Yasaka
ヤサカ
Who it suits
Yasaka is a Japanese scissor manufacturer founded in 1965 in Nara, using 440C steel and vacuum heat treatment with wide global distribution.
Price position
$227–617 · tier 4 of 5
Profile completeness
8/9Profile coverage
- Models
- 19 catalogued
- Product types
- 3 documented
- Materials
- 3 documented
- Sources
- 1 cited
Vacuum heat treatment and sub-zero hardening go into Yasaka blades, from a Japanese maker working out of Ikoma, Nara Prefecture since 1965. The 20 models, five of them sets, span 4.5 to 7.0 inches and guide prices of $227 to $617. Most run 440C steel, with ATS-314 and cobalt-rich VG-10 on the premium cutting models, and distribution stretches across the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Japan.
Company Background
Yasaka Seiki Co., Ltd. was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Ikoma, Nara Prefecture, Japan. The company manufactures professional hairdressing shears covering cutting scissors, thinning scissors, and left-handed models. Yasaka has built a strong following both in the Japanese domestic market and internationally, with distribution across the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and several other countries.
Yasaka’s international retail network is broad. Their shears are stocked by a wide range of professional distributors and specialty retailers worldwide, which keeps the products accessible across multiple markets and price tiers.
Manufacturing Process
According to Yasaka, their production operates under strict quality and process control. The company uses a vacuum heat treatment process as part of their steel hardening. Vacuum heat treatment removes oxygen from the environment during the heating stage, which reduces the risk of surface oxidation and produces a more uniform hardness throughout the blade. This is a well regarded technique in Japanese shear manufacturing and contributes to the consistency Yasaka is known for.
Yasaka describes their scissors as “the crystallization of creativity and technology,” which reflects the company’s emphasis on combining traditional techniques with modern equipment.
Product Range and Value
One of Yasaka’s strengths is the width of their product line. They cover multiple price tiers, from professional entry level shears up through their premium models. This makes them accessible to apprentices and cosmetology students while still serving experienced stylists who want reliable Japanese manufacturing at a reasonable cost.
The brand is often mentioned in professional circles for its consistency. When you buy a Yasaka, you have a good idea of what you are getting, from the entry shears through the premium pairs. That reliability has earned Yasaka a reputation as a solid value at the professional level.
Regional Manufacturing Context
While Yasaka is headquartered in Nara Prefecture rather than the major scissor manufacturing hubs of Seki City (Gifu) or Ono City (Hyogo), the company operates within the broader ecosystem of Japanese precision metalworking. Nara’s proximity to the Osaka industrial region gives Yasaka access to the same steel supply chains and technical expertise that support the rest of Japan’s shear manufacturing industry.
Steel
Yasaka uses 440C stainless steel across its product line. 440C is a high carbon chromium steel that is one of the most widely used materials in professional shear manufacturing worldwide. It offers a good balance of hardness, corrosion resistance, and the ability to take a sharp edge. Yasaka’s vacuum heat treatment process is designed to get the most consistent performance out of this steel, and the results have kept the brand competitive with makers who use more exotic alloys at higher price points.
See Also
Where to Buy
Yasaka at a glance
- Budget
- Premium $400–800
- Makes
- Cutting Scissors, Thinning Scissors, Left-Handed Scissors
- Based in
- Japan
- Catalogue
- 19 models listed
- Established
- 1965
Product Types
Materials & Construction
The steel, edges, and handle styles Yasaka works in:
Where to Buy
Authorized Retailers
Retailers stocking Yasaka
ScissorPedia catalogues 28 retailers carrying Yasaka.
- Barber Scissors Online store — Australia · ships to Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, UK, Europe
- Japan Scissors Online store — Australia · ships to Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, Europe, Asia
- Salon Scissors Online store — Australia · ships to Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, UK, Europe
- Scissor Hub Online store — Australia · ships to Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, UK, Europe
- Japan Scissor Shop Online store — Canada · ships to Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Europe
- TAKANO Online store — Canada
- Japan Scissors France Online store — France · ships to France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, UK
- Japan Scissors Italy Online store — Italy · ships to Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, UK
- SCISSOR WORLD Online store — Japan
- Scissors shop Hayashi Online store — Japan
- Japan Scissors NZ Online store — New Zealand · ships to New Zealand, Australia, USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Asia
- Scissor City Online store — New Zealand
- Scissor Hub NZ Online store — New Zealand · ships to New Zealand, Australia, USA, Canada, UK, Europe
- Chris & Sons Online store — UK
- DOWA INTERNATIONAL Online store — UK
- Japan Scissors UK Online store — UK · ships to UK, Ireland, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada
- Scissors Craft Online store — UK
- yoiscissors.co.uk Online store — UK
- Begley Schmit Online store — USA · ships to USA
- Dynamic SHARPENING LLC Online store — USA · ships to USA
- JPScissors Online store — USA · ships to USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Europe
- nina inc. Online store — USA · ships to USA
- SalonCentric Online store — USA · ships to USA, Canada
- SCISSOR Dude Online store — USA · ships to USA
- SHEAR INTEGRITY Online store — USA · ships to USA
- SHEAR WORLD Online store — USA · ships to USA
- Stay SHARP Online store — USA · ships to USA, Worldwide (free US shipping over $199)
- tricut.com Online store — USA · ships to USA, Worldwide (free US shipping)
The range, at a glance
-
-
-
-
-
-
Product photos from the ScissorPedia catalogue; see each product page for provenance.
Articles About Yasaka
How Yasaka compares
Same listed origin, adjacent price tier. Rows tinted brass differ; "—" means the field is not documented yet.
Sources
- 🇯🇵 八栄精機 (Yasaka Seiki) (manufacturer official)
Frequently Asked Questions
7 answers you can open one at a timeIs Yasaka a Japanese scissor brand?
Yes. Yasaka Seiki Co., Ltd. has made shears in Japan since its founding in Nara in 1965.
How much do Yasaka scissors cost?
Guide prices for the 20 Yasaka models span $227 to $617. Where a model lands in that spread comes down to steel grade and whether it is a single pair or a set.
What steel do Yasaka scissors use?
What sizes do Yasaka scissors come in?
Yasaka shears run from 4.5 to 7.0 inches, so the line stretches from compact detail scissors to full barbering lengths.
What kinds of scissors does Yasaka make?
The range covers cutting scissors, thinning and texturising shears, and dedicated left-handed models. Five of the 20 models are matched sets.
Does Yasaka make left-handed scissors?
Yes. Yasaka’s range includes dedicated left-handed cutting models alongside its right-handed shears.
Where can I buy Yasaka scissors?
Yasaka has wide international distribution, so you can find its shears through professional retailers across the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Japan.
Ratings & reviews
Used Yasaka scissors? Rate them and share your experience to help other professionals choose.