As natural as ageing is, it’s undeniable that most of us fear it, or want to prevent it, to some extent. That’s where this Japanese shop that specialises in plucking white hairs comes in!
If you’re willing to fork out 3,980 yen (approx. RM146) for a specialist to pluck out your white hairs efficiently for 30 minutes, Shiraganuki Main Store in Tokyo is the place to go. If you feel that your white hair problem is getting out of control, you can also opt for an hour’s service for 7,480 yen (approx. RM274), and choose to fork out an extra 1,000 yen (approx. RM146) for every additional 10 minutes. First-timers get 1,000 yen off, so they only need to pay 2,980 yen (approx. RM109) for the first half hour. We’ve been helping our parents do this for free for years!
As steep as those prices may be, they justified it by their speed and expertise. On Shiraganuki’s website, it states that 30 to 70 strands of hair can be removed in 10 minutes. Your hair doesn’t have to be fully white either, as the store also accommodates those with partially greying hair, and you can also specify the type of hairs you want to remove.
Interestingly, specialists will also keep track of the number of hairs being plucked using a phone, while carrying out the service with nothing else but tweezers and a pair of nimble hands. According to China Press, a customer from Kansai had 400 hairs plucked out in the span of one hour. That’s what you’d call a hairy situation, literally!
本日は葛西からご来店ありがとうございます。
1時間掛けて前と後ろを400本抜きました? pic.twitter.com/KgYC8ITRJh— shiraganuki (@shiraganuki) December 24, 2018
P.S.: If you love looking at pictures of clusters of white hair for some reason, Shiraganuki’s Twitter is a must-follow. The shop owner added that most of his customers are around 40 years old, with 70% of them being men. Word of his service has spread far as well, attracting silver-haired visitors from Osaka, Fukuoka and Nagoya.
Despite that, the shop owner laments that business is slow, as it currently averages only four customers a day. There are even days where there won’t be any customers at all! Looks like there are many out there who still prefer to get rid of white hairs at home. He remains optimistic, however, expressing that he will continue to run the business as long as there are customers.
Currently, those who wish to book a slot can choose to fill out a form on the website, or call ahead to reserve, even on the preferred day itself.
This is not something we can imagine ourselves paying for on a regular basis, but hey, if you happen to be in Japan and feel like shelling out RM126 to do it as a ‘unique tourist experience’, we could see it happening! Sound off in the comments below.
Also read: Tokyo’s Famous Tsukiji Market is Closing on 6 Oct 2018 & Relocating, Here’s Why