Born into hair.
Shaped by the world.
Sapporo · Brisbane · Los Angeles · Berlin · Tokyo · Yokohama
I am Yasu Tanaka.
Founder of T.A Hairworks.
“I didn’t choose this craft. I was born into it — and then I spent 35 years chasing it around the world.”
My father was a barber. My mother was a hairdresser. Growing up in Sapporo, the smell of a salon was simply the smell of home. After graduating from barber college and winning several competitions in my early career, I could have stayed in Japan and built a comfortable life.
Instead, I got on a plane.
A life lived
in motion.
Early career
Sapporo, Japan
Born into scissors
Born to a barber father and hairdresser mother in Sapporo, hair was never a career choice — it was simply the family language. After graduating from barber college, I went on to win several national competitions. Precision and craft were instilled early.
2000s
Los Angeles, USA
The first leap — Los Angeles
My first move was to Los Angeles. I wanted to use my skills to serve Japanese expats living abroad. But I quickly learned a hard lesson: without English, every door stays closed. I made a decision that changed everything.
2000s
Brisbane, Australia
Learning to speak — Brisbane
I flew to Brisbane and enrolled in language school. I studied English from scratch. After completing the course, I enrolled in an Australian hair college — and graduated. What happened next I didn’t expect: a local Australian salon offered me a position and sponsored my long-term work visa. I wasn’t just passing through anymore. I opened my own salon, Y’s Hair Design, and built a clientele from the ground up — clients of every background, every hair type, every culture.
2010s
Germany · Japan
Europe, then home — briefly
Visa complications led me to Germany. I spent time immersed in European culture — the history, the aesthetics, the particular demands of fine Northern European hair. Then I returned to Japan, carrying everything I’d learned.
When my Australian permanent residency was granted, I didn’t have to choose between countries. I stopped choosing altogether.
2010s
Tokyo · Yokohama · Sapporo · Brisbane
The nomad years
For years, I rotated between cities and continents — Tokyo, Yokohama, Sapporo, Brisbane. A nomad stylist, carrying a kit bag instead of a desk. Each city taught me something the others couldn’t. Each client added a new dimension to how I see hair.
2020s
Yokohama · Daikanyama · Sapporo
Roots — and a new beginning
When COVID closed borders, I stayed in Japan. The owner of a Yokohama salon asked me to take over the business. I said yes — and kept my freelance work in Sapporo and Daikanyama running in parallel. Old habits.
Then my father became bedridden and moved into care. Watching him, I understood something clearly: I wanted to build something that was entirely mine. A single room. A single chair. My name above the door — or rather, no sign at all.
T.A Hairworks opened in Maruyama, Sapporo. Three clients a day, maximum. This is where I intend to stay.
“Hello” begins here.
“Thank you” ends every visit.
The name T.A Hairworks carries three layers of meaning — each one a thread from a different chapter of my life.
Australian slang for “thank you.” After more than a decade in Brisbane, “TA!” became part of how I experience warmth — casual, sincere, no ceremony required. It’s the feeling I want every client to leave with.
From “Hair Shop Tanaka” — my father’s barber shop in Sapporo, where I first understood what this work could mean. The “た” is a quiet tribute to the man who started it all, and who is resting now.
In Greek, “yasu” means “hello” — the perfect word for someone who has spent his life welcoming strangers from every corner of the world. My full name, Yasuyuki (靖幸), carries a wish: a peaceful and happy moment for everyone who walks through the door.
Why I work
the way I do.
One client at a time.
There are no other clients waiting. No assistant rushing the blow-dry. From the moment you walk in to the moment you leave, my complete attention is yours. That is what a private salon means — and it’s something I could never go back from.
Consultation before commitment.
I ask about the last three years of your hair history before I touch it. Bleach, straightening, medications, water quality — all of it matters. This isn’t gatekeeping; it’s safety and respect. Done wrong, chemical work causes real damage. Done right, it’s transformative.
The door stays open. Always.
95% of my clients are women. A private studio, a male stylist — I understand that can feel uncomfortable. The outer iron door stays open throughout every session. You should feel completely safe from the moment you arrive.
Long-term thinking over quick results.
I’ll tell you honestly if I can’t achieve what you want in one session. I’ll tell you if your hair needs recovery time before a strong chemical treatment. A result that lasts three months is worth more than a dramatic result that causes breakage. I’ve seen too much of the latter.
When the scissors
are put away.
The same curiosity that took me around the world shows up in everything I do outside the salon.
Amateur radio lets me talk to strangers across continents without leaving the room — not so different from a haircut, really. Aikido teaches the same patience I bring to a difficult treatment: no force, just flow. And cooking is the one place where I get to be the client.
Ready to experience
hair that’s truly understood?
Send Yasu a WhatsApp message about your hair — no commitment required. He replies personally, in English, usually within a few hours.
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