How to Book Your First Tokyo Salon Visit: A 5-Minute Guide

Booking a salon in a foreign country can feel daunting — but on Japan Salon Booking, it takes about five minutes end to end. Here's exactly how to do it, with the pitfalls our concierge team sees most often.

Step 1 — Filter for what matters

Use the area filter (e.g. Ginza, Shibuya) plus the "English OK" badge.

Step 2 — Pick the stylist, not just the salon

In Japan, results vary more by stylist than by salon. Open the salon page and scroll through each stylist's portfolio. Look for at least one photo close to your goal.

Step 3 — Choose date and time

All times are Japan Standard Time (UTC+9). If your flight lands in the morning, leave at least three hours before your appointment to clear immigration.

Step 4 — Confirm and pay

Payment is by credit card only (Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, JCB), processed online by Stripe. Payment at the salon is not available. If your visit is 7 days or less away when you send the request, we place an authorization hold on your card and charge it when a salon accepts. For visits further ahead, pay through the payment link we email you after a salon accepts, no later than 72 hours before your visit, or the booking is cancelled automatically.

Step 5 — Arrive 10 minutes early

Japanese salons begin exactly on time. Arriving 10 minutes early gives you time to fill out a brief style sheet and discuss the reference photo.