The Best Kyoto Scissors for Hairdressers
Kyoto is a professional shear brand owned by Dowa International Co., Ltd., using 440C stainless steel across a tightly priced range suited to students, apprentices, and stylists wanting a reliable second pair. Four picks from $195 to $200, covering offset cutters in multiple sizes, a swivel-handle model, and a 30-tooth thinner.
What are the best Kyoto scissors?
The GM Series, around $195, is Kyoto's offset cutting shear in 440C stainless across 5.5 to 7.0 inch — the widest size run in the range and available in left-hand variants. The GJ Series, around $199, is the primary cutting line in 440C stainless across 5.5, 6.0, and 6.5 inch. The GV Swivel, around $200, gives stylists a swivel-thumb offset shear in 440C stainless at an economy price. The GJ Thinning, around $199, is the 30-tooth thinning companion to the GJ cutting range.
All four Kyoto models use 440C stainless steel with an offset handle. The GV is the exception — it uses a swivel thumb rather than a fixed offset ring. The GJ Thinning carries a 30-tooth blade. Guide prices are from US and UK retailer listings as of April 2026 — confirm current figures before buying. Kyoto is distributed by Dowa International.
Verified Jun 2026
Four Kyoto picks from $195 to $200
| Attribute | Kyoto GM Series Cutting Scissors Kyoto | Kyoto GJ Series Cutting Scissors Kyoto | Kyoto GV Swivel Cutting Scissors Kyoto | Kyoto GJ Series Thinning Scissors Kyoto |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price guide | US$195 | US$199 | US$200 | US$199 |
| Price tier | Entry-level | Entry-level | Mid-range | Entry-level |
| Steel | 440C | 440C | 440C | 440C |
| Made in | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Handle | Offset | Offset | Swivel | Offset |
| Blade type | — | — | — | Thinning |
| Sizes (in) | 5.5 · 6.0 · 6.5 · 7.0 | 5.5 · 6.0 · 6.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| View product | View product | View product | View product |
All four distributed by Dowa International Co., Ltd. Guide prices at time of writing; confirm current figures on each product page.
The Kyoto range
Kyoto is a professional shear brand owned by Dowa International Co., Ltd. The range uses 440C stainless steel across every model and is positioned for students, apprentices, and working stylists who want a reliable tool at a practical price. All four catalogued models sit in a narrow $195 to $200 band.
The GM and GJ series are the standard offset cutting lines, differentiated by size availability. The GV adds a swivel thumb for stylists who want that ergonomic mechanism at an economy price. The GJ Thinning is the 30-tooth blending companion to the GJ cutting range.
Kyoto is stocked by US specialty retailers including Shear Integrity, Scissor Dude, Tricut, and Dynamic Sharpening LLC, and by UK retailer Direct Hairdressing Scissors. Dowa International also sells the line directly.
The four picks
1. Kyoto GM Series (guide price around $195). Kyoto’s offset cutting shear in 440C stainless steel. The GM Series offers the widest size selection in the Kyoto range — 5.5, 6.0, 6.5, and 7.0 inch — with left-handed versions available. The offset handle positions the thumb lower than the fingers for reduced wrist rotation. Available through Scissor Dude, Tricut, and Dynamic Sharpening LLC.
2. Kyoto GJ Series (around $199). Kyoto’s primary cutting shear line in 440C stainless steel with an offset handle. Available in 5.5, 6.0, and 6.5 inch, with left-handed variants. The GJ is the most widely stocked Kyoto model across the US specialty shear retail network. Available through Shear Integrity, Scissor Dude, and Dynamic Sharpening LLC.
3. Kyoto GV Swivel (around $200). Kyoto’s swivel-thumb cutting shear in 440C stainless steel. The GV replaces the fixed offset thumb ring with a rotating mechanism, allowing the thumb to move freely through the cut stroke. Available in 5.5 inch. Available through Scissor Dude, Tricut, and Direct Hairdressing Scissors.
4. Kyoto GJ Series Thinning (around $199). Kyoto’s 30-tooth thinning shear in 440C stainless steel with an offset handle. The 30-tooth blade removes a moderate proportion of hair per pass, suited to controlled blending and weight reduction. Available in 5.5 inch. Available through Shear Integrity, Scissor Dude, and Dowa International.
How we chose
The four picks cover Kyoto’s complete catalogued range: the two offset cutting series (GM for size breadth, GJ as the primary line), the GV swivel for ergonomic variety, and the GJ Thinning for blending. Guide prices are from US and UK retailer listings as of April 2026 — confirm current figures before buying.
The wider Kyoto catalogue
The full Kyoto range, including any models added since this page was last updated, is listed by Scissor Dude, Tricut, and Dowa International. The Kyoto brand page on ScissorPedia carries full stockist information. Note that Kyoto is a separate brand from Kyoto Hasami Shokunin, which is an independent Japanese shear maker.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kyoto is a shear brand owned by Dowa International Co., Ltd., which positions the line around traditional Japanese craftsmanship. The shears use 440C stainless steel. The country of manufacture is not published in available product documentation for the GJ, GM, and GV models — for manufacturing location details, check Dowa International at dowa-international.com.
Kyoto uses 440C stainless steel across the GJ, GM, and GV series in the US market. 440C is a high-carbon stainless grade widely used in professional shears for its combination of hardness and corrosion resistance.
The Kyoto GJ Series Thinning scissor carries a 30-tooth blade. At 30 teeth the scissor removes a moderate proportion of hair per pass, suitable for blending and weight reduction without leaving heavy lines. Available in 5.5 inch.
Yes. The Kyoto GV Swivel uses a swivel thumb ring rather than a fixed offset ring, allowing the thumb to rotate through the cutting stroke. The GV is the most affordable swivel-thumb option in the Kyoto range, at guide price around $200. Available in 5.5 inch.
Kyoto is positioned for cosmetology students, apprentices, and working stylists who want a dependable second pair at a practical price. The $195 to $200 price band keeps the range within reach of training budgets, and the multiple size options across the GM series suit different hand sizes.
Kyoto is stocked by specialist shear retailers in the US and UK, including Shear Integrity, Scissor Dude, Tricut, Dynamic Sharpening LLC, and Dowa International directly. The Kyoto brand page on ScissorPedia lists current stockist information.