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