Andrew + Japan = Awesome

Since I hadn’t been working for the two weeks before I moved to Toyohashi, I hadn’t been styling my hair. When I got here and had to put product in it to go to work I realised that my hair was far too long, so a haircut was in order.

I asked Yoko (one of my new bosses) where I could get a haircut around here. She gave me a few options ranging from a 1000 yen cut right up to 6000 yen option. ($12-$70NZD) I decided to give the low price 1000 yen place a try, I figured if it was bad I can always go somewhere else next time.

So I followed her directions and found the hairdressers no problems. I went in and asked for a haircut expecting to make an appointment for later in the day. The girl behind the counter got me to write my name, and then ushered me over to the basins for a hair wash straight away.

The salon was set up like a production line. They had staff who worked solely on the basins, then there were staff cutting female hair, and staff cutting male hair. So I headed over to the basin and sat down. The lady was taking a long time, and then she strapped my head down in the basin, then the water started. It took me a while, but eventually I realised that the woman wasn’t washing my hair, a machine was.

She had lowered this half dome thing over my hair, like the bubbles that old ladys sit under to get perms. Around the dome were a whole lot of powerful jets which were raking my hair in varying patterns. After it was finished I had a closer look and shampoo was being fed directly into the water. It was like a car wash for my head.

So when that was over, I was sent to a grouchy looking old man who proceeded to cut my hair. No delicate scissor work here, this was electric razor through and through. He cut my hair quickly and without passion, not sure how someone like that ends up as a hairdresser. Maybe it was the fact that he can’t have been getting paid much more than $5NZD for doing my hair.

Altogether the whole experience took less than 15 minutes. I was literally in and out. I’m not entirely happy with my haircut, but it’ll grow out and look better, and for the price I can’t complain.