A Japanese head spa is a scalp treatment you receive lying back at a shampoo station. A stylist cleans your scalp, massages it slowly, washes and treats your hair, and blow-dries it at the end.

This guide from LUJU, a hair salon in Ginza, explains the steps, the time, the price range in Tokyo, and how visitors can book.

In Japan, a head spa is a normal menu at hair salons and at shops that do only head spas. You lie back in a shampoo chair. The stylist works on your scalp with the pads of the fingers, not the nails, and takes much more time than a normal shampoo.

You will also see the words "dry head spa". That is a different service: a head massage with no water, often done in a reclining chair. If you want your hair washed and blow-dried, choose a head spa, not a dry head spa.

The order is different at each shop, but most head spas include these steps.

1. A short talk about your scalp and hair. Some shops show you your scalp with a microscope.
2. Cleansing of the scalp.
3. A long, slow massage of the scalp. Many shops also massage the neck and shoulders.
4. Shampoo and treatment.
5. Blow-dry. You leave with dry, styled hair.

The 10 steps at LUJU

At LUJU, the head spa is part of a course with LALA PEEL, a Korean face treatment. You stay in the same seat for about 2 hours.

1. Counseling. We look at your scalp with a microscope.
2. Micro-bubble cleansing of the face.
3. LALA PEEL.
4. Face pack.
5. Shampoo.
6. Scalp treatment.
7. Head massage.
8. Care with light and electric beauty devices.
9. Blow-dry and finish.
10. After-counseling: home care and when to come next.

On 3 October 2026 we checked the English menus of three head spa shops in central Tokyo, two of them in Ginza. A course of 60 to 120 minutes cost about ¥12,000 to ¥43,000. Courses that add a facial took 100 to 150 minutes and cost about ¥22,000 to ¥33,000.

Two things to check on any menu: whether the price includes tax, and whether the time means the whole visit or only the treatment. One shop we checked lists a 75-minute course with 40 minutes of treatment.

Menu and prices at LUJU Ginza (before tax)

First-visit prices apply to online bookings (LINE or the booking form). We do not offer a head-spa-only menu.

• Language. Many shops use a translation app or device. At LUJU we mainly speak Japanese and use a translation app.
• Tipping. There is no tipping in Japan. You pay the price on the menu, plus tax.
• Your hair after. Your hair is blow-dried, so you can go straight to dinner or shopping.
• Makeup. At LUJU you can put your makeup back on after LALA PEEL and go home as usual.
• Booking. Most shops are by appointment only. Book before you come to Japan if your dates are fixed.

If you have redness, itching or a wound on your scalp or face, or if you are seeing a doctor for your skin, tell the shop before your visit. We look at your skin first and then decide what to do. If you feel unwell on the day, it is better to move your booking.