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Devised by a Tokyo hair salon during the Covid-19 pandemic to prevent
the spread of the coronavirus, the ‘Silent Cut’ service is becoming
increasingly popular in Japan.
As a way of curbing the spread of the coronavirus during the Covid-19
pandemic, authorities in Japan started promoting “no conversation” or
“less conversation” policies in schools, shops and supermarkets. Less
talking meant fewer risks of spreading the virus via saliva droplets, so
everyone understood and complied, but the two policies seemed
incompatible with businesses like hair salons and barber shops, where
conversation is basically part of the service. However, one Tokyo salon
decided to implement the ‘silent cut’ service and it proved so popular
that others quickly followed suit and kept it even after
pandemic-related restrictions were lifted.
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“It’s great…! I’ve been waiting for this service for 20 years. Because
chatting is so depressing, I only get a haircut every 3 years,” one
person wrote about the silent cut service.
“I’m saved because the conversation with the hairdresser is
troublesome,” someone else commented.
The no-dialogue haircut (给カット) or silent cut not only survived the
lifting of Covid-19 restrictions across Japan, but it actually increased
in popularity. A recent survey revealed that over 70 percent of
respondents prefered the silent experience, with the most common
explanations being that they found it mre relaxing, as they were able to
rest instead of spending what little energy they had left on hearing
unwanted information and making small talk.
As it turns out, hairstylists prefer the silent cut as well, with many
claiming that they were taught to chat up clients in their
apprenticeship.
“I started chatting because I was taught in my early days to ‘talk to
customers and get information about their preferences’, but focusing on
topics that I didn’t like made me feel very uncomfortable, so I decided
to put their privacy first,” one hairstylist said.
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