The Best Tokyo Riki Scissors

The Tokyo Riki range

Tokyo Riki Co., Ltd. is a Japanese scissors manufacturer founded in 1946, producing professional shears under multiple brand lines including Butterfly, Hakucho, and Alu-Coba. The catalogued range spans guide prices from $143 (Hakucho Super) to $442 (Kocho Cobalt series).

Tokyo Riki produces scissors under the Butterfly, Hakucho Super, and Alu-Coba brand lines. The Kocho Cobalt and Kocho Irodori are the premium cutting series. The Arcoba range covers the Alu-Coba construction, which uses aluminium-cobalt material in the blade. All products are made in Japan.

3 Tokyo Riki picks from $143 to $442

1. Tokyo Riki Kocho Cobalt Cutting Scissors (guide price around $442). Tokyo Riki has made scissors in Itabashi, Tokyo since 1946, and the Cobalt designation reflects the material published for this line.

2. Tokyo Riki Hakucho SUPER Cutting Scissors (guide price around $143). The Hakucho (白鳥, “swan”) SUPER series is Tokyo Riki’s classic even-handle cutting line. Where the Kocho and Arcoba ranges use offset geometry, the Hakucho SUPER positions the thumb and finger rings at equal height — a preference for stylists who work with a level grip through scissor-over-comb, graduation, and traditional cutting patterns.

3. Tokyo Riki Arcoba AC Cutting Scissors. Model suffixes indicate length and handle variant — the G and H designations on longer models denote handle geometry options within the range.

How we chose

The Kocho Cobalt Series ($442) is the premium cutting line in cobalt steel, available in 6.5", 7.0", and 7.2" lengths. The Hakucho Super ($143) is the accessible entry point. The Arcoba AC Series is the aluminium-cobalt model in the Alu-Coba sub-brand. Tokyo Riki produces scissors under the Butterfly, Hakucho Super, and Alu-Coba brand lines. The Kocho Cobalt and Kocho Irodori are the premium cutting series. The Arcoba range covers the Alu-Coba construction, which uses aluminium-cobalt material in the blade. All products are made in Japan. Guide prices are at time of writing; confirm current figures and availability directly with the brand or its authorised retailers. Sets and left-handed models where listed separately are not included here.