Chura Hair Salon

I’ve been going here to get my haircut with Hiroki for several years. I just heard that he doesn’t work at Chura anymore. Does anyone know if he still works somewhere in Toronto?

I’m so forgetful. I thought I had reviewed this salon already but apparently I was so distracted by my new hair I never got around to it. I went to this place for a haircut before and thought it was average. I liked the place, service is friendly but it was very average, as was the cut. Then more recently I wanted to get my hair digital permed and I did a lot of research. I was interested in the technique, the price of course, and the outcome. My sister got her hair digital permed here and it turned out pretty nice (although it went back to straight after a month or so… kind of short lived but her hair is naturally super stick straight. I think if they curled smaller chunks it would have stayed curly for a longer period of time). Anyways, I tried them out because for the cut and the perm, it turned out to be a great price. I can’t recall exactly but I think it was $ 130 for medium long hair.
Anyways, I wanted loose waves but my hair is cut just below my shoulders so I needed to get smaller sections curled instead of the big sections that the super models have since their hair is so much longer. And the result? It turned out fabulous. I haven’t had curly hair since I was 1 years old and that was a mistake. But this time, it turned out A-​M-​A-​Z-​I-​N-​G. I got so many complements about it everywhere. The short wavy hair is on trend this fall so that might be why everyone is so crazed about it. But it was also super easy to maintain and since I am so lazy with my beauty régime, it was perfect. Love!

I went to get my hair cut with Hiroki 3 different times since I heard about how good he was. Each time he would ask a lot of questions about how I wanted my hair to be, and ultimately would spend a lot of time and care perfecting the style.
I appreciated the attention to detail. For some reason, the end results were always only so-​so.

Have had two different stylists over three appointments and all three turned out great. I didn’t give them too much instructions but they still came out the same. Well priced for a cut and a wash before and after the cut. I have tried two other Japanese salons in town… and so far this is my favorite.

I came in for a short a-​line bob and I’m happy to say that I walked out with just that. I showed the stylist a few pictures on my phone and let her know that I wasnt a big fan of layers (in the past I’ve told stylists that I wanted a bit of layers and walked out with super layered hair that was verrry thin on the bottom). I was nervous to get my hair cut so short for the first time in a while so this was a happy ending for me! Will come here next time for future haircuts!

I come to Toronto to visit family once a year or every two years. Two years ago, I discovered Chura through Unilocal.I requested for Hiroki and got a straightening perm for about $ 250 CAD including tax and tip. (I have long hair.) Hiroki gave me advice about what to do with my hair, and I ended up liking what he did with my perm and cut much better than another place I had tried before in the Toronto area. (I could tell that the chemical used was not as good quality.) The price, including tax and tip, was also pretty competitive to rates in Chinatown back home. (But I was skeptical about the quality of chemicals used by the Chinatown salon .)
I just got my haircut and perm at Chura and from Hiroki for the second time. (Having called ahead for an appointment weeks in advance.) The experience was great. They worked on my hair for about 3 hrs straight, minus about the ten minutes when they left the chemical in my hair. Hiroki and his assistant were really friendly, and we had some fun conversations learning about each other. I requested an early appointment at 10 when it opened in order to beat the rush. By 11 am, there were streams of people coming in and it got busy. I still like what Hiroki did with my cut, though I wish I had asked him for more advice (rather than telling him what I wanted). The cost was about the same which included a 20% tip for their hard work.
Having gone to a salon in Asia, I would say that the ones in Asia are still better and cheaper. But for North America options, I would go back to Chura next time.

Love this hair salon! All the stylists are Japanese and are incredibly friendly. It’s ways very busy so drop-​ins are never guaranteed. I would definitely recommend booking an appointment.
I got a cut and digital perm done and it took about 2.5 hours. When you come in, someone welcomes you and invites you to sit down while you wait for your turn. When it’s almost your turn, your stylist will come, sit with you and ask what kind of hair cut you’re looking for. I love how they offer recommendations to best suit your hair type and lifestyle. If you’re not sure what kind of haircut to get, there are lots of magazines to draw samples from.
They only have have one washing station and one digital perm machines so there can be a little bit of a wait on busier days but the flow of the salon is pretty streamlined. :)
Great salon and would highly recommend.

You guys wasted my time.
Don’t ask me to come early and reconfirm my appointment for 5pm and shrug when I’m still sitting around at 5:25. I left work early and arrived at 4:50.
When I asked when someone will start to work on me — they said maybe in ten more minutes and started to blame other customers that were slow. So you expect me to wait 35 minutes past my appointment?
No respect.
Why am I penalized for:
A) previous clients being slow or late
B) overbooking clients to ratio of stylists
C) slow stylists?!
Disappointed — will NOT be back. Don’t care how good your other reviews are. Plenty of places to cut my hair in Toronto.

I love Chura!
The stylists in this Japanese salon really take the time to listen to the style you’re after and will painstakingly arrange your hair so there isn’t a curl out of place. When you call to book an appointment, you’ll be asked if there’s any particular stylist you’d like to book. Rest assured, in Japan an apprenticeship lasts for 7 years so you won’t be getting a rando student going Edward Scissorhands at your head.
While the shop itself isn’t the most luxurious, it helps you walk away with ya hair did and your pocketbook happy — $ 30 will buy you a cut, and the treatments and digital perms at basement-​bargain deals of about $ 100 for long hair. Be prepared to sit in the chair for about 3 – 4 hours for the digital perm though. A good idea to also go to the bathroom before you get here, as the only bathroom is in the parking lot next door which you can access with a key provided by Chura’s staff.

Nothing ignites my intense fear of abandonment more than the thought of Hiroki leaving me.
Here’s how it usually goes:
I’m sitting at my desk between meetings mindlessly twirling my perfect digital perm curls, revelling in it’s whimsical bounce and youthful texture. It’s truly a blissful but fleeting moment as it always, most predictably, gives way to panic. I mean, what IF he leaves?
I’ve had my share of stylists and like ex-​boyfriends, I often look back and wonder, «why did I keep going back to him?» to which I lamely reply: maybe I felt I couldn’t do better (sigh!).
I learned about Hiroki on, you got it, Unilocal,and have now been seeing him for almost 3 years. He is, unequivocally, a brilliant stylist who not only understands simplicity, but elevates it. My hair is long and I’ve never been one for those drastic and telling «just broke up with my boyfriend dos», so I am, as I previously have, been prone to settling for boring.
Still, since seeing Hiroki, I won’t go so far as to say my hair is exciting, but it’s feminine and sociable and mysteriously layered in such a way that it looks better and prettier as the weeks wear on. He ‘s like a clairvoyant who knows exactly how your hair will grow and will trim with astounding accuracy. And, though Hiroki’s a man of few words, he will tell you what works and what doesn’t as I’ve occasionally observed after making an amateur suggestion.
My only reason for not giving a full 5 stars is that sometimes another stylist will wash or dry my hair and it’s often not on par with Hiroki. This can especially be the case with drying as the some of the others can be a little too light-​handed leaving my locks flat and lifeless. Nevertheless, it’s not a deal-​breaker, and it kind of affirms my own hairstyling prowess which I dutifully and diligently hone daily.
Lastly, prices are amazing! I can’t even say that it’s competitive as the cost for haircuts and digital perms are well below what I’ve paid and canvassed at other salons.
Oh, and by the way, it’s worth mentioning that Hiroki is super-​cute…

JUST finish my hair cut. it was very good. It takes about an hour to make a hair cut, the designers here are professional& very patient. Will recommend friends to come here next time lol. Just a little bit expansive, overall, it was good. Will come back!

It is a small salon and looked a bit fancy, so as a man I was a bit hesitant to walk inside. I put a lot of faith in Japanese hair stylists and I usually go to Kamiya or Maya. I was planing to grow out my hair but I decided to face reality and say goodbye to my semi-​long locks.
I have had some bad experiences in the past, so I made sure to give the stylist as much detail as possible about the haircut that I was looking for. I am not so eloquent with words, so I kept it simple. I told her how I styled my hair usually, asked her to keep the front long and the back and sides shorter. I love the haircut that I got and it was exactly how I pictured it in my head. The stylist spoke really good English too.

I AM AN EXTREMELY PICKY PERSON WHEN IT COMES TO MY HAIR. IT TOOK ME 5 YEARS TO FIND CHURA, AND BOY AM I A HAPPY CAMPER!
Go to Hiroki. He is the best. He really cares about the heath or your hair — I wanted to get the Magic Perm again (1^st time was great, waves looked amazing and it lasted a long time) — However, Hiroki recommended not to get the magic perm a second time so soon. He said it would ruin my hair. Great dude! You know you can trust them when they are turning down your business!

This review was bumped up to 3 stars only because I went back after I told them I wasn’t happy with my cut. The girl who cut my hair washed my hair all over and gave me the type of service as if I was cutting it again.
I’d read the reviews on here and I was going to book an appointment with Hiroki but I didn’t want to wait so I thought I’d take a chance and try Chiro. She was nice, albeit english was not fluent.
I thought she’d ask me what kind of cut I wanted, but maybe she assumed I wanted to maintain the same style. I have a bob cut that I’ve been doing for years. One of the reasons I don’t get my haircut outside is that I’m never happy with the cut. I have straight, thick asian hair. It never turns out the way I want it to. I thought I’d give this place a try because of the great reviews.
All I wanted was to have a bob cut, but have more body in the back. I was surprised when she sort of halfway stopped cutting my hair and began to blow dry. When I inquired she said she wasn’t finished cutting yet. So I waited… and I noticed my hair pretty much looked the same.
When I asked her if she could layer it some more, she took out the thinning out tool and began hacking away.
When it was done, the back of my head was flat and I wasn’t happy. I reluctantly said «thanks» and paid and left. When I got home it began to eat at me. Why did I spend $ 45 including tax and tip to get a cut I could have at home.
Next day I called and they said I could go back to fix it. Well, she fixed it a bit but for hte most part, my cut looks like something I could have done. Not fancy at all.

I have been to Chura 3 times and what I really liked about this place (and different from other asian places) is that they refused to dye my hair because it was too damaged!!! By visit 3, with some coaxing from me, he allowed me. My stylist was Hiroki as well and he takes a lot of time to look at the condition of your hair before agreeing to certain cuts/​colours.
They keep their appointment times which I really appreciate, so be on time!

Excellent cut! Hiroki gave me exactly what I wanted. It was also affordable. Under $ 40 before tip. I don’t get my hair cut often so I spent $ 50 all together leaving a good sized tip.
Their English isn’t the best and trying to ask questions over the phone can be challenging. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to have products used on me that are tested on animals. They didn’t know so I brought my own.
Getting to the washroom is a little inconvient since they don’t have one in the salon, but don’t let it deter you from getting a great cut!
If you have Asian hair, this is definitely the place to go.
For vegans, just bring your own products and afterwards you can grab some food at Hot Beans and/​or Sadie’s across the street!

I’ve been here 4 times within a 13 month period. The first 2 times were great, probably because I did not get a haircut. The 3^rd time was when I started see the service issues. Don’t get me wrong, on my third visit Kazuma gave me one of the best haircuts I had ever gotten, but the problem was in the service. Because he gave me a haircut first it seemed the timing for taking other clients kind of clashed with mine. I felt like my perm solution wasn’t left on nearly long enough to take full effect. This was seen soon after when I started to notice less waves. Perhaps it was because my hair was getting too long and pulling down the curls… but I don’t think so.
So since I found my hair lacking volume I booked an appointment only 14 weeks from my last appointment. My hair had a few split ends and since I loved my haircut I decided to book in for a digital perm and cut again. I think he took it too short and I really didn’t want my bangs touched but I trusted him since I loved my last haircut. This time I didn’t feel he put as much effort into cutting my hair as last. But the real bummer during this appointment was the assistant rinsing my hair. After the perm solution was done processing she hardly rinsed my hair! Ahhh!!! As a former hairstylist I have to stress how important it is to rinse the hair entirely for 5 minutes to get all of the perm solution out or the hair strand traps the perm inside once the neutralizer is applied. Big no no!
And to top it off, some guy walked in and wanted to push his appointment forward so Kazuma squeezed him in while I processed for 20 minutes in the rods. That’s fine, but still… I didn’t appreciate that. And I also think my appointment was cut short. The assistant didn’t book enough time for a perm and cut because by the time I was done my last rinse Kazuma was busy with his next client and couldnt finish my hair. I will go back for digital perms alone. As for haircut I’m not too sure now because I didn’t like the scheduling involved. I’d rather book perm only and do a haircut another visit. That’s why I docked one star… assistant needs more training and scheduling needs improvement.

I was here again on Sunday. The appointment was really efficient. It started promptly at 11am. People were there before me so I wasn’t the first client. Kao was my stylist. She was really great. I got a haircut, trimmed nicely to prepare for the digital perm.
At the end of the appointment she let me know that I need to wait at least 6 months before going for my next perm to avoid drying my hair out.
I love this place.

This was my first time going to this salon. I decided to try this place since it seemed reputable by Unilocalers. The salon was first of all hard to find. It’s so small… There was what, 2 salon chairs? I can’t believe they can actually get appointments done in time. Also, there is limited seating area for people waiting.
So I was late to my appointment by half an hour. I booked 2 weeks ahead to get colour and a haircut. So when I arrived late they said they couldn’t colour my hair and would only do the hair cut. I apologized and asked if I could wait sometime later in the day. They were firm with their no and kept pushing me to get my haircut done. Well obviously I’m not going to only get a haircut done and get a colouring done another day, that just costs more plus I had my graduation ceremony in the coming days. So I just blew them off and said I would get it done somewhere else.
They don’t really seem to understand business from a client’s standpoint. Sure, I was in the wrong and shouldn’t have been late, but at the same time they were unwilling to accommodate… No one wins from this kind of situation. I can’t comment on the quality of their work, but just the way they run their business is enough to stop me from trying again.

I booked a haircut with Hiroki this past weekend. I have thick asian hair and I’ve been going to a white salon for the last few years. I’ve read so many great reviews about Chura on Unilocal,especially about layering and thinning out thick hair, so I really wanted to check this place out.
It seems as though this place cuts hair in one sort of ‘style’ — very fobby. I specifically told Hiroki that I didn’t like to have blunt ends, but I still ended up with them somehow. I requested an additional 2 times for him to make the ends less blunt and more wispy, but he seemed reluctant to do so and didn’t end up fulfilling my request. He did thin out my hair, but my major complaint is how the ends of my hair look — which is a huge deal to me.
Overall, this place is okay. I think I could have gave myself the same sort of hair cut, if not better. I don’t think I’ll be coming back.