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Japanese Hairdressing Shears and Thinning scissors are the best and more popular in America, but how do we know which are the best of the best?
Japanese shears are popular for their high-quality steel and unparalleled craftsmanship.
These scissors typically follow a modest and simplistic design, they dance between Offset and Traditional opposing ergonomics and use sharp convex edge blades.
In this article, we will present you with the best-reviewed, best value, best apprentice, and highest-rated hair cutting scissors.
Let's jump right into it!!
We have chosen these best 10 Japanese haircutting scissors based on America's top-selling pairs, reviews, customer ratings, scissor manufacturer history and reputation, and the best value for money.
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The #1 Choice
Yasaka Offset Hair Cutting Scissors
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Best Entry Level
Joewell SZ Hair Cutting Shears
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Best Barber Shear
Kamisori Sword Professional Haircutting Shear
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Best Value
Juntetsu Offset Hair Cutting Scissors
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Best Scissor Set
Ichiro Offset Cutting & Thinning Scissors Set
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Ichiro Black Cutting & Thinning Scissors Set |
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Mina Umi Hair Cutting Scissor |
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Joewell Premium Classic Shear |
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Ichiro Sakura Haircutting Shear |
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Yasaka Barber Shears |
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With so many choices available online, it's hard to know which Japanese scissor to buy. These scissors are either made in Japan, use Japanese materials or Japan-inspired designs.
Here are a few tips for buying hair scissors that suit your cutting style, ergonomics, and everything in between.
Even though we buy everything online, it's hard to know what size is fits best. Most professionals can cut hair with any size, but you still want to get the best fit.
If the finger rings are too big, you can use the rubber finger inserts to get the perfect fit.
If you have a pair of scissors or a ruler at home, you can follow these steps to find the right scissor size for you.
When in doubt, the 6" inch shear size is the most popular for men and women.
To find the right scissor size for you, follow these steps:
You can use any size as long as they fit for hairdressing. 5.5" inch and 6" haircutting scissors allow you to perform most hairdressing techniques.
The traditional 'over the comb' barbering techniques require a longer blade. The most common barber scissor size is 6.5" inch and 7" inch.
From salons to barbers, thin hair to thick hair, there is a pair of Japanese scissors perfect for every situation.
Here we break down the basic different types of common Japanese Haircutting scissor designs.
The short Japanese haircutting blades are perfect for any hairdressing techniques and situation. These provide precision and accuracy while cutting hair.
Short blade haircutting scissors are usually found on pairs sized between 4" inches and 5.5" inches. These shorter scissors easily fit into most small to medium-sized hands.
The Japanese long blade is perfect for most barbering techniques, including the most common Over The Comb Barbering method.
The longer blades are great for taking off larger chunks of hair. These also fit better with larger hands, but you can always use finger inserts to fit into larger finger rings.
Longer blades are found in haircutting Shears sized between 6.5" inches and 7.5" inches.
One of the most misunderstood aspects of scissors is their handles.
The Japanese understand a hard day's work, so they have created the best ergonomics for hairdressers and barbers.
The most common and popular hairdressing scissor handle is the Offset and semi-offset design.
Japanese offset scissors are ergonomically designed to fit comfortably in your hands even if you are cutting hair all day.
The bottom finger ring is slightly Offset from the top ring, making it appear lower.
Our hand shape isn't perfect, so we need to have the handles fit into our hands more naturally.
These are recommended for most hairdressing scissors.
The Japanese classic opposing handle design has been around for a long time and has a large number of diehard fans.
These fit into your hand fine, but they, unfortunately, put a light strain on your wrist, elbow, and shoulder that, unchecked for years, can cause permanent damage.
Recommended for hairdressers cutting for short periods of time.
The Japanese crane hairdressing scissor handles are one of the most ergonomically safe.
They are similar to the Offset handle with the bottom ring pushing further away from the top ring.
This fits even more comfortably into your hand and reduces strain on your wrist, elbow, and shoulder while cutting.
The goal of the Japanese Crane handle scissors is to create a naturally comfort grip that relaxes your muscles while cutting hair.
Highly recommended for anyone looking for scissors with a high level of ergonomics.
The Left-Handed, otherwise known as "Lefty", scissors are as they sound.
They feature Japanese ergonomic handle designs for left-handed hairdressers and barbers.
These lefty scissor handles are important to avoid permanent strain injuries for left-handed hairdressers and barbers.
If you are unsure of what type of hairdressing scissor to buy, then we have listed out the most commonly purchased types below:
We covered how to choose scissor sizes, Japanese scissor types, and handle types.
If you are unsure of which pair to choose, here is a list of the most common haircut Shears for hairdressers and barbers.
Yasaka Seiki creates high-quality, made in Japan, hairdressing and barber shears for North America. But what makes these the #1 best and most popular Japanese scissors?
Mixing premium quality and affordability. Most made in Japan hairdressing scissors cost $800 or more, with brands like Mizutani and Joewell reaching up to $2,000.
Yasaka maintains its high-quality products while keeping their prices consistently below $300-400.
For the Yasaka Offset Hair Cutting Shears, you will only have to pay $200. Easily the best made in Japan hairdressing shear available in the USA and North America in 2020-2022.
Now, on to the specifics!
These Yasaka Shears come in sizes between 4.5" inches and 6" inches.
They use a lightweight Japanese VG10 Cobalt steel that helps give the pair its ergonomic and well-balanced feel.
These shears use a clam-shaped convex edge blade with sharp and effortless cuts.
Yasaka Shears disrupts the hairdressing and barber market by releasing its incredibly affordable made in Japan scissors. They use premium Japanese steel, sharp convex edge blades, and comfortable ergonomics. Easily the #1 Best Selling Japanese Shear!
Joewell is one of Japan's most well-known scissor manufacturers. They bring another level of craftsmanship and design to hairdressing and barber shears.
Rather than using traditional designs, they focus on elegant simplicity, with even removing the tension screw on the top-side of the hairdressing scissor, so as to appear more elegant.
The Joewell SZ model is the most searched for Japanese scissors due to its simple design, high-quality materials, and affordable price that sits under $300.
They have a high level of confidence in these shears, so much so that they include a lifetime warranty on their products.
The Joewell SZ comes in the sizes: 5.25" inches and 5.75" inches and includes an ergonomic offset handle design.
If you are looking for a sharp convex edge Japanese hairdressing scissor with a lifetime warranty at an affordable price, then the Joewell SZ could be the right choice for you.
For design, quality, and affordability from a Japanese hairdressing scissor, these are the best choice available. The Jowell SZ features professional ergonomics, cutting blades, and modern design. Best entry-level Japanese scissors.
Kamisori is a world-famous hairdressing and barber shear brand that produces scissors in and outside of Japan with high-quality materials.
The Kamisori Sword Barber Shear is their flagship barbering scissor. Easily the most popular Japanese barbering shear that has a 3D Convex Edge Blade and a unique angled blade for the sharpest haircutting motions.
The Sword shears use lightweight premium 440C steel and an offset handle to create a well balanced and comfortable feel for professionals.
The Long blade is perfect for barbering Over The Comb haircutting techniques. The simplistic design, sharp convex edge blade, and offset ergonomics make these the most popular Japanese Barber shear in North America.
Kamisori is the hairdressing scissor and brand that always steals the show with its unique head-turning designs and high-quality craftsmanship. The sword features a unique 3D convex edge blade that is perfect for barbering professionals. If you have the money to spend, then this is the best Japanese barber shear for you.
Juntetsu, like Yasaka, creates simple hairdressing and barber shears with high-quality materials. Juntetsu disrupts the scissor market by making premium 440C and VG10 hair scissors more affordable for professionals.
Whenever you pick up a pair of Juntetsu and listen closely to it open and closing, you will understand the difference.
Silent gears and superior steel allows for professionals to cut effortlessly.
Juntetsu uses Japanese style offset ergonomics on most of their hairdressing scissors.
The haircutting shears use a sharp convex edge blade that is even more powerful due to its VG10 steel.
Easily the best value hairdressing scissors and most affordable VG10 pairs available in North America.
The Juntetsu offset hairdressing and barbering shears are the most affordable VG10 pair available on the market today. It replaces the "Bells and Whistles" that most scissors have with premium quality materials and sharp convex edge blades. Shockingly powerful and easily the best value pair!
The Ichiro Offset hairdressing cutting & thinning scissors are the best valued set for any professional or apprentice in the USA.
These scissors are made from high-quality Japanese 440C materials that give them extra sharp cutting and thinning edges.
The premium steel makes these lightweight and robust. Mixed with the offset handles, these are ergonomically designed to perform day-in-day-out for professionals.
The tension and tightness are maintained by the unique ball bearing screw. These are not usually used due to their high cost. These maintain tightness and do not wear out like normal washers and scissor screws.
The thinning scissors use sharp v-shaped teeth and a convex edge blade for high performing cut-away while thinning and texturizing.
The Japanese convex edge blade is also used on the cutting shears for sharp effortless cuts.
The Offset hair cutting set is the best value set that is almost always sold out and sits on a strong 5-star rating and review in the USA.The highest-rated, best quality, and most affordable hair cutting and thinning set on our list. Premium convex edge blades, high-performing ball bearing screws for tightness, and professional ergonomics from Ichiro. These are the Best Valued Scissor Set.
Following on from Ichiro's offset hairdressing scissors comes the slim-designed matte black cutting and thinning set.
These feature the same premium ball-bearing screws to maintain excellent tightness.
These are coated over thirty times with allergy-neutral coating to maintain a robust and strong color that is safe for handling.
The thinning and texturizing shear uses v-shaped teeth with a convex edge blade for 20-30% percent cut-away.
The haircutting shear has a convex edge blade for high precision cuts that cover the majority of hairdressing techniques.
The 440C Japanese steel makes these scissors lightweight, robust, and perfect for professionals.
If you are looking for matte black hair scissors that won't break the bank, this Ichiro set won't disappoint!
Ichiro's most popular colored hairdressing and barbering shear set. These feature premium 440C steel, convex edge blades, high-performing ball bearing screws for consistent tightness, and offset ergonomics that will keep you cutting comfortably for days.
There is a lot of hairdressing and barbering cutting shears available at an affordable price, but nothing beats the value of the Mina Umi scissors.
The Mina Umi uses the best stainless lightweight steel and offset ergonomics for a professional feel.
The sharp flat-edge cutting blade allows you to cut through hair effortlessly without any tugging or pulling.
These are the most affordable hair cutting shears that will keep performing for apprentices, professionals, or home hairdressing enthusiasts.
The Mina Umi haircutting scissors are the best-valued pair under $150! They feature professional ergonomics, stainless steel, and a cutting blade with excellent edges.
Looking for a top-quality hairdressing scissor? Look no further than the Joewell Classic series!
Featuring premium made-in-Japan steel and a classic opposing handle design, this scissor is perfect for professional hairdressers and barbers.
With over 100 years of experience in manufacturing hairdressing scissors, Joewell Japan Shears guarantees that your new scissors will offer exceptional performance and reliability.
So why not try out the Joewell Classic today?
The Joewell Classic Shear is the most popular haircutting tool from Japan. If you are a hairstylist or barber looking for a premium cost & quality hair scissor, then look no further than the Joewell Classic model.
Introducing the Ichiro Sakura Premium Hairdressing Shear – a top-quality tool designed specifically for professional hairstylists!
These scissors are made with premium 440C steel and boast a lightweight, perfectly balanced design that makes them perfect for hours of use.
The award-winning Sakura Handle offers a comfortable grip, while the convex edge blade provides superior sharpness compared to bevel edge blades.
Ideal for anyone who desires easy, tug-free, pull-free cuts, the Ichiro Sakura Hairdressing Shears are sure to become a favorite in your toolkit!
The most popular Ichiro haircutting shear is the Sakura model. Featuring a handcrafted Japanese Sakura flower pattern on the body and blade, this pair stands out amongst all others. Limited Edition Sakura Hair Shears!
Yasaka's barbering shears use high-quality Japanese cobalt steel, simple designs with unique engravings from Nara, Japan.
Easily the most popular long-blade that Yasaka has to offer, this "CUTTING" model has a basic flat screw, offset ergonomics, and a light well-balanced design.
The clam-shaped convex edge blade is hand-made in Nara, Japan. They follow the traditional methods of manufacturing and still maintain a more reasonable price for Japanese barbering shears.
The overall quality is amazing, and you can expect a pair of Yasaka barbering shears to last for many years to come!
High-quality Japanese barbering shears under $500 are hard to come by, and Yasaka has out-done themselves with their "CUTTING" 7" barber scissor. The best steel, sharp convex edge long-blade, and unique Japanese engravings that really stand out. These are really amazing to hold and even better to cut with.
For all the apprentices, students, home hairdressers, and professionals looking, there are a lot of different haircutting techniques that work well with your new haircutting shears.
Here are some tips and tricks for cutting hair with a new pair of Japanese hairdressing scissors.
What you need to start cutting hair at home or at the salon:
Now that we're ready, let's get started on cutting some hair!
There are such things as dry cutting scissors that are made to effectively cut dry hair, but the majority of scissors and haircutting techniques require you to spray the hair with water.
Make sure to not soak or drench your client's hair!
Before you start cutting, spray the hair lightly and evenly across all areas of the head. The take your scissors and start cutting!
Depending on how long and thin the hair is, you may need to remove any hair knots before you start cutting.
After spraying the hair lightly with water, take the hair comb and start going through the hair in fine steady motions to get rid of any knots.
Running the comb through the hair will allow you to easily cut hair evenly and it also gives you a better idea of the thickness and overall length of the client's hair.
Time to start cutting hair! But first we need to make sure we are holding the scissors correctly.
For short hair, start cutting hair at the sides of the head then work your way around until all sounds have been cut.
You can also use a comb and cut the shorter hair through the comb.
For long hair, you will need to make sure the hair is well combed and then clip hair into clean sections.
You will then need to determine how much hair you will need to take off.
Typically, hairdressers will take off a quarter of hair in length for clients with longer hair.
Don't forget to snip the ends of the hair to blend the hair together and add a little bit of texture.
Hairdressing scissors, barber shears, hair thinning shears, texturizing scissors, and the list goes on!
There are so many different kinds of haircutting tools available, but is there any difference between scissors and shears?
Scissors and shears are almost identical, and in most situations, they are exactly the same. But there are some differences between hairdressing shears and barber scissors!
When looking for the best hairdressing scissors or shears, they both perform equally well in a salon or barbershop.
After reviewing the top ten Japanese hairdressing scissors and barber shears, we now understand there isn't a perfect pair that suits all needs.
Hairdressers might prefer the Yasaka Offset hairdressing scissors, and barbers might enjoy the Kamisori Sword long blade shear for haircutting.
When searching for the best Japanese scissors, you need to think about what matters most with your future purchase.
Is it the affordability?
The best value?
The unique style and design?
Either way, Japanese scissors are the best hair cutting shears available in the USA and Canada today.
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Candice Garcia
January 15, 2022
Great information! Thank you