Chura Primo

Great Japanese salon on Pender street. Have been coming here for a couple years now and Yuki is really good. He gives the best hair washes! Book in advance, he’s always busy.
Surprised to find out they have a February promo going on …10% off hair cuts and hair products

Love this salon! Yuki is great and I always go here for cuts. He did my ombré a couple months ago and I just went back today to get a trim and retouch. It turned out great and they give excellent service :)

I am constantly on the lookout for recommended hair salons. Chura came onto my radar, and after a quick Google search I discovered their new location, Chura Primo.
Knowing that color and cut sessions are usually around 2 hours, I maxed out my parking meter; I was surprised when I was in and out in an hour an a half! I described the ombré I wanted to Shiori along with a few pictures and she went to work. I wasn’t pressured into making any small talk, and several times during my appointment an intern stepped in to help with small tasks like taking foils out, rinsing, and blow drying.
I appreciated that she let me know right away what the cost would be before she started cutting my hair. The price was super affordable for the quality; cheaper than many salons I’ve gone to! She even thanked me for my patience, even though it was already much faster than I expected.

Had my hair layered at this location and I thought it was great. I brought in a few pictures for Yuki and told him to run with them. He was patient and listened to my thoughts.
This place is smaller than the other location; however, the décor and layout was very cute.
I really like my haircut… definitely would come back next time!

After seeing all those great reviews on Yep, I decided to give it a try. I called all three locations and turns out this one on the w pender street has the most early spot. So I booked for both me and my boyfriend.
We brought pictures and showed the girl how We want our hair look like, and she seems understand completely… but she does not doing a good job as we expected.
She put some hair wax for my boyfriend after she done his so the top of the hair will looks like a messy look, but after he washed
It when we got home, it is all messed up, now he has to put wax every time after he wash his hair in order to cover the uneven length. It nothing looks like the picture…
My hair used to be long and heavy, so I told her I want my hair lighter and I showed her picture… Yes she did lighter my hair, but it only for the bottom not the upper part, which means I sacrifice my length without any styling, and the length of the two side are not the same… and again it is nothing looks like the picture I showed her…
I am not sure why there are so many good reviews on the yep, maybe all the good stylists are all on vacation when we was there? The only reason I give 2star is the price… two for $ 63, it is relative cheaper compare to other Japanese Solon in downtown Vancouver for two people. Now I would rather spend few more bucks to get a better service.
The girl did not introduce herself to us, so I do not know her name. Now I guess I don’t really need to know her name cause I am not going back… I will wait my hair to grow back and then go back to the Japanese Solon where I used to go, the Service is much better!

Got a hair cut with Kaba and I’m super happy with the results. All staff is Japanese, and their English is not great, but Kaba made sure to understand how I wanted my hair and did an amazing job. The price is also hard to beat. Great value. Will definitely come back.

So I decided to have a hair change at Chura Primo instead of Downtown Misako and I had Yuki as my hair stylist. I anticipated that the staff in Chura Primo would speak limited English, so I brought a picture to show Yuki what I would like.
Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out anything similiar to the picture. I wasn’t really impressed, but I was OK with it. I wasn’t too happy with my bangs, it was a little to short compared to what I wanted.
The most uncomfortable experience was the shampoo and head massage: the wash was OK, but it was the sink/​chair level (?) that gave my neck discomfort. The staff accidentaly sprayed water over my face and clothes (accident) but, she was apologetic and I was able to look pass it.
Overall, it was an Ok experience. Personally, I would go back to Misako

I recently visited Chura Primo for a change in hair color. I upset that the color I got was not what I asked for. I called Chura Primo back later that day and asked them if there was anything that I could do to fix my hair color. The next day, they called me back saying that they would help fix the color of my hair. Yuki did an amazing job with my ombré. He walked me through what I wanted and what needs to be done in order to get that hair color. I am extremely happy with their customer service and the hair color I got. They gave me a very reasonable price for my hair coloring as well as omitted the cost for the last hair coloring that I had the week before. Thank you so much for helping me fix my hair!

Thank you Hiroko and team for doing an amazing job with my digital perm. The entire experience was certainly ⁵⁄₅ stars: Charming studio, friendly atmosphere, and first class hair styles. Most of all, love the price. My digital perm cost $ 110 whereas other studios easily charge $ 250+
So before my appointment I was all worried about the perm ending up being too frizzy and curly, since I was going for the soft waves look. The opposite thing happened. When my hair was released from the rollers, my heart sank because although it looks amazing now, I knew it wasn’t going to hold longer than a few weeks (digital perms should last 4 – 6 months). I was SO relieved that Hiroko noticed the same thing and offered me a complimentary perm in a few weeks time so that the waves would last longer. I didn’t even have to peak a word. Now that’s integrity!
I was there from 1640 to 1930, so almost 3 hrs. No hair cut.

Appointments = MUST!

I’ve been going to Chura on Howe for a few years now, and am usually pretty happy with my cut! Prices were originally $ 28, now $ 30 for a basic cut, but I think thats really reasonable for a good quality cut (whereas lots of salons nowadays will charge $ 50+ for a basic one).
I happened to be in DT today, and the Howe location was fully booked, but Chura Primo had an opening. Hiroko cut my hair, it wasn’t anything complicated, but she did a nice job. I like how everyone here is so polite, and I always enjoy the hair wash /​scalp massage! No complaints here :)

I’ve been going to the original Chura across Sephora at Pacific Centre for haircuts over the last couple of years. My last cut was during a trip to Asia in late-​2013 and I was in dire need of a new haircut. Checked the Chura website and noticed this new location. Decided to give it a try because the original Chura has gotten very popular and busy the last 2 – 3 times I’ve been. The cuts are consistently fantastic but I feel as though they are no longer as customer service oriented due to the sheer volume of people visiting the salon. It’s almost like, get in the chair, cut hair, pay, and leave.
Chura Primo. I wanted a haircut. Nothing else. From long hair to an angled bob. The reviews on Unilocal helped me decide which stylist to ask for. Originally wanted to booked an appointment with Hiroko but one of the girls told me over the phone she was on vacation and wasn’t going to be in until 10 days later. I then went with Maki.
The salon is small but homey. Was also greeted very warmly upon arrival– which is always a plus in my books! Then I realized it was Hiroko who had greeted me. I thought the receptionist told me she wasn’t going to be around?! Now I’m just thinking Hiroko is a more senior stylist that does more complicated styles and simple cuts are reserved for other stylists? Don’t know. Just a thought since I saw her working on a chicks digital perm.
Maki called me over and started the process. The wash was great. Didn’t find anything wrong with the height of the sink. The hair cut itself took a bit over 1 hour. I could tell Maki was really taking her time making sure I was OK with everything. She would also bring a mirror for me to look at different angles throughout the cut.
Overall, I’m very satisfied with the cut and Maki’s work! Other Unilocalers are right about the level of English. There wasn’t much conversation throughout the hour because the stylists aren’t very fluent, but they more than made up for it with their level of attentiveness!
I would definitely be returning to Chura Primo for future cuts. Just hope they don’t get super busy and it gets difficult for me to book an appointment!

I’d like to give this place a 4.5 star because the only thing I would change about this would be for the staff to speak better English for better communication.
Overall, I would suggest this place and this location over their other location because it’s nice and small with no rush.
I’ve been going to Chura for the last 4 – 5 years and I never walk out disappointed. Then again i’ve used the same stylist for the time being asides from the last visit because he no longer works for Chura. But the staff here are very nice. Just maybe if they spoke proper English that will improve my experience there.
This location I would suggest the guy (forgot his name) that worked for the company for over 6 years. He’s good and he knows what the customer wants. I love how they wash your hair first, cut it and style it for you before you leave the salon. When they wash my hair they put me to sleep because it feels really good.
I would totally come back here and suggest others to come too.

Great find! I’m happy I trekked down here after work. The stylists are very talented in cutting thick hair and stay within the time frame they have for each service. The price is great and includes a shampoo, cut and blow dry. I even got some curls! Will be back here again. Great service and good talent.

I’m quite excited that Chura is open near my office. I used to go to the Howe location but it got increasingly difficult to book an appointment so this second location is great!
Chura Primo on W. Pender is a great location. It’s not «downtown core» but there’s lots in the area: Finch’s (best cookies ever, tip: go in the morning), Cartems doughnuts, a bookstore next door, and Gastown is just a short walk away! (Hipster coffee for the win! ;)) Also, there’s a ton of parking options.
The salon is petite but sufficient, clean and eclectic like many Japanese salons (cool giant clock). My mom and I had a warm welcome when we arrived and we were quickly escorted in for a relaxing hair wash and scalp massage. (Aside: unlike some other reviews, I thought the sink height was fine and I’m only 5’3″.) Yuki was my stylist and he was great! I brought a picture in but he made it work for me and made sure I was comfortable with the hair length. Hiroko was my mom’s stylist and she did a great job as well. She was super patient — answering my mom’s many hairstyling questions.
Overall, I’d recommend this place to friends and coworkers. Call in advance as this place is getting increasingly popular.

I normally go to the original Chura and have always had great haircuts/​experiences there. I decided to give Chura Primo a try because it was easier to get an appointment there on the weekend.
I read someone mention on here about their high wash sinks and didn’t realize how uncomfortable it was going to be. I had my stylist that day, Hiroko, adjust the sink but it still hurt the back of my neck. This is usually my favourite part of the haircutting experience but this was very unenjoyable.
I though it was only going to get better from there but no. My stylist’s scissors must have been dull and it just tugged on my hair while she was layering it. I didn’t want to complain again so i decided to endure the stinging pain. I wasn’t happy with my haircut in the end but my scalp hurt so much that I wanted to get out of there ASAP. Looks like I’m going back to the original Chura!

I have no complaint about my haircut. Yuki is still great at what he does.
Location is a bit off central downtown area. However, that makes finding a parking spot a little easier.
Nit-​picking things: hair wash sink a bit higher than normal, making it feel like the back of my head not being washed properly.
Price is the same here as the regular Chura. Less busy right now so it’s easier to make an appointment. But not sure how long that is gonna last.

I almost don’t want to review Chura Primo. Two reasons: this really is about how amazing my stylist, Yuki, is… and I don’t want him to become so popular that I can’t get an appointment!
Yuki’s managing this new location and like the previous reviewer, I will follow him wherever he goes. The salon is petite, with only 3 chairs. Kind of reminds me of the original Chura, but even smaller. But don’t let the size fool you, the products and services are top notch. I’ve gotten my hair cut and coloured at Chura for the past 5+ years and every few months, I get a lovely comment about my hair colour. I recently told Yuki this (because the compliment is really for him), and he said that they use a special product imported from Japan, so it’s a different colour than what you would see here from western salons. 5+ years of colouring hair and my hair is still very healthy — folks, this stuff is good.
So even though the salon is small, and it’s a bit out of the way for me, I would come here because my stylist is here and he gives me amazing hair cuts and colours time after time. If you aren’t looking to stick to a particular stylist, and prefer a more centralized location, try the Chura main salon located on Howe. Yuki use to train the stylists there and they hold themselves to high standards.
The only downside is that it can get pretty amusing trying to get an appointment because the assistant/​other stylist that usually answers the phone has pretty elementary English… but no worries, Yuki’s english is great and I’ve never had trouble communicating to him what I want.

I’ve always gone to the location on Hornby street. However, we found out they opened a new location and my husband’s favorite stylist Yuki has become the manager there so we decided why not try it. This location is smaller, only having a few chairs but Yuki is really great at cut and coloring hair so we’d follow him anywhere! :)
I had Maki do my hair and it was the same great experience I’ve had at my previous chura visits. She is also a good choice if Yuki is not available.

Decided it was time for a drastic change which called for a skilled colourist, but I didn’t have an unlimited budget. Searched on Unilocal and found Chura. They recently opened a new branch and the prices were friendly so I took the plunge. I had no idea why Japanese trained stylists have been gaining popularity, but I do now. Not only do they train full time for two years, but they require a government issued license to practise, or so my stylist informed me. Maki (my stylist) was very thorough, no short cuts here! I ended up with about 50 foils in my hair to create a more subtle highlighted look. 5 hours later I walked out with a wonderful new colour and look. Going from brown to blonde is no easy feat. At one point my stylist noticed me watching a clip on my phone, she stepped away for a moment to find an iPad and offer me it’s use with the salons wifi if I wanted.
Since I was there a while, I saw a few customers come and go. One guy walked in with a very conservative hair style, presented a picture of what he wanted and walked out with the cut of a Korean pop star, almost exactly as pictured. If you want something specific definitely bring a photo and they’ll do their best to make sure you walk out with it.
From entering the salon to a warm greeting, an immediate invitation to hang my coat, place my bag in a safe area and get settled, to the service and attractive, artistic setting, it was an overall great experience. The only thing that could have made this a better experience, is a glass of water or some hot tea. All in all very satisfied, I think I’ve found my new salon in Chura!