Hikari
株式会社ヒカリ
- Japan
- Est. 1967
-
Budget Luxury
Hikari is a Japanese scissor maker founded in 1967, credited with inventing convex blade scissors and limiting production to 1,000 pairs per month.
Convex hair scissors are widely credited to Hikari, which holds the first Japanese patent on the blade angle and polishing method behind the hamaguri-ba edge. Founded in Tokyo in 1967, the company builds cobalt alloy shears in Japan across 50 catalogued models, 4.5 to 7.25 inches, including ten left-handed pairs,...
Convex hair scissors are widely credited to Hikari, which holds the first Japanese patent on the blade angle and polishing method behind the hamaguri-ba edge. Founded in Tokyo in 1967, the company builds cobalt alloy shears in Japan across 50 catalogued models, 4.5 to 7.25 inches, including ten left-handed pairs, at guide prices from about $343 to $1,950.
Company Background
Hikari Corporation was established in 1967 in Tokyo, Japan. The company is headquartered in the Itabashi ward of Tokyo. Hikari is widely credited as the first company to invent and introduce convex hair scissors to the global market. That innovation changed the industry. Before convex blades, most professional scissors used beveled edges. The convex design enabled smoother cutting with less resistance, opening up techniques like slide cutting and wet cutting that were difficult with older blade geometries.
Leadership from Practice
Hikari’s CEO is a former hairdresser. This practitioner background shapes the company’s design philosophy. Product decisions are informed by direct salon experience rather than purely by engineering or market research. The company describes this as a blade philosophy rooted in real world cutting, where each model reflects the actual needs a working stylist encounters.
Production and Quality Control
Hikari deliberately limits its production to approximately 1,000 scissors per month. This is a conscious choice to maintain quality control standards. At this volume, each scissor receives individual attention during manufacturing and inspection. The restricted output contrasts sharply with larger manufacturers that produce thousands of units per day.
Business Model
Hikari operates a hybrid business model. The company maintains a corporate website (hikari-scissors.com) alongside a dedicated e commerce subdomain (shop.hikari-scissors.com). The corporate site provides brand information, product catalogs, and educational content. The shop subdomain handles direct sales. This separation allows Hikari to serve both informational and transactional needs without compromising either experience.
Selection Tools
Hikari offers a selection navigator tool on its website designed to help customers identify the right scissor for their needs. The tool walks users through questions about their cutting style, preferred techniques, hand size, and experience level. This guided approach reflects the company’s position that choosing the right scissor requires more than browsing a catalog.
Legacy
Since 1967, Hikari has positioned itself as a pioneer and educator in the professional scissor space. The brand’s contribution of convex blade technology to the industry remains its most significant historical impact. The company continues to manufacture in Japan and distributes through select authorized retailers internationally.
Inventor of Hamaguri-ba for Hair Scissors
Hikari (株式会社ヒカリ), founded in 1967 and based in Tokyo, with a later manufacturing plant in Niigata, is credited with inventing the application of hamaguri-ba (蛤刃 / clam-shell blade) to professional hair scissors. The hamaguri-ba concept was inspired by Japanese sword (日本刀) design. Hikari holds the first Japanese patent on blade angle and sharpening method for this application. The innovation was endorsed by Vidal Sassoon and Paul Mitchell, helping establish hamaguri-ba as the dominant premium blade profile worldwide. Source: Hikari Scissors (Japanese).
Subsidiary Brand
Hikari’s American division, Hikari Products USA, Inc. (headquartered in Gardena, California), also operates the Etaro line. Etaro offers Hikari’s convex edge technology at a more accessible price point, using Japanese steel finished by Hikari certified craftsmen in the US. This gives Hikari a presence in both the premium and mid range segments of the American market.
Sources
- Hikari Corporation official website: shop.hikari-scissors.com
- Hikari Products USA: hikariscissors.com
See Also
Where to Buy
Hikari at a glance
- Budget
- Premium $400–800
- Makes
- Cutting Scissors, Thinning Scissors, Left-Handed Scissors
- Based in
- Japan
- Catalogue
- 50 models listed
- Established
- 1967
Product Types
Specialties
Materials & Construction
The steel, edges, and handle styles Hikari works in:
Where to Buy
Authorized Retailers
Retailers stocking Hikari
ScissorPedia catalogues 6 retailers carrying Hikari.
- Kittemi — Japan
- Refun — Japan
- Hikari Mall — South Korea
- Scissors Craft — UK
- LA SHEAR — USA
- Stay SHARP — USA · ships to USA, Worldwide (free US shipping over $199)
Products
Articles About Hikari
How Hikari Compares
| Brand | Hikari | Hayashi | Butterfly | Naruto |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country | Japan | Japan | Japan | Japan |
| Typical price | US$350–US$1,950 | US$800–US$1,600 | US$250–US$350 | US$350–US$600 |
| Steel | Cobalt Alloy | Powder high speed steel (HYS), Cobalt alloy | Cobalt Alloy | Cobalt Alloy |
| Blade types | Convex | Convex | Convex | Convex |
| Handles | Offset, Classic | Offset | Classic, Offset | Offset, Classic |
| Specialties | Blunt cut, Slide cut, Texture control (8%, 20%), Volume control, Precision cut, Graduation, Layer cut | Blunt cut, Slide cut, Texture control, Volume control, Stroke cut, Thinning | Blunt cut, Slide cut, Point cut, Volume control, Texture control, Continuous cut, Delicate cut, Hard hair cut, Men's hair cut | Blunt cut, Slide cut, Point cut, Volume control(5~60%), Texture control, Cut & Thinning, Dress cutting, Deep cut, Layer cut |
| Founded | 1967 | 1992 | 1946 | 1963 |
| Known for | Originated the Precision Convex Edge blade | — | — | Japanese maker handcrafting scissors one by one since 1963 |
Verified Sources
- Primary 🇯🇵 Hikari Scissors — Official (manufacturer official)
- Primary Hikari Scissors — Online Shop (English) (English product catalog)
- Primary 🇯🇵 JETRO — Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO manufacturer feature)
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Founded in 1967 and headquartered in Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, with a later plant in Niigata, Hikari makes its scissors in Japan.
Hikari is credited as the first company to bring convex (hamaguri-ba) blades to professional hair scissors, and it holds the first Japanese patent on the blade angle and polishing method behind that design.
The range covers cutting scissors and thinning scissors, with models built for blunt cutting, slide cutting, texture control, and graduation work.
Yes, and the left-handed range is deeper than most: ten left-handed Hikari models are catalogued on this page alongside the standard right-handed line.
Hikari builds its blades from a Cobalt Alloy, which holds an edge well for everyday salon work.
In guide price terms the 50 catalogued Hikari models stretch from about $343 to $1,950, so the range starts below the usual premium entry point and climbs well past it.
Catalogued sizes stretch from 4.5 to 7.25 inches, one of the wider spreads in our catalogue, covering short detail scissors through long barbering shears.
Ratings & reviews
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