Tokyo Hairdressers
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56)
Tue 2007/01/23 10:18
You may need to view the larger version of this picture to notice two people in a hair salon with a white cloth covering their face.
These people are not dead but in fact in the process of getting their hair washed. When I first came to Japan, I found it ever so interesting that your face is covered with a cloth when you get your hair washed. When your hair is being washed, the face of the person washing you comes within very close proximity to your face. The Japanese in general are still a shy folk and the cloth prevents one from getting embarrassed from the close encounter. I always burst out laughing when the cloth is placed over my face and take it off ^^
You will also notice that the lower half of the body is also covered. This is to hide the exposure of mens packed lunch or womens skirts.
Another example of how shy the Japanese can be is the chime button in womens toilets. Some women get embarrassed about the noise of pee splashing in the toilet – a press of the chime button near the toilet emits a jingle loud enough to disguise the noise of the natural waterfall.
What would be cool is a button that makes an exploding noise that you can press every time you are just about to let loose a clump of poo… I wouldn’t be surprised if they already existed though…
These people are not dead but in fact in the process of getting their hair washed. When I first came to Japan, I found it ever so interesting that your face is covered with a cloth when you get your hair washed. When your hair is being washed, the face of the person washing you comes within very close proximity to your face. The Japanese in general are still a shy folk and the cloth prevents one from getting embarrassed from the close encounter. I always burst out laughing when the cloth is placed over my face and take it off ^^
You will also notice that the lower half of the body is also covered. This is to hide the exposure of mens packed lunch or womens skirts.
Another example of how shy the Japanese can be is the chime button in womens toilets. Some women get embarrassed about the noise of pee splashing in the toilet – a press of the chime button near the toilet emits a jingle loud enough to disguise the noise of the natural waterfall.
What would be cool is a button that makes an exploding noise that you can press every time you are just about to let loose a clump of poo… I wouldn’t be surprised if they already existed though…
When I first came to Japan, I was shocked to see people wearing surgical masks in public...(more)
Fri 01/12 21:24 comments (73)
marvin (Registered on 2006/12/24 23:42)
lol. I always thought the towel cover was to protect the customer from accidental droplets of saliva. :p~ oh well. thanks for the enightening post Danny. ^^ btw nice feature on the otavids, a very innovative idea. ^^
(ID #43315) Posted on 2007/01/23 11:45
Policy & Research Officer
ah .. i recently watched a show that introduced this japanese culture, and it was so hilarious because its like covering your face means you are dead in chinese culturee
(ID #43316) Posted on 2007/01/23 11:54
Web Developer/ウェブデベロッパー, Photographer/写真や
Japan's sure a country with creative ideas indeed :) Don't they have a one-piece dress (covers from your neck to your legs) or something like that to for the customers?
(ID #43317) Posted on 2007/01/23 11:54
lol useful? how embarassing is it?
(ID #43318) Posted on 2007/01/23 12:35
LOL. It may be funny, but this just proves that Japanese take concrete steps to solve problems that many people worldwide face but shrug off. Sometimes, the results are awesome.
(ID #43319) Posted on 2007/01/23 12:47
"What would be cool is a button that makes an exploding noise that you can press every time you are just about to let loose a clump of poo" Danny what are you thinking about most of the time... sometimes i wonder. >_>;
(ID #43320) Posted on 2007/01/23 12:53
Hrm, I think I'd get just as embarrassed pressing the chime thing anyways...
(ID #43321) Posted on 2007/01/23 12:55
I think that Japanese culture is very interesting... It's a correct way to approach other people. Much better than european way of life...
(ID #43322) Posted on 2007/01/23 12:55
Hondo in Montreal, Canada
But wouldn't pressing the button let everyone know that you just pee'd? Shouldn't it be something that could be more hidden like a cell phone ring?
(ID #43323) Posted on 2007/01/23 13:32
Bizarre - nobody here in the UK would really be bothered bythe close poximity thing, and most men here just ge their hair cut, not washed as well (Seems more of a girl thing). As for a device to mask the sounds of having a poo, that's a good idea - you could have varying explosions depending on the size of the load you're trying to mask!
(ID #43324) Posted on 2007/01/23 14:35
Film Student
I suppose this goes to show how dedicate they are to almost every single detail. Waay awesome.
(ID #43325) Posted on 2007/01/23 15:16
Raafie in Rotterdam The Netherlands (Hol...
Haha Japanese are really weird.. But we allready knew that.. lol
(ID #43326) Posted on 2007/01/23 15:22
Professional Student
Does it really take that much effort to just close your eyes when they're washing your hair? I always thought it was so water didn't get in your face, but I'm honestly not surprised at all with the shyness reason....
(ID #43327) Posted on 2007/01/23 15:32
Shingen in UK
Was it just me, or do other people get their earlobes shaved at Tokyo hairdressers... ? Was a bit disconcerting!
(ID #43328) Posted on 2007/01/23 15:44
this is the reason i want to visit and, eventually, live in japan. its just such a weird and wonderful country.
(ID #43329) Posted on 2007/01/23 15:59
If the hair dresser is ugly, i suppose its useful for that.
(ID #43330) Posted on 2007/01/23 18:05
Gundam Fanatic
I dont think the proper way to address differences in culture like this is to call them wierd. lol Im sure that each of us in our different cultures does something or another thats just bizzare to the next. I want to visit Japan because I have always found the culture fascinating...that and I want to get loads of Gundam stuff :P
(ID #43331) Posted on 2007/01/23 18:07
Haha! I'd love the exploding noise for when i have a dump! Quite strange that - i can kinda understand though. I dont like peoples mugs in my face when im on a packed train. Good to see the lower cloth too - no panchira oppurtunities here! Do they always cut your hair lying down? Isnt it a bit more awkward than if youre sitting up?
(ID #43333) Posted on 2007/01/23 18:32
I love the Japanese culture. Although some customs are very unusual.
(ID #43334) Posted on 2007/01/23 18:33
NinjaPriestJazzDoctorPilotRobotZombieLuv
ohhh! One of the biggest things I miss about Japan is the barbers. I didn't experience the "cloth on the face while washing your hair" phenomenon, probably because I lived in the country-side and folks are less formal there. The whole experience is much different from what I can get in the US. After cutting my hair, my barber always shaved me with an old fashioned straight razor, which was really scary the first time, but really nice for getting a very smooth shave. They put a nice hot towel on your face and you sit back for a couple of minutes while your facial hair softens up. I was so surprised to see old guys snoring while getting shaved, but after a couple of times I was dozing off too. Then they clip your nose hairs, also scary. Finally they give you a nice shoulder, neck and scalp massage. Sometimes I could see into the other area where women were getting cut and see that young girls and grown women sometimes have the hair on their foreheads shaved.
(ID #43335) Posted on 2007/01/23 19:27
Student, working hard to become IT Professional.
Oh! I'm surprised! That was very funny! Having a cloth covered on your face was good! 1. Good when the hairdresser/customer is ugly 2. You won't have any problem when the hairdresser is a pretty woman. Oh my, I'm going to love those toilets XD.
(ID #43336) Posted on 2007/01/23 19:38
Interactive Media Design and Graphic Design
HAHAHAH Danny I'm just having an outburst of laughter. I want a col jingle in my bathroom too. That is great, I want one now. I might get one in my apartment lol know any place I can get one? AHAHAHAHHA
(ID #43338) Posted on 2007/01/23 20:35
Gordon Pekeur in south africa -cape town-
thats Kinda funny, I like the pee sfx disguising chime!! I have to agree with - Tsubaki and thor777 -
(ID #43339) Posted on 2007/01/23 20:52
ROFL! Thats soo funny xD But its perfectly understandable, i mean nobody will feel at all embarassed with a nice towel slapped on their face xD Personally i am definately for the no towel approach, simply because the hardresser i go to has nice women to wash your hair, so you get a nice view will having your hair washed, and if they made me wear a towel i would be most displeased =P But i suppose this is good if you are a shy person, ig uess everything has its uses.
(ID #43342) Posted on 2007/01/23 21:58
Link Cosplayer, Video Gamer, Amatuer Programmer, and Artist
Who's the geek in far left corner being reflected by the mirror as he's taking a picture? XP Anywayz, my hair is too short to be washed so I couldn't really care much. XD
(ID #43343) Posted on 2007/01/23 22:34
Pardon me for thinking of the ladies here, but I do have an issue with how they perform things in Japan vis-a-vis the gynecologist. The same rule applies as does with the barber. The gyno does his work behind a sheet and generally says NOTHING to the woman, even if it involves administering medicines. While this has been the norm in Japan for a while (along with the whole "Doctor Knows Best" and "Extreme Medical/Pharmaceutical Corruption" things), it can be very unnerving to women (or anyone in more general cases) who is used to the more common Western medicines where they tell you what is going on with you. If that sounds unnerving and you're in Japan, I'll have to recommend trying to get to a Western Medical University. They practice the more normal version there. Not so much cloak and dagger and shame business. And a lot less likely to give you 5 days of antibiotics that they know won't fix you, so you have to come back. Nice work, Japanese pill industry.
(ID #43344) Posted on 2007/01/23 22:41
Dávid in Europe
The same situation if you sit in your dentist's chair, except that at least my nurses are mostly very attractive ones, so I don't mind when they come close. And they are compassionate… ;-)
(ID #43345) Posted on 2007/01/23 23:10
...Or maybe they just want to muffle the screams of people who are surprised when getting water on the hair/face (I never like having my hair washed like that, myself). And about the chimes, I wonder what would happen if it was out of order... Haha, explosive sounds when pooing (Still I'm not sure that war veterans would approve about it)... Sarcasm is in my sense one of the best joys of life. Way to go. *Thumbs up*
(ID #43346) Posted on 2007/01/23 23:34
Troubleshooter, Universal Exports
Interesting... I've never had a haircut in Japan. I agree about the exploding noise. ^^
(ID #43348) Posted on 2007/01/24 00:22
XYZPDQ in Pennsylvania, USA
Well, I guess thats one cultural thing thats really different from Japan and the US. I gots no problem with it, but here people will just... lets say "let loose" and not care about what others think when they must do their business in a public restroom. Worse yet, a private one. (Faint of heart and embarasses sould STAY IN JAPAN xD)
(ID #43350) Posted on 2007/01/24 01:20
Student
when i take a haircut, i dont wash my hair there lol, too expensive D: @Danny - i think you should put a function in the login system where you can stayed logged in =) i dont like logging in everytime =0 just an idea =p
(ID #43353) Posted on 2007/01/24 04:27
.NET/Web Developer
They have a chime for that? I wonder what they'll think of next. heheh!
(ID #43354) Posted on 2007/01/24 05:56
Art-Type person
actually, I kinda like the idea of anonymity whilst having my hair done.
(ID #43355) Posted on 2007/01/24 06:00
even top secret agents need to have haircuts and what better way than already in disguise with a white cloth over ur face so no one would reckonise you
(ID #43358) Posted on 2007/01/24 07:11
omesius in Hawaii
My friend, she usually let the sink run when she's on the John.
(ID #43360) Posted on 2007/01/24 09:14
Director/代表取締役
Hachiko, You should be logged in permanently unless your browser is clearing your cookies for you. Give me more details and I will look into. What browser do you use?
(ID #43390) Posted on 2007/01/24 21:44
Fancy hairdresser, eh? Japanese people surely has every little thing sorted out.
(ID #43407) Posted on 2007/01/25 13:00
yuko in usa
I laughed so much when I read your posting about Tokyo Hairdressers. Hope you're just joking. They cover their customer's face to avoid any drop or splash of water hits his/her face. I talked to my best friend, who graduated from a hairdressers' school and currently working for a beauty salon. She laughed too. They put a blanket on the customer's legs for the same reason or to avoid coldness (AC in a hairsalon is very strong). I didn't mean to be rude if you aren't joking but simply trying to giving a report. But in that case, I thought I should correct it because it gives your viewers another wrong image of japan.
(ID #46469) Posted on 2007/04/12 12:52
Turtlegirl21 in U.S.
I wish they would cover my eyes sometimes. They always get soap really close, and then say sorry. LOL
(ID #46750) Posted on 2007/04/19 04:53
Annabelle
Actually, everyone I know turns on a tap when they go to the bathroom to disguise the pee noise. This is usually because we go in pairs or more to the bathroom though (c'mon, it's the only place girls can talk about other girls without them hearing), so one waits in the bathroom area and turns on the tap, the other one goes in the stall. But if you go to the bathroom by yourself, there's nobody to turn on a tap, and occasionally you hear another person come in, and NOW WHAT DO YOU DO!? You can't say "oh hello random person out there, would you mind turning on a tap so you don't have to listen to my pee noise? Thank you" This is why the chime noise is a brilliant idea.
(ID #64144) Posted on 2007/11/19 19:35
Hey I like that chime button thing you talk about... I'd like to Hack one of those and change the sound by the noise of someone straining or the fart machine... that would definitly be the funiest thing if we could frame their face.
(ID #66530) Posted on 2007/12/10 18:38
Part human, part student, 100% loser
Yea Danny, an exploding sound when you press the button would be cool...
(ID #69627) Posted on 2008/01/14 10:47
I guess a picture of the waxing is out of the question?
(ID #199509) Posted on 2008/05/29 08:15
I never know what to do when the person is washing my hair or cutting it while in front of me... they're really close and I don't know if I should close my eyes or not. It's not really embarrassing, just makes me wonder what people usually do in those situations.
(ID #199564) Posted on 2008/05/29 09:43
Mahjong Musume
This was a very informative post about the Japanese Culture, Danny. Once again, thanks for the very interesting information. I didn't know they made little jingle buttons for that bathroom.
(ID #199772) Posted on 2008/05/29 13:10
So the towel over the lap is to save face from embarrasing moments like...what? My money is on something regarding a tent and pitching it.
(ID #199797) Posted on 2008/05/29 13:43
Hey Danny, your comment about the chimes and explosion noises reminded me of this part from the TV show "Family Guy" (yeah I know it's not anime but it's still funny!) http://www.mediazine.net/view/family_guy_peter_covers_farts_by_coughing
(ID #199825) Posted on 2008/05/29 14:34
LOL I laughed like crazy after reading your suggestion about the exploding sound in the toilet. You are hilarious.
(ID #200041) Posted on 2008/05/29 23:30
Kinny Riddle (Registered on 2008/03/19 21:49)
LMAO at the idea of having an exploding sound when releasing a lump of poo. Doesn't that totally defeat the idea of concealing what you're doing inside? Wouldn't people outside easily guess whether you're doing a number 1 or number 2 just by the beeping or exploding noise?
(ID #200058) Posted on 2008/05/30 00:09
PhysicsMajor/Someting/Photo/Pharm Tech
I like the funny idea of an explosion when use the convenient place. "If you got something, have a big one," Redd Foxx says. Also here's a little funny phrase from a Japanese slang book, "あの子レストロタンですげ爆音うんこするからみんな食べるのやめちゃったじゃないよ！” "At the restaurant she took such a load dump everyone like stopped eating!"
(ID #200163) Posted on 2008/05/30 03:14
university student
haha mannnn this post made me laughed really hard anyways...when i went to japan i pressed the chime button because i wnated to flush the toilet so when the toilet didn't flush and music played i was like crap...how do i flush??? this happened in tokyo...and i really wanted to get out of there because there were only 3 stalls with A BIG LINE UP. I always found this funny but in Japan, esepcially in Tokyo (that's where I went), in the women's washrooms, there's always three diffrent types of toilets: 1. extremely advanced toilet 2. extremely advanced toilet with a baby table thing 3. a toilet which is just a hole I always found it weird that Tokyo has toilets that were just a hole...I seriously don't like going to the washroom that way haha
(ID #200180) Posted on 2008/05/30 03:50
LOL I have also seen a wc with jingle in a McDonald in Tokyo... very funny! Sorry for my bad english! Bye bye!
(ID #200198) Posted on 2008/05/30 04:31
My father had a haircut in our last trip to japan... she wanted to look like a japanese young man so he also bought one of those crazy hair styling gels :S... it was fun :P
(ID #200297) Posted on 2008/05/30 06:55
Wow.. very creative and very innovative..
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