Kouho
- Japan
- Est. 1964
-
Budget Luxury
Kouho is a Japanese scissor maker founded in 1964 in Osaka, producing professional cutting, thinning, and left-handed shears for salons.
Sintered powder steel and cobalt alloy are the two materials Kouho works in, and the Osaka company has made professional scissors since 1969, five years after opening as a hair-cosmetics shop in 1964. The 12 Kouho models catalogued here carry guide prices from $649 to $1,749 in sizes from 5.0...
Sintered powder steel and cobalt alloy are the two materials Kouho works in, and the Osaka company has made professional scissors since 1969, five years after opening as a hair-cosmetics shop in 1964. The 12 Kouho models catalogued here carry guide prices from $649 to $1,749 in sizes from 5.0 to 7.0 inches.
Overview
Kouho is a Japanese scissors brand founded in 1964. The company (株式会社 光邦) started as a small shop in Higashinari-ku, Osaka, selling hair cosmetics and hair growth products for the beauty industry. By 1969, Kouho had begun manufacturing and selling professional hair scissors for salons. The company incorporated in 1977 and also started running its own salon and developing proprietary beauty instruments.
Product Range
Kouho produces cutting scissors, thinning scissors, and left-handed scissors. The brand’s listed specialties include blunt cutting, point cutting, slide cutting, blend cutting, texture control, three-step thinning, graduated cutting, and freehand cutting. The breadth of the lineup reflects a focus on serving stylists who work across multiple techniques.
Distribution
Kouho is headquartered in Chuo-ku, Osaka, with a showroom at the same location. The company opened a Tokyo showroom in Shibuya in 2001 (relocated in 2013) and an Osaka sales headquarters in Shinsaibashi in 2002. Kouho scissors are carried by several international retailers, including Precision Shears, Shear World, tricut.com, and Scissors shop Hayashi. The brand also sells through its own online store at hasami-pro.com. Pricing sits at the upper end for professional Japanese scissors.
See Also
Product range overview
Twelve Kouho models are catalogued at $649–$1,749. The range occupies the premium and high-end tier of professional scissors, with twelve builds covering cutting and thinning at price points where advanced Japanese steel grades and handcrafted finishing are standard.
Where to Buy
Kouho at a glance
- Budget
- Premium $400–800
- Makes
- Cutting Scissors, Thinning Scissors, Left-Handed Scissors
- Based in
- Japan
- Catalogue
- 12 models listed
- Established
- 1964
Product Types
Specialties
Materials & Construction
The steel, edges, and handle styles Kouho works in:
Where to Buy
Official Brand Websites
Authorized Retailers
Retailers stocking Kouho
ScissorPedia catalogues 4 retailers carrying Kouho.
- Scissors shop Hayashi — Japan
- Precision Shears — USA · ships to USA
- SHEAR WORLD — USA · ships to USA
- tricut.com — USA · ships to USA, Worldwide (free US shipping)
Products
How Kouho Compares
| Brand | Kouho | Hayashi | Hikari | Auro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country | Japan | Japan | Japan | Japan |
| Typical price | US$649–US$1,749 | US$800–US$1,600 | US$350–US$1,950 | US$424–US$499 |
| Steel | Cobalt Alloy, Sintered Steel | Powder high speed steel (HYS), Cobalt alloy | Cobalt Alloy | Cobalt Alloy |
| Blade types | — | Convex | Convex | Straight |
| Handles | Offset | Offset | Offset, Classic | Offset, Straight, Crane |
| Specialties | Blunt cut, Point cut, Slide cut, Blend cut, Texture control, Cut & Thinning(3-step), Graduated cut, Freehand cut | Blunt cut, Slide cut, Texture control, Volume control, Stroke cut, Thinning | Blunt cut, Slide cut, Texture control (8%, 20%), Volume control, Precision cut, Graduation, Layer cut | Cobalt alloy builds, Multi-tooth thinning options, Handle-specific ergonomics |
| Founded | 1964 | 1992 | 1967 | — |
| Known for | — | — | Originated the Precision Convex Edge blade | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Osaka is home to Kouho, in business since 1964 and trading as Kouho Co., Ltd. (株式会社光邦). Its shears are made in Japan.
The company began in 1964 selling hair cosmetics for the salon trade, and started manufacturing professional hair scissors in 1969 before incorporating in 1977.
Kouho produces cutting shears, thinning shears, and a left-handed line, with models built around techniques such as blunt cutting, point cutting, slide cutting, and three-step thinning.
Yes. Left-handed shears are a standing part of the Kouho range alongside the right-handed cutting and thinning models.
Kouho works in cobalt alloy and sintered powder steel across its lines.
Half-inch steps from 5.0 to 7.0 inches cover the catalogued Kouho range, running from short precision blades up to long-blade cutting shears.
Kouho’s 12 catalogued models span $649 to $1,749 at guide price. The KX opens the line at $649, most models sit between $749 and $999, and the two X Wing Cobalt models top the range at $1,449 and $1,749.
Ratings & reviews
Used Kouho scissors? Rate them and share your experience to help other professionals choose.