Why I Focus on International Clients

I started my career in Japan, doing what most Japanese stylists do: excellent work on Japanese hair. But I noticed that when international clients came in — with Southeast Asian hair, South Asian hair, European hair, or mixed heritage hair — the results were inconsistent. Not because of effort. Because Japanese training is calibrated almost entirely for Japanese hair.

I decided to go work in Singapore. That’s where everything changed.

The Singapore Years

Working in Singapore meant working with the full range: Chinese, Malay, Indian, expat European, expat American, mixed heritage. Every client was a different challenge. For the first few months, it was difficult. By the end, it was just my work.

I learned things you can’t learn in Tokyo. That thick Chinese hair processes faster than it looks like it should. That Malay hair has a wave pattern that needs a different iron approach than Indian hair. That fine European hair with 18 months of bleach history needs a completely different protocol than anything I’d been trained for. That “Southeast Asian hair” isn’t one thing — it’s dozens of things.

I came back to Tokyo with the intention of applying that experience specifically to international clients. That’s what I’ve been doing since.

What I Do

My Salons

My Philosophy

I require a photo consultation before every booking. This isn’t a formality — it’s how I avoid producing results I’m not proud of. The photo tells me your hair type, condition, and chemical history. That tells me whether the treatment you want is appropriate, what formula I’d use, and what result you can realistically expect.

If I don’t think I’m the right person for your hair, I’ll tell you. If I think what you’re asking for isn’t achievable safely, I’ll tell you that too. I’d rather lose a booking than produce a result I’m not satisfied with.

This is what 23 years of professional work looks like. It’s not about the number of years — it’s about knowing what you’re doing and being honest about it.

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