Kareoke and getting a haircut in Japan

Yesterday, three friends and I went to Hon-Atsugi for some kareoke. We sang for about 2 hours I think. I finally sang my first song in Japanese. But I'm afraid it isn't really a recent song... It's a song I listened to in the car when my dad drove us to Winnipeg for judo. And no offense to my dad's music taste (I think he has great taste), but the Japanese people my age have never heard of it. I'm going to have to learn a couple more recent songs. That's something I haven't done yet, immerse myself in the pop culture. I've been given some names of popular artists but I haven't had the time yet to look them up on the Internet.

Zara (left) and Kaya singing

After kareoke, Natsumi and I went to a hair salon to get a haircut. It was very different from in Canada.

Firstly, because we were new clients, we had to fill out a form about our hair's history. Did you ever color your hair? How often do you visit a hair salon? Then there were also questions about what we wanted done to our hair that day. What kind of cut do you want? Do you want your hairstylist to give you some advice? And then, more specifically, what kind of hairstylist we wanted for our haircut. Do you want a hairstylist who does the job quickly? Someone with great skill? Do you prefer someone who talks a lot or someone who works quietly? It was a bit overwhelming lol. I'm not used to having to answer those questions. In a way, I think it's a good idea. It helps to make a better match between the hairstylist and the client. I've had my share of hairstylists and there were times when we just didn't click or I didn't like the hairstylist's method. So I do find it useful. It is consistent with the Japanese culture of wanting to satisfy the client's needs.

And I am happy with the haircut. I wanted to cut it a bit shorter, make it lighter, but still keep some length to be able to put my hair up in a ponytail for judo. After the cut, I was even given a little hair treatment, a short neck and shoulder massage, and they straightened my hair. It was a lot more expensive than what I'm used to paying in Canada. In Canada, in my small town, you can get a haircut for as little as 10-15$.  But I think the 35 $ I paid yesterday was worth it.

Natsumi