The Unspoken Rules of Tokyo Hair Salons: Even if Your Scalp Itches, Don’t Say a Word

Text and photos / Urban Life Research Project, excerpted from *Don’t Be Silly, This Is the Real Tokyo*, published by Far East Culture Publishing
Translator / Hsu Yu-wen

Unspoken Rule 15
[When asked at the salon“Does it itch anywhere?”Even if it really does, respond without hesitation“No.”.]

When getting your hair washed at a salon in Tokyo, you’ll inevitably be asked, “Does it itch anywhere?”

At that moment, even if you really want to say, “A bit to the right, just a little more to the right—there’s an itch on the right,” you mustfirmly reply “No,”as that’s what being a true Tokyoite is all about.

After all, it’s difficult to specify exactly where it itches, and even if you say, “It itches five centimeters to the right, in the direction of nine o’clock from where your left hand is,” you’ll only be making things difficult for the stylist. Honestly, we’re not entirely sure why, but many Tokyoites respond this way. Perhaps they’re afraid that if they mention an itchy spot, they’ll be thought of as “someone who doesn’t wash their hair every day”? Tokyo is a place where you’re “expected to look stylish at all times (supposedly), and that means no lapses—not even for a second—in front of thestylist either!

For those new to Tokyo, going to a salon can be quite nerve-wracking. Not only are there so many salons to choose from in Tokyo, but just the word “Tokyo” (especially when it comes to salons in Aoyama or Omotesando) can make it feel like a high-barrier experience. However, salons are inherently one of the most typical service industries and are usually designed to be relaxing spaces—so it’s okay to feel at ease. By the way, people from the Kansai region apparently have no problem clearly pointing out exactly where it itches!

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