Finding a good barber is only of slightly less importance than finding a good spouse, particularly for someone like me, whose hair does not grow long rather than piles atop itself until all above my forehead grows to resemble one of those tremendous cumulus clouds so common in Kumamoto in August, and it’s then that the poodles who live in my neighborhood begin to whisper to me obliquely, “Dude, you’re embarrassing us. Visit your barber.”
I found my barber shortly after arriving here. Though the shop has moved to more modern digs, the chairs remain as ancient as the artisans (they make me feel young, a talent increasingly difficult). They are efficient, skilled, and extremely thorough - after they shave the back of your neck, they will shave your ears, and then they’ll shave your neck again, just in case. They do not speak English, but haircuttery is pretty much an international language. And they are very cheap - 1,300 yen for their basic service, which is what I always go for. They are conveniently located in Suizenji, just off of Densha-dori. I asked permission this morning to write this post and warned that it might result in a flood of non-Japanese visiting their shop, and they welcomed it. After all, your hair is undoubtedly less complicated than mine. - William
