The History of Hikari
Fukataro Takahashi being congratulated by President Reagan in 1989 for being voted one of the top businessman in Japan.
A Champion Hairdresser's Pursuit of a Dream
As the world's leader in scissor design, Hikari is devoted to making the finest collection of haircutting instruments. This devotion stems from a dream of Hikari founder, Fukataro Takahashi. Mr. Takahashi, born and raised in Japan, was a nationally acclaimed, champion hairdresser. He knew the demands of the craft and realized the need for a truly superior haircutting tool. Unfortunately, there were no tools available that met Fukataro's expectations of high quality and excellent craftsmanship. But Mr. Takahashi was unwilling to accept that there was no "perfect" tool out there. His dream was to provide every hairdresser with the ultimate in haircutting tools. Through his persistence, passion and dedication, Hikari Scissors was born.
Mr. Takahashi analyzed hair structure in order to develop the ultimate haircutting tool.
The Research
Fukataro studied properties of metals, microscopic pieces of hair and analyzed hair structure. Armed with his extensive knowledge and experience in scissor design and haircutting techniques, Fukataro designed and hand-made the first pair of Hikari scissors in 1968. He brought his prototype to many scissor manufacturers, but was turned away each time. They all gave him the same response: the product is great, but producing the scissor would take too much time and money.
The early days of handmaking scissors.
The Passion for Excellence
With fierce passion and persistence, Fukataro opened his one-man business. In time, he trained others in the fine art of scissor making, and the company grew. Hikari's painstaking research in metallurgy resulted in alloys with characteristics of strength and resiliency, providing years of enjoyment as they "melt" through the hair, time and time again. Fukataro's uncanny ability to innovate scissor designs that are timeless in application, rapidly gained worldwide recognition as the new industry standard. Hikari is the only scissor manufacturer founded by and directed by a hairdresser. It is our founder's first hand knowledge of the art of haircutting that truly sets Hikari apart from the rest.
Hikari Invents the Precision Convex Edge
All Hikaris are hand made in Japan, featuring Precision Convex Blades and Vacuum Heat Tempered Alloys. The precision Convex Edge, invented by Hikari, revolutionized the concept of cutting sharpness and accuracy. Vacuum Heat Tempering ensures durability and long cutting life. The Hikari Precision Convex Edge combines a hand-buffed outer blade with a hollow ground (concave) inner blade. Both blades are polished by hand to razor sharpness. This edge has no serrations or conventional outer edge bevel or grind, making Hikari scissors the most accurate in the world.
Shinichi Takahashi, current President of Hikari Japan, Champion Hairdresser, and Master Scissor Craftsman, demonstrating cutting techniques in Taiwan (2019)
The Tradition Continues
Today in Japan, the tradition is carried on by the grandson of Fukataro Takahashi, Shinichi Takahashi (also a champion hairdresser). Since he was a young boy, he was trained by his father (Kazuyoshi Takahashi) and his grandfather (Fukataro Takahashi) in the art of handmaking scissors. Shinichi, with his staff of expert craftsmen, produce by hand all of the Hikari scissors in the world. His passion for the beauty industry and demand for perfection continues to drive him to pursue his grandfather's dream of creating the ultimate haircutting tools.
Edmund Tsuji, President of Hikari USA, Hairstylist, and Master Scissor Craftsman (1983)
The Hikari IBIN team, led by Kazuyoshi Takahashi, celebrate after winning most of the hair competitions at Beauty Revolution, 2007, in Los Angeles! Many of Hikari's innovative designs are inspired by this world famous group of hair stylists.
