Takarazuka
Description
Takarazuka in Hyogo Prefecture is home to several boutique Japanese scissor makers. Learn how this small city produces some of the world's most sought-after shears.
Takarazuka (宝塚, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan)
Quick look
- Country: Japan
- Prefecture: Hyogo (兵庫県)
- Key company: Naruto Scissors (ナルトシザー, est. 1963)
- Philosophy: “Imagine the best one.”
- Blade types: Kata-kenba (片研刃), ryō-kenba (両研刃), hamaguri-ba (蛤刃)
- Technical features: Hennessy handle, double bearing system
- Industry affiliation: HSC (Hairdressing Scissors Council) member
Why it matters
Takarazuka is significant as the home of Naruto Scissors, a major Japanese scissors manufacturer that operates entirely outside the Seki City cluster. While Seki accounts for an estimated 99% of Japan’s professional hairdressing scissors, Naruto’s six decades of independent production in Hyogo Prefecture demonstrate that world-class Japanese scissors are not exclusively a Seki product.
Naruto has been manufacturing professional hair scissors since 1963 and has developed a distinctive identity built around the phrase “Imagine the best one.” The company’s longevity and continued independence in an industry dominated by the Seki ecosystem speak to the quality and reputation of its products.
Key manufacturers / brands
Naruto Scissors (ナルトシザー) is the defining manufacturer of Takarazuka’s scissors industry. The company offers scissors across multiple blade geometries — kata-kenba (single-bevel), ryō-kenba (double-bevel), and hamaguri-ba (convex/clamshell) — giving stylists options suited to different cutting techniques and preferences.
Naruto’s technical innovations include the Hennessy handle design and a double bearing system in the pivot mechanism. The bearing system affects blade tension consistency and smoothness of operation, which are critical factors for stylists performing repetitive cuts over long working days.
As an HSC (Hairdressing Scissors Council) member, Naruto participates in the industry body that helps maintain standards across the Japanese professional scissors sector.
Takarazuka beyond scissors
Takarazuka is better known internationally for the Takarazuka Revue, the all-female musical theatre troupe. The city’s association with precision scissors manufacturing is less widely recognised but represents a significant element of its industrial character. Like Wakayama’s Kikui and Hayashi, Naruto’s presence in Takarazuka is a reminder that Japan’s scissors excellence extends beyond any single city.
| See also: Seki City | Wakayama |
Verified Sources
- Primary 🇯🇵 Naruto Scissors — Official (manufacturer official)
- Primary 🇯🇵 Naruto Scissors Instagram (official social media)
Frequently Asked Questions
It is the home of Naruto Scissors (ナルトシザー), a major Japanese scissor manufacturer that operates entirely outside the Seki City cluster. While Seki accounts for an estimated 99% of Japan's professional hairdressing scissors, Naruto's six decades of independent production in Hyogo Prefecture since 1963 demonstrate that world-class Japanese scissors are not exclusively a Seki product. The company's philosophy, captured in the phrase 'Imagine the best one,' sits alongside Wakayama's Kikui and Hayashi as evidence that serious Japanese scissor excellence extends beyond any single city.
Three distinct options. Kata-kenba (片研刃, single-bevel), ryō-kenba (両研刃, double-bevel), and hamaguri-ba (蛤刃, convex clamshell). Offering all three means stylists can select the geometry that matches their cutting techniques — single-bevel for precision, double-bevel for versatility, hamaguri for the traditional Japanese convex feel. Technical innovations include the Hennessy handle design and a double bearing system at the pivot, both of which affect tension consistency and smoothness across long working days.
It demonstrates that the Seki ecosystem is not strictly necessary for world-class Japanese scissor production. Naruto has built its reputation and technical innovations (Hennessy handle, double bearing system) independently over six decades, and maintains HSC (Hairdressing Scissors Council) membership that places it alongside Seki manufacturers on industry standards bodies. For stylists, this means 'Made in Japan' can mean meaningfully different production heritages — Seki bungyosei, Wakayama metallurgical specialisation, or Takarazuka's integrated independent tradition.