Spa & Beauty Salon Guide

Getting pampered in Japan - what to expect and how to prepare.

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Hair Salons

Before You Go

  • Bring photos of the style you want - essential for communication
  • Learn basic hair terms (see phrases below)
  • Expect 2-3x longer than Western salons (they're thorough!)
  • Reservations are strongly recommended

Useful Phrases

Cut onlyă‚«ăƒƒăƒˆăźăż (Katto nomi)
A little shorter民し短く (Sukoshi mijikaku)
Same lengthé•·ă•ăŻăăźăŸăŸ (Nagasa wa sonomama)
Don't cut too muchă‚ăŸă‚Šćˆ‡ă‚‰ăȘいで (Amari kiranaide)

Tip: Chain salons like QB House („1,200, 10 min) are foreigner-friendly with picture menus!

đŸ’†â€â™‚ïž

Massage

Types of Massage

敎䜓 (Seitai)

Chiropractic-style body adjustment

æŒ‡ćœ§ (Shiatsu)

Pressure point massage

è¶łă€ăŒ (Ashitsubo)

Foot reflexology

ăƒȘăƒ©ă‚Żă‚ŒăƒŒă‚·ăƒ§ăƒł

Relaxation massage (gentler)

Communication

Stronger pleaseă‚‚ăŁăšćŒ·ă (Motto tsuyoku)
Lighter pleaseă‚‚ăŁăšćŒ±ă (Motto yowaku)
It hurts痛いです (Itai desu)
That feels goodæ°—æŒăĄă„ă„ (Kimochi ii)

Warning: Avoid places with "pink" lighting or suspicious names. These may be adult establishments.

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Day Spas

Super Sento are large bathing facilities with multiple pools, saunas, and relaxation areas. Great for a full spa day!

What's Included

  • Multiple baths (hot, cold, jet, outdoor)
  • Sauna and steam rooms
  • Relaxation areas with manga
  • Restaurant and snacks
  • Some have rock salt rooms, sleeping pods

Recommended: Oedo Onsen, LaQua (Tokyo), Solaniwa Onsen (Osaka) - all foreigner-friendly!

Price: Usually „1,000-3,000 for basic entry. Weekend/evening may cost more.

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Nail Salons

Japanese nail art is world-famous for intricate designs. Services take longer but results are stunning!

Service Types

Gel nailsă‚žă‚§ăƒ«ăƒă‚€ăƒ«
Nail artăƒă‚€ăƒ«ă‚ąăƒŒăƒˆ
Removală‚Șフ (Ofu)
Care onlyケスたみ

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

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