Air — Local services in Osaka

I had a fantastic experience at Air Osaka :). Not only was the interior of this salon super inviting but the staff was very English-friendly. Initially, I had booked an appointment with Mayo, who was always mentioned as knowing a lot of English. Yet, I needed to reschedule because my flight to Osaka was cancelled last minute so I couldn't make it. My new appointment was with Riko Yamamoto and she absolutely delivered! Before heading into the salon, I wasn't sure about how the communication was going to be and I wanted to avoid any back and forth with Google translate. Therefore, I decided to prepare all my hair notes in advance, listing them on my iPad and provided the Japanese translation after each point, like how I wanted my length, layers, color etc. and added pictures next to them. On the day of, one of the girls at the front desk actually new perfect English and was there to translate my needs to the hairstylist. However, I showed them the hair notes I prepared which I believe were appreciated and made the consultation process easier. In terms of color I asked for a bleached and dyed green face frame and was amazed at how quick it came together. In total, I spent 2,5 hours at the salon. My hairstylist Riko was super friendly and experienced with hair. She communicated to me every step of the process, even despite the language barrier which I really appreciated. We ended up with a beautiful result that was exactly like what I had in mind! My hair felt super shiny and healthy, even after bleaching.

Some notes I want to mention for first-timers in Japan or people who don't tend to visit the salon like me:

Contactless payment methods, especially mobile, are not as common in Japan from my observation, so it caused it bit of confusion when I tried to pay with my phone by the end. In case you pay by card, keep the physical kind ready and place it in the small dish they hand out to you when showed the bill. I was quite nervous in the beginning since it was my first time at the salon in 6 years. My advice is to just go for it. This salon stood out to me because of the time they took out to get your request right and communicated every step along the way. As mentioned in another review, my hairstylist Riko Yamamoto was indeed top tier!

I want to thank Riko and the team of Air Osaka for your patience and the wonderful work on my hair!...

I made an appointment weeks ago as I would be traveling in Japan and recall having an amazing haircut experience in Kyoto 10 years ago. This was nothing like that.

From the moment I walked in, the reception was professional but cold. The hair dresser, who is actually management level, if I recall correctly, because I made it a point to book my appointment with a seasoned hairdresser, did not introduce himself even though he spoke basic English. The hair wash and massage was excellent and the only highlight of this experience. After, I proceeded to wait about 15 minutes while the hairdresser worked on another client. Upon starting my cut, he got the straightening iron ready. This, as I’ve come to understand, is a lazy shortcut for my type of hair since brushing it dry would require more effort. I did mention that I wanted my hair to lay flat in the face framing sections, but that volume was okay in the back and that I only wanted a trim. He reduced the volume in the back in spite of my indications. I paid something like $10 extra for a bubble fine shampoo he upsold me on immediately and my hair feels rough to the touch at the end of the day. Not soft and silky as I would expect after having a professional style it and paying for extras. I also had to ask him to part my hair properly because he was flat ironing it without taking a moment to ask where I wanted my hair to part or if it was okay, and it was not; it was crooked and weirdly parted and I requested to correct it and received a non-response/correction as he simply continued. He did not apply any heat protectant before rough drying my hair and then using the straightening iron. The only products used were the shampoo I paid for and a tad of shine oil at the end and I think this is why my hair feels very rough.

This wasn’t the level of service I expected. While other clients were sipping on water, I had ask for some on my way out because I was thirsty and no one bothered to offer anything, even as I was left sitting waiting before the cut. Overall, I would not return and I do not recommend this hair salon for foreigners and especially for those with coarser,...

I highly recommend this salon. Foreigner friendly and the staff go out of their way to help you. I came with a friend on Monday in the afternoon without a reservation. Honey wasn’t in that day but we were able to communicate with the staff just fine using translator apps. The Air Osaka team were very hospitable. The receptionist (I think it was Makoto-San? Sorry I didn’t catch your name ;-;) was patient with us as we were deciding on hair styles.

Tip: come prepared with pictures of the cut and style you’re looking for. They have a gallery on their website you can scroll through for examples.

The prices were very reasonable compared to other salons in the area. I don’t remember the exact total but I got a haircut and wash which came out to about 7,400 yen (roughly $46 usd). My friend got a single process color and hair cut which was about 15,000 yen (roughly $100 usd). Price may change depending on services selected.

At check-in they will ask you which stylist you want, services (haircut, wash, dye), and how you learned about them. Afterwards they’ll show you to your seat. If you get a hair wash, they’ll show you a list of shampoo options in english.

Mayo-San helped me with my haircut and Erina-San did my friends hair coloring. Both did a great job! They went above and beyond to make sure they were interpreting what we wanted correctly.

We also got to speak to the owner Takahiro-san who was very welcoming.

Overall, a great experience and I’d come here again the next time...