I visited my first Japanese barbers today and was again astounded by the differences between what is normal in Australia and what is normal here. The only similarity between this barber and the barbers I have been to in Australia was the red, white and blue pole out the front of the shop.
The tinted dark windows and profusion of black marble on the exterior of the shop should have been an indication however the first thing that really caught my attention was when I entered the reception area, looked across the shop floor, and felt like I was in a cigar bar.
The shop was all wood paneling, black marble, black leather chairs and acid etched glass. The waiting area was fitted out in those large club style couches that it’s very easy to get lost in - huge - more than a herd of cows needed for each couch. The actual shop was mainly subdued lighting with a series of spot lights on the chairs and the mirrors with smoked glass dividers between each work station. The barber’s chairs were full grain leather, fully electric and included a great massage function that they ran for the entire 30 minutes it took for the haircut.
While sitting and waiting the only "weird" thing (maybe I've already been here to long) of the visit happened. That was watching an old guy, who obviously goes in there every day to have his shave and facial, being laid out flat on one of those amazing barbers chairs, having hot towels applied to his face, shaving lather applied to face (his whole face) and then a shave with a straight razor. The barber working on the old guy started by shaving his chin and then proceeded to shave his forehead and between his eyes.
When it was my turn I was escorted to the massaging (did I mention that the chairs massaged you?) barber’s chair had myself wrapped in three towels and two smocks, then had water misted on my head and a warm towel wrapped around my head followed by a head massage. From there the haircut preceded pretty normally until they finished with another 5 minute head massage to help me face the outside world and then escorted me up onto the street and waved me goodbye.
The cost for all this – about 35 Australian dollars.
The tinted dark windows and profusion of black marble on the exterior of the shop should have been an indication however the first thing that really caught my attention was when I entered the reception area, looked across the shop floor, and felt like I was in a cigar bar.
The shop was all wood paneling, black marble, black leather chairs and acid etched glass. The waiting area was fitted out in those large club style couches that it’s very easy to get lost in - huge - more than a herd of cows needed for each couch. The actual shop was mainly subdued lighting with a series of spot lights on the chairs and the mirrors with smoked glass dividers between each work station. The barber’s chairs were full grain leather, fully electric and included a great massage function that they ran for the entire 30 minutes it took for the haircut.
While sitting and waiting the only "weird" thing (maybe I've already been here to long) of the visit happened. That was watching an old guy, who obviously goes in there every day to have his shave and facial, being laid out flat on one of those amazing barbers chairs, having hot towels applied to his face, shaving lather applied to face (his whole face) and then a shave with a straight razor. The barber working on the old guy started by shaving his chin and then proceeded to shave his forehead and between his eyes.
When it was my turn I was escorted to the massaging (did I mention that the chairs massaged you?) barber’s chair had myself wrapped in three towels and two smocks, then had water misted on my head and a warm towel wrapped around my head followed by a head massage. From there the haircut preceded pretty normally until they finished with another 5 minute head massage to help me face the outside world and then escorted me up onto the street and waved me goodbye.
The cost for all this – about 35 Australian dollars.
8:48 PM |
Category:
Living in Japan
|
0
comments
Comments (0)