Rebecca H.
Yelp
I literally go to a hair salon once a year. Yes, I know the regular trim and hair treatment keep split ends away and yield healthy locks. But I'm stubborn, I know what I like, the end. Therefore, I'm extremely unadventurous in experimenting with both hairstyles and hair stylists. Basically, the constants in my life, things I will never change, are my husband, my primary care doctor, my hairstyle, and my hair stylist. (Enter Taichi!)
My appointment took place a few weeks into the reopening of hair salons, and Hayato met every safety measure to protect themselves and their customers. We were all spaced out, which is feasible for the spacious square footage they have. Plexiglass covered the front desk, everyone wore masks, and the salon felt clean and sanitized. High industrial ceilings, dark exposed brick walls, gothic mirrors and chandeliers all make for a unique and strangely calming vibe.
My default hairstyle is a trim followed by a digital perm (which uses heat). It takes a few hours and costs around $300-400 (incl. tip) and is absolutely worth it if it's done well. And here, it is done VERY well. Taichi is a meticulous artist when it comes to hair, and while he has his vision and process in mind, he asked for my input and my preferences to ensure that my own expectations were met. I'm ironically very trusting when I feel like I'm in good hands, so I relied a lot on his direction and opinions. Extremely polite and professional, he's gentle and efficient. In the end, I loved my perm! It gives me some volume, and using the right hair products, I find that it's always been easy to take care of.
(Heartbreaking alert: I JUST saw that Taichi will be returning to Tokyo. Cannot deal. But since my first experience at Hayato was so positive, I would definitely try the other stylists. We'll see - I have a whole year to decide)