Hien

The same Adachi-ku, Tokyo manufacturer behind the DOWA and PASSION shear lines also runs Hien, a Japanese scissor brand sold direct through its own web shop and through Rakuten. Three models are catalogued here, one of them a left-handed build, at $300 to $380 guide prices in 5.5 and 6.0 inch lengths. Steels span 440C, cobalt alloys (ATS314 and VG10), and a 10-layer Damascus.

Overview

Hien Scissors is a brand operated by Dowa International Co., Ltd., a shear manufacturer based in Adachi-ku, Tokyo. Dowa International also produces shears under several other brand names, including DOWA, Tsubame, PASSION, and K9 (pet grooming).

Customer Satisfaction

According to Voice Note Magazine (a Japanese industry publication), Hien ranked number one in customer satisfaction in their survey of hairdressing shear brands. This recognition is notable for a brand that operates primarily through web sales rather than the traditional distributor and sales representative model that dominates the Japanese shear market.

Web Sales Model

Hien is unusual among Japanese shear brands in that it operates a full e-commerce model. Most Japanese hairdressing shear manufacturers rely on in person sales through traveling representatives or distributor networks. Hien sells direct to stylists through its own website and through Rakuten (Japan’s largest online marketplace). This approach makes their shears more accessible to stylists who prefer to research and purchase online.

Maintenance Program

According to the Hien website, the company offers free maintenance for up to 5 years on purchased shears. Free long term maintenance programs are not unheard of among Japanese manufacturers, but a 5 year commitment is on the longer end of what brands typically offer.

Product Range

Hien’s lineup includes cutting shears, thinning shears, and left-handed models. The brand also sells scissor cases, training heads, combs, and brushes. Their specialty list covers a wide range of techniques including blunt cutting, slide cutting, wet and dry cutting, and what they describe as “zero damage thinning.”

Dowa International holds registered trademarks for “Hien,” “Dowa,” “Passion,” “K9,” “GTX,” and “630” in Japan.

Parent Company Context

Dowa International operates from offices in both Tokyo and London. The Tokyo office (in Adachi ward) handles the Japanese domestic market and manufactures the Hien, DOWA, Tsubame, and PASSION lines. The London office serves the UK and European markets and also provides what the company describes as one of Europe’s leading sharpening services. This dual base gives Hien’s parent company an unusually broad geographic footprint for a shear manufacturer of its size.

Sources

• Hien Scissors official website: hien-scissors.jp
• Voice Note Magazine customer satisfaction survey
• Dowa International corporate information

  Where to Buy

hien-scissors.jp →

See Also

Best Hien scissors →