The ¥1000 Haircut in Japan - Cheap, Quick, and Worth It?
If you're living in Japan, eventually you'll need to get a haircut. But visiting a hair salon or barbershop can be an intimidating experience when you aren't in your home country.
Japanese hair types and hairstyles might be very different from those in your home country, so you may be worried about whether a hair stylist or barber in Japan will know how to cut and style your hair in a way that suits you.
And then there's the cost. If you have to spend 5000 yen on a haircut, only for it to come out not looking how you wanted it, it can ruin your whole day.
While some of these worries are harder to deal with than others, the cost factor is one that you don't need to worry about if you go to one of the many 1000 yen barbershops found all over Japan, with hundreds of locations in Tokyo alone. These chain barbershops provide fast and cheap haircuts that may be a great option for you if you're looking for a no-frills cut in Japan.
So, What is the 1000 Yen Cut Anyway?
In Japan, haircuts at hair salons or barbershops are often pricey. A haircut at a Tokyo beauty salon can easily set you back 5000 yen for just the cut, not even including shampoo. Even barber shops, which tend to be a bit cheaper than hair salons, can run you around 4000 yen for a cut and shampoo. While some people love getting pampered and shampooed before getting their hair cut, others don't have the time, patience, or money for that kind of treatment.
1000 yen haircut barbershops exist for the people in that second group, who don't need anything more than a quick, cheap haircut. While at many hair salons and barbershops, a "cut" includes shampooing, blow drying, and styling your hair (and sometimes even a head massage) a 1000 yen cut is just that: a cut.
At these barbershops, you go in, pay by buying a ticket, sit down once a chair is available, get your hair cut in only a few minutes, then head home. The barber will vacuum up all the hair they cut, wipe down the chair, and then invite the next person in line to sit down. It's fast, efficient, and cheap.
The Good and the Bad About the 1000 Yen Haircut
There are a lot of positives about 1000 yen barbershops, but there are also a few downsides worth knowing. Let's take a look at these pros and cons.
・Haircuts are Very Fast
If you go to a barbershop or beauty salon, you're looking at spending at least thirty minutes to an hour or more there. A 1000 yen barbershop will have you in and out in at most twenty minutes, with many of these shops advertising being able to cut your hair in only ten minutes.
If the particular barbershop is busy or only has a few chairs, your wait time may add to that ten-to-twenty-minute time, so keep that in mind if you are trying to fit in a quick haircut during your lunch break or are otherwise pressed for time.
・The Barbers are Good at Cutting Hair
If you tend to be of the mindset that cheap services equal low-quality results, you'll probably be a little concerned about how these barbershops can be so cheap. Maybe they only hire inexperienced barbers, or the barbers who work at these locations must not be good enough to work at a hair salon. After all, for around 1000 yen, there's no way you can get a good haircut, right?
However, the people working at these 1000 yen barbershops are trained professionals, the same as anywhere else, and specialize in cutting hair. Because that's all they do every day, they have hours upon hours of experience cutting all kinds of hair and hairstyles.
Of course, each barber is different and there are always going to be varying skill levels, but there is a good chance you'll be paired with one who knows what he or she is doing and will be able to give you the exact cut that you were hoping for.
・There is No Time for Small Talk
At regular hair salons and barbershops, you'll often find yourself talking to your stylist or barber since it takes time for them to cut and style your hair. But at these 1000 yen barbershops, where you'll only be spending ten to twenty minutes getting your hair cut, there really isn't time for that kind of chit-chat.
If you enjoy talking to your barber or stylist, then this might be a reason not to go to a 1000 yen barbershop. But if small talk makes you uncomfortable or you can't speak Japanese, this can be a huge relief.
・Most Shops Don't Take Reservations
Don't expect to be able to make a reservation at a 1000 yen barbershop, since most don't have any kind of reservation system. Usually, the barbershop will have a ticket vending machine at the entrance where you pay for your cut and receive a ticket. Then you simply hand over the ticket to the barber, and they'll start cutting your hair.
This means that you might need to wait before you get your hair cut, and if that particular barbershop has a line of people waiting, you might have to wait for a while. So it's best to go to a 1000 yen barbershop when your schedule is flexible and you don't have to worry about being late for whatever you have planned after getting a haircut.
・You May Not be Able to Pick Your Barber
You may have, after a few visits to these barbershops, finally found one barber who always cuts your hair perfectly. But even if you find the perfect barber for you, depending on the barbershop, there's a good chance you will not be able to have that person cut your hair every time you go. Since most 1000 yen barbershops work on a first-come, first-served basis, you will probably have your hair cut by whichever barber is available first, not the one that you'd like to choose.
・It's Best not to use Gel or Styling Products in Your Hair Before You Go
1,000 yen haircut barbershops only do cuts, so they usually do not have any kind of shampoo option. That means that if you visit one and your hair is full of styling products, the barbers may not be able to cut your hair.
・1000 Yen Barbershops No Longer Cost 1000 Yen
With rising prices affecting Japan, most of these 1000 yen barbershops no longer cost 1000 yen. Still, their prices are much more reasonable than other options.
Comparing Popular 1,000 Yen Haircut Chains
While prices are no longer exactly 1,000 yen, several major chains offer quick, affordable cuts with slightly different features. Here are a few of the most common options you might encounter:
・QB House
QB House is the most famous chain, with locations across Japan and even overseas. It pioneered the "10-minute haircut" concept and uses a ticket vending machine system for payment. Many locations also have real-time wait-time displays both in-store and online. Currently, haircuts here cost ¥1,400 (tax included).
・Cut Factory
Cut Factory offers haircuts for ¥1,300 (tax included) and includes a "self-blow" area for styling your hair before leaving. Stores are often located in suburban shopping malls and supermarkets.
・Avanti
At Avanti, which is mostly found in Tokyo, you'll find a slightly more relaxed atmosphere compared to the busier chains. Standard haircuts are ¥1,300 (tax included), and there's also a fringe-trim option for around ¥600.
Useful Phrases to Know
If you don't speak much Japanese, having a few key phrases ready can make the process smoother. You can also bring a translate app and an example photo to help with communicating the look you want.
短くしてください。 (Mijikaku shite kudasai) - Please cut it shorter.
同じ長さにしてください。 (Onaji nagasa ni shite kudasai) - Please keep the same length.
毛量を減らしてください。 (Keiryō o herashite kudasai) - Please thin out my hair.
この写真のようにしてください。 (Kono shashin no yō ni shite kudasai) - Please make it like this photo.
横は薄くしてください。 (Yoko wa usuku shite kudasai) - Please thin the sides.
耳にかからない長さにしてください。 (Mimi ni kakaranai nagasa ni shite kudasai) - Please make it short enough not to touch my ears.
後ろは短めにしてください。 (Ushiro wa mijikame ni shite kudasai) - Please make the back shorter.
前髪だけお願いします。 (Maegami dake onegai shimasu) - Just the bangs, please.
前髪は目にかからないようにしてください。 (Maegami wa me ni kakaranai yō ni shite kudasai) - Please cut the bangs so they don't touch my eyes.
Should You Get a 1000 Yen Cut?
The answer to this depends on what you are looking for when it comes to getting a haircut.
If you enjoy the hair salon or barbershop experience and want to be pampered while getting your hair cut, it might be better to go somewhere else for your cut, even if it is more expensive. 1000 yen barbershops don't offer coloring or more complicated styling, so if you want to dye your hair or get a perm, you'll need to look elsewhere.
But if all you want is a fast, cheap, no-frills haircut, then a 1000 yen haircut could be a great option for you.
