JATAI

Overview

JATAI (Jatai International) was established in California in 1950. The company was originally founded by Fred Wada as a liaison office to promote commerce between Japan and the United States after World War II. Wada was also involved in bringing the Japanese swimming team to compete in the US national championships and was later named to the Tokyo Olympic Committee in the years leading up to the 1964 games.

Under later leadership by Kay Obayashi, the company moved into importing beauty products. JATAI initially imported hair cutting razors and blades from Shishido Cosmetics under the SORI brand. The company then switched to Feather Safety Razor Co. Ltd. in Osaka, Japan, and became the exclusive North American distributor of Feather’s beauty and barber products. That relationship continues today.

Product Range

JATAI offers cutting scissors, thinning scissors, razors, and accessories. The brand’s listed specialties span blunt cutting, texturizing, weight removal, volumizing, layering, shaping, movement control, and texture control. JATAI serves as a master distributor for three main brands: Feather, Seki Edge, and Fuji Paper.

In 1991, JATAI and Feather co-developed the Feather Styling Razor with a patented blade guard. According to the brand, this product helped revive razor use in salons at a time when razors had largely fallen out of favor. JATAI also distributes Du-Boa brushes (from Ikemoto Brush Co.) and Seki Edge personal care items (from Green Bell). The company operates JATAI Academy, an online educational library of instructional videos.

Distribution

JATAI is headquartered in Buena Park, California. The company sells through its official website at jatai.net and acts as a distributor across North America. Pricing is in the mid range for professional tools.