20 Japanese Phrases You'll Actually Use at a Tokyo Salon

Most Tokyo salons on Japan Salon Booking speak at least some English, but a handful of phrases unlock much better results — because they map directly onto the vocabulary stylists already use with Japanese clients.

For the cut

• "Ato 2cm onegai shimasu" — Take off another 2cm, please.
• "Suite kudasai" — Please thin it out.
• "Maegami wa karuku" — Keep the bangs light.
• "Mae kara mita kanji wo daiji ni" — Prioritize how it looks from the front.

For coloring

• "Akami wo osaete" — Reduce the red undertones.
• "Ki-iro mi nashi de" — Without yellow tones.
• "Damage ga kowai node yasashii yatsu de" — I'm worried about damage, please use a gentle one.

For care and finishing

• "Tsuya wo dashite" — Add shine.
• "Karuku shiagete kudasai" — Finish it light (less product).
• "Joushitsu na shampoo wo oshiete" — Can you recommend a high-quality shampoo?

The single most useful phrase is "Ima no nagasa de chōsei" — adjust within the current length. It stops over-cutting. — Yuki, senior stylist, Aoyama