Take Japanese Hair Salon @ Bugis Arab Street

Overview

Whether Harajuku, Shibuya, Ikebukuro or Shinjuku, a random walk around the most mundane suburb in Tokyo will get you discovering gems of cultures and hospitality that made us so in love with Japan.

Luckily for us, we don’t necessarily have to take a flight to experience that.

Hidden right on the second level of a shophouse located near the entrance of Arab Street is Take Japanese Hair Salon.

Get ready to be transported back to the streets of Japan with Japanese T-shirts, paintings and even a road bike that dials up the iconic Japanese vibe within the bright and cozy loft among the hustle and bustle of Arab Street.

This is exactly what Take envisions: to bring a smile to customers in Singapore via the cool, trendy yet laidback Japanese hospitality.

Not the rigid/almost-factory like process most salon chains in Japan run by.

It’s all smiles here at Take Japanese Hair Salon as the stylists welcome you and your family as they greet you by name and chat with you about your day.

There is a familial vibe here at Take that makes it easier for us to relax here compared to other Japanese salons. The hairstyles are anything but laidback though. Just take a look at founder Ta-ke (pronounced tah-kay)’s works and you’ll understand why he has such a strong following among Japanese ladies who love his chic yet easily maintainable haircuts and colours.

Aki on the other hand is really popular for Keratin Treatment and Volume Rebonding. Looking at how elegant and put-together Aki is all the time, it is hard to imagine that she actually has natural curls! Since she was young though, Aki has always looked for ways to straighten and achieve her desired hairstyles while managing her curls. Having tried every single service (including rebonding and keratin treatment), Aki can tell you the pros and cons of each service to determine the best choice for you.

Did you know that she is fantastic with styling and perms as well?

For those looking for more dramatic hair colour makeovers, Ina’s gorgeous colours are sure to catch your eye. Whichever stylist or service you choose, we love how the stylists here are really friendly and do not insist on you going for services you are not prepared to pay and go for.

Whichever stylist or service you choose, we love how the stylists here are really friendly and do not insist on you going for services you are not prepared to pay and go for.

More importantly, all 3 Japanese stylists have been in Singapore for some time and therefore is able to understand basic Singlish and preferences of Singaporean ladies. Aki, in particular, is now very strong in her command of English.

Prices are similar to usual hair salons in Singapore although it is definitely a steal if you take into consideration their phenomenal technical skill and good service.

Overall, a gem of a Japanese salon we are happy to uncover in Bugis!