理容師 理容師
What 理容師 do
An English description is being prepared. Japanese description:
最近では髪型を「自分を表現するファッション」として考える人が増え、理髪店はさっぱりする快適さと、見栄えの両方を顧客から求められている。
理容師は店に来た顧客の希望を聞き、相談を受けた場合には適切なアドバイスを与えながら、髪をどのぐらいの長さにするか、どんなヘアスタイルにするかを決め、作業を始める。髪の毛のカット、シャンプー、顔そり（シェービング）と進め、整髪料などを使って整髪（セット）して仕上げる。注文に応じて毛染め（カラーリング）をしたり、パーマを行うこともある。また、サービスの一環として、頭部や肩のマッサージをすることもある。
大きな店では、顧客1人に対して2～3人で分担することもあり、その場合は、髪や肌の特徴について申し送りをしっかりし、客の特徴をカルテとしてとることも大切となる。
顧客の要望に応えられるように、ヘアスタイルの流行については常に新しい情報を取り入れるように注意し、人気のある有名人の髪型にも関心を持っておく必要がある。
理髪店は、一般には床屋、理容室と呼ばれるが、法律や政府統計等の正式名称は理容所である。
◇ よく使う道具、機材、情報技術等
レジ（小売店、レストラン等）、理髪用道具、ドライヤー
Employment type of workers
理容師 salary
The average annual pay for 理容師 in Japan is ¥3.89M (≈ $24,707; Basic Survey on Wage Structure (2025), national). The estimated median is ¥3.61M, the typical range is ¥2.80M–¥6.33M and the top 10% earn about ¥5.52M.
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The distribution is estimated from Japan's national wage statistics, including pay differences by age.
Pay by ageest.
Estimated from the average pay and average age (30.0) using the age-wage curve of the Basic Survey on Wage Structure.
Pay by experienceest.
Pay by employment typeest.
The average hourly wage of ¥1,789 is 1.5× Japan's national average minimum wage of ¥1,177 (fiscal 2026). Minimum wage by prefecture →
Japanese pay is shown in yen (¥5.57M = 5.57 million yen ≈ 557万円). Dollar figures use the current rate of 157.25 yen per dollar and are for reference only; purchasing power differs.
Pay over time
| Year | Average pay | Employment | Openings ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ¥3.24M | — | — |
| 2022 | ¥3.30M | — | — |
| 2023 | ¥3.80M | — | 3.27x |
| 2024 | ¥3.72M | — | 3.22x |
| 2025 | ¥3.89M | — | 3.13x |
Projected pay for 理容師 (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today ¥3.89M → in 3 years ¥4.28M → in 5 years ¥4.56M → in 10 years ¥5.34M (10-year range ¥4.60M–¥6.20M). The model assumes pay growth of +3.2% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (the job-openings-to-applicants ratio), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for 理容師
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace 理容師? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using the MHLW job tag survey on work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for 理容師
A ratio above 1.0 means there are more job openings than applicants (a labor shortage). The 5- and 10-year figures are estimates from the openings ratio, wage momentum and AI replacement risk.
The same job in the United States
| 理容師 Japan | Barbers United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | ¥3.89M ≈ $24,707 | $38,210 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | ¥5.34M | $52,600 |
| Outlook score | 59 | 60 |
| AI replacement risk | 8% Very low | 13% Very low |
| Workers | — | 15K |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for 理容師
Key skills
Skill levels from the MHLW job tag worker survey.
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Licenses and certifications (Japan)
- 理容師 National license
- 管理理容師 National license
- 美容師 National license
Related qualifications listed on job tag (names in Japanese). Some are mandatory, others recommended.
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Difficulty of entry: ★★★★☆ Demanding (from education, training, experience, licenses)
How to become 理容師
The typical path in Japan is shown by the education, training and experience of current workers above and in the Japanese guidance below. A detailed English guide for this occupation is being prepared.
Guidance from job tag (Japanese)
2018年4月より、一部の養成施設では美容師の資格者を対象に「修得者課程」が設けられている。修得者課程は履修課程の大幅な減免や履修期間が短縮されており、理容師の資格が取得しやすくなっている。
理容師の免許を受けた後3年以上理容の業務に従事し、かつ、所定の講習会の課程を修了した者は「管理理容師」の資格が取得できる。「管理理容師」は常時2人以上理容師がいる理髪店に置くことが義務付けられており、将来独立開業する際に役立つ資格である。
理容師として経験を積んだあと、自分の理髪店を持つ人もいる。
Career path and how to earn more as 理容師
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by experience is shown in the Pay section.