Studio One

This place meets all of my needs! He takes his time and seems to really think about his every move with my hair. And when my hair grows out, it looks great! Before, it used to look really choppy after growing out.

The owner Hitoshi asked me to get out of his Barbershop because I don’t agree that my barber finished her job while there is no more customer waiting. While I was deciding how to improve my hair style, the old guy Hitoshi left his own customer and came next to me and tell me «your hair style is good enough», «No, it is not finished yet», then he say «it is done, I know it, cuz I am professional, you are not!» And he keeps saying it. I told him «I didn’t ask your opinion and don’t have to accept it either» with my finger unconsciously pointed him while I am sitting on chair. He SLAPs my hand and telling me don’t point him. I almost tried to fight back if he were not holding few sissors. Seriously? You are not even my barber. Then it ends up half way done without considering my opinion about my hair (didn’t wash my hair either, or clean up my face at the end”). If you don’t agree with his opinion or any his employees’s, you will be asked to leave the shop. He is a shame of any Japanese service. Hopefully no one get treated like this ever.

Hitoshi, the proprietor, is an outstanding stylist. I was hesitant about getting a perm – albeit a loose perm – or about cutting my hair short, but he did a great job. He is especially great with layering hair! I’ve used Hitoshi’s services twice (and I live on the east coast), and both times I’ve been happy with the haircut and loose perm. I’ve received compliments on the haircuts both times!
In general, Hitoshi is a very adept hair stylist, he’s friendly, and his prices are really affordable.

I got my haircut with the Japanese lady that works with the owner. I paid $ 30 for a haircut that last about an hour. The service was great and I was really happy with the result, and it was fairly inexpensive considering the detail and care she gave.

The owner is a somewhat elderly Japanese man who has some sass which people might find annoying but I find charming (the owner looks like some character from Pokémon) The haircut itself was very nice and the place is very clean and orderly too. It feels very much like a family run business, which is a good thing. The haircut is 40 $, which is not too bad, and he washes/​shampoos your hair twice.
I kind of let him have free reign over my hair (I just specified the length) and am very happy with the result. Another friend of mine said that he kind of has a «vision» for what your hair should be like, while the woman needs a picture.
Will be back. Thank you!

I have been getting haircut from Hitoshi-​san over half of my life… since when his studio was in the old Seattle Uwajimaya. From experience, I can tell you straight up that he is hands down the best in the Puget Sound area. I’ve had to move around a bit to different places throughout my life so I had to get haircuts from many different people. So I can tell you, he is really really good. You can tell when you got a great haircut or not when your hair grows out. When I get the haircut from Hitoshi-​san, my hair grows out really nicely in balance (not quite sure how to exactly put it) that I don’t have to get the next haircut for much longer time than when I got haircut from other people.
I’d definitely recommend him to my friends.

Some people seems having issue with the owner’s attitude. To me, he is such an fun old man. His hair cut skill is satisfying as well. I would go there again.

I’ve heard from some people they have an issue with the owner’s attitude problem… they find him to be arrogant and abrasive. However, I do not feel the same way. He’s always been… idk I guess normal and polite. By the way, the owner, Hitoshi is Japanese and has a very thick Japanese accent. There is one other lady there that I’ve heard is very good at men haircuts. One time, I did see a male walk in and walk out with a good haircut, he looked much better :) I don’t know how much they charge for male haircuts, but for me, it is $ 37. Usually, you’re not supposed to give tip to the owners, but I do anyways. It’s only three dollars, but I might stop now, I will become a poor college student soon.
I’ve been going to this guy for quite some time and his haircut is very good, in comparison to other higher end salons with the same prices. I still go back to this guy.
This is a rule of thumb for anyone that is visiting ANY salon, ALWAYS BRING A PICTURE. I know of people that don’t and then complain of a horrible haircut. No normal hairdresser can make you look the way you want, unless you show a picture! Then, they will understand what type of look you are going for.
As for me, I always bring a picture of the side-​swept bangs I want, and then let him do his magic on my naturally curly hair. Weirdly enough, I’m full Chinese but blessed/​cursed with curly hair, not just the normal wavy. He cuts my bottom layers in this «twist cutting method» that thins out the hair A LOT and it helps me manage my ridiculously thick, unruly bed of curly hair.
I’ve always been pleased with my haircuts, they look great from the start, and even when it has grown out. That’s what I call talent :) [He is retired (?) but his passion is haircutting, I find that so inspiring!]

Ever since a horrifying hair cut experience from when I spent a summer in DC (@bubbles), I’ve had extreme angst when going to a new hair place… So now that I’ve been in Seattle-​land for over a year, I’ve had to suck it up and find a hair place. My friend recommended this place because her husband used to get his hair cut here and they both liked it. However, I was very nervous based on the 2 or so reviews I found randomly online… no Unilocal to help me here =(
When I walked into Studio One, it almost didn’t look like a hair place (uh oh? I was thinking). It looks like some retail space that was fitted with the bare essentials needed to do hair — very mom and pops feel. There was only the one guy (who I guessed was the owner and a lady there assisting him). They were both very smiley and welcoming.
I probably pointed at 2 inches shorter and as he was cutting he stopped and asked if he could cut more showing me that 2 inches shorter was still very long. I liked that before he did anything he’d as «Is it ok if I???» or announce that «I’m going to…» (e.g. I’m going to texturize). It was good handholding so I’m not surprised. Plus, it puts some of the control with me — if i didn’t stop him, I pretty much gave him the ok.
Overall, I’m very happy with my haircut though I admit I’m less daring first time at a new place. Price-​wise, they’re not super cheap, but not crazy expensive either. My haircut was ~$ 40, which is typical for my hair at other places too.
Pluses:
— close to microsoft campus
— haircut turned out great
Minuses:
— hours are challenging as they’re usually closed before I can get off work, though there is one day a week they stay a little longer — I basically took their last appointment on this day. (I would call ahead to find out their schedule)
— ambience isn’t what you’d expect, but this may or may not be (-) to other people