If you’re planning on getting a haircut in Japan, here are some useful Japanese words and phrases for a smooth visit to the salon. Nowadays, especially with the tourism boom, it’s becoming increasingly common for tourists to check out Japanese hair salons.
While some have English-speaking stylists, the vast majority of salons in Japan (especially in more rural parts) don’t. So, if you’ve got a hair appointment in the near future, here’s a short guide on haircut and hair salon-related vocabulary for your very first visit.
Japanese Hair Salon Vocabulary
Notice that most of the terms for visiting Japanese hair salons are written in katakana (Japanese writing system used for foreign words). The terms below are some of the most basic vocabulary that should help you get started during your consultation with the hairstylist.
| Japanese | English | Romaji |
| 美容院 | Hair salon | Biyouin |
| 美容師 | Hair stylist | Biyoushi |
| 床屋 | Barbershop | Tokoya |
| 理容師 | Barber | Riyoushi |
| カット | Haircut | Katto |
| トリミング | Trim | Torimingu |
| レイヤー | Layer | Reiya |
| シャンプー | Shampoo | Shampoo |
| ヘアカラー | Color | Heakara |
| ハイライト | Highlights | Hairaito |
| パーマ | Perm | Paama |
| ストレイトパーマ | Straightening treatment | Sutoreito paama |
| トリートメント | Conditioning treatment | Toritomento |
| ブロー /ドライ | Blow out/Blow dry | Buroo/Buroo dorai |
Hair types and Haircuts in Japanese
Not sure what kind of haircut to get? Here are a few common hairstyles you can try. Getting a haircut in Japan (while pricey) is an experience you should try at least once.
| Japanese | English | Romaji |
| ボブ | Bob cut | Bobu |
| レイヤーカット | Layered cut | Reiyaa katto |
| ピクシーカット | Pixie cut | Pikushii katto |
| アンダーカット | Undercut | Andaa katto |
| シャグカット | Shag cut | Shagu katto |
| 前髪 | Bangs | Front bangs |
| 斜め前髪 | Side-swept bangs | Naname maegami |
| クルーカット | Crew cut | Kuruu katto |
| ロングレイヤー | Long layers | Rongu reiyaa |
| フェードカット | Fade cut | Feedo katto |
| ウルフカット | Wolf cut | Urufu katto |
| 姫カット | Hime cut | Hime katto |
Ways to Describe Hair
Do you have thick hair, or do you want to go blonde? These are some ways you can describe your hair to your hairstylist.
| Japanese | English | Romaji |
| 髪質 | Hair type | Kamishitsu |
| 髪の量が多いです。 | Thick hair | Kami no ryou ga ooi |
| 髪の量が少ないです。 | Thin hair | Kami no ryou ga sukunai desu |
| 長い | Long | Nagai |
| 短い | Short | Migikai |
| 明るい | Bright | Akarui |
| 暗い | Dark | Kurai |
| 金髪 | Blonde hair | Kinpatsu |
| 赤毛 | Red hair | Akage |
| 茶髪 | Brown | Chapatsu |
| 黒髪 | Black hair | Kurogami |
Useful Phrases for Japanese Hair Salons
Lastly, here are some of the most common phrases you’ll need to remember, from asking how long it’ll take to how to pay for your haircut. When in doubt, just bring a photo of the haircut you want your stylist to copy and it’ll take away most of the guesswork.
| Japanese | English | Romaji |
| 時間はどれぐらいかかりますか？ | How long will it take? | Jikan wa dore gurai kakarimasu ka |
| 私にとっておすすめのカットはありますか？ | Do you have any haircut recommendations for me? | Watashi ni totte osusume no katto wa arimasu ka |
| この写真のようにしたいです/このスタイルにしてほしいです。 | Please cut my hair like (show photo) | Kono shashin no youni shitai desu. |
| もう少し短くしてください。 | Please cut it a bit shorter. | Mou sukoshi mijikaku shite kudasai. |
| 次回の予約を取りたいです | I want to make a reservation for next time | Jikai no yoyaku wo toritai desu |
| クレジットカードは使えますか | Can I pay by credit card? | Kurejitto kado ha tsukaemasu ka |
Do you have any other tips or useful vocabulary for getting a haircut in Japan? Let us know in the comments!
This article was originally written by Matthew Coslett.
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How about adding:
Please cut 3 cm off the top and sides?
Can you shave my neck as well?
Can you cut around my ears?