Manar Elbaz

DUBAI: A Japanese hair salon in Dubai opened its doors in September, as hairstylists Shingo Katase, Tatsuya Kitagawa, and esthetician Katsuji Nakai, aspire to spread Japanese hairstyles in the UAE. 

CIEN hair salon opened in Dubai Marina as part of the beauty salon K Dream One Beauty. It offers a variety of Japanese haircut techniques, such as the Step Bone Cut, which is a cutting technique that adds or reduces volume based on the customer’s face shape.

“(Japanese hair techniques) almost magically beautify hair. This doesn’t exist in Dubai yet. For haircuts as well, Japanese people are extremely conscientious, and I would like to spread those techniques here as well,” said Katase. 

“We have a menu of services not yet available in Dubai. There are many beautiful salons, but they didn’t have the wonderful techniques of Japan, and so I thought I could provide them in Dubai. That’s the difference between us and other salons,” he added. 

The salon doesn’t only offer hair services but also beauty treatments, such as facials and massages. “I’m an esthetician. I do facials, and I don’t do medical treatments…What inspired me to come here in May 2022 is that I felt that Dubai has extraordinary charm,” said Nakai, who has 20 years of experience as an esthetician. 

Katase, Kitagawa, and Nakai showed great interest in expanding to Saudi Arabia and expressed their excitement to visit one day. “Saudi Arabia feels the hottest (country) right now, in terms of soccer and sports. It’s really putting efforts into things like tourism and sports,” they said.

The salon is located at Marina Crown and opens from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m Dubai time. They are currently giving 20% off to all first-time customers. Prices start from ¥8,121 while their special Japanese hair treatment start from ¥48,710.