Each year, aspiring barbers and beauticians from all over Japan display their skills in a national competition. Students from a reputable hairdressing school in Kochi have often won the top prize. The school's strength lies in its unique method of having students teach each other. The students are often reluctant to reveal their secrets. But as the big day nears, they become more willing to share what they know. We follow the students as they grow while helping others to grow as well.
Stories about people, stories about life.
Hometown Stories.
Kochi Prefecture is the birthplace of the vibrant Yosakoi Festival.
Unique hairstyles make the dancers stand out.
The festival offers hairdressers a chance to showcase their skills.
Get ready, go.
Here in Kochi, a group of aspiring hairdressers are vying to be the nation's best.
They will be joining around 4,000 student participants in a national haircut competition.
The competitors are expected to skillfully and precisely create a hairstyle within the allotted time.
The winner will be crowned the title of "Best Student Hairdresser in Japan."
Who's going to be number one?
Who's going to win?
This school takes a unique approach.
Praise each other,
dis each other.
The students must teach their tricks and techniques to their rivals.
How can I be number one
if I share all my techniques?
It may seem calculating but it's
important to keep some things secret.
Let's call it a day.
I'm sleepy.
Our teacher's not coming today.
He's fuming.
Will one of them be able to snag the top prize?
Let's take a look at their journey, as they learn from and compete against each other.
What do they discover in the process?
In Kochi, there's a statue of Sakamoto Ryoma, a key figure in the modernization of Japan.
He was known as a rather fashionable guy.
Kochi is also home to a cosmetology school with a stellar reputation.
About a hundred students are enrolled here,
all striving to become licensed barbers and beauticians.
Despite its small size, the school nurtures top-notch hair stylists.
It has produced a string of national contest winners.
Ready, go.
It's early August.
The summer holidays have started, but some students are working hard to hone their skills.
These five show the most promise.
They came out on top in the school's internal selection process,
and are headed for the regional qualifying round of the national championship.
3, 2, 1... Stop.
Once they've finished, the students grade each other's work.
Let's look at how symmetrical
the two sides are.
They're not all straight.
And the winner this time is...
Anju.
She's skilled at giving hairstyles a tidy finish.
She hopes to become one of Japan's top hairstylists.
Both my parents are hairstylists,
so they're very supportive.
I hope to take on all kinds
of challenges in this field.
Their teacher is Takano Toshiaki.
An experienced professional hairdresser, he's been teaching here for two decades.
Toshiaki takes a unique approach to teaching.
You can point out the flaws.
Praise each other, dis each other.
You can say what each of you did well,
and what went wrong.
They must teach their tricks and techniques to their rivals.
Let's start with Yui.
Your vertical layers were too wide.
It makes the cut look messy.
The gap between the layers
is too pronounced.
I noticed you spend too much
time preparing haircut guidelines.
You're right.
How do I speed things up?
If you don't share your techniques,
others won't share theirs.
If you keep them a secret,
everyone has to fend for themselves.
You'll stop growing
and get left behind.
If these students have frank discussions,
they can learn to brainstorm.
It also lets them identify
their strengths and weaknesses.
It's all about addressing their shortcomings
through repeated practice.
Anju has mixed feelings about her teacher's approach.
How can I be number one
if I share all my techniques?
I need to keep some aces
up my sleeve.
It may seem calculating, but it's
important to keep some things secret.
Anju is not the only student with reservations about the teaching approach.
Reiya is sitting apart from the group, jotting down her observations.
I get what our teacher is trying to do.
But when I make a decision,
I stick to it, no matter what anyone says.
It's important to focus on my own learning.
There's no other option.
Reiya is determined to move at her own pace, unfazed by others' opinions.
The Yosakoi Festival is taking place after a three-year hiatus,
but the five students are busy training.
That includes washing the mannequin heads they practice on.
Each one costs around $30.
They'll go through around 20 of them in preparation for the championship.
Ready, go.
On this day, there's a mock exam.
During the actual competition, they will have 20 minutes to cut hair to a predetermined length.
Grace and precision are key.
The style of this year's championship is called "the graduated bob."
The bangs need to be neat and straight, and both sides have to be the same width.
The finish has to be just right.
Skill and sensibility are what will set the winners apart.
Toshiaki chooses the results that he thinks have what it takes.
For me, Anju's is the only one
good enough for nationals.
If I were the judge,
that's who I would choose.
This is the cut Anju worked on.
Toshiaki praised it for its neat finish, especially the bangs.
The section around the nape is thinly cut,
but that makes it even better than usual.
His comments made me so happy.
I have to keep that to myself,
since some others didn't do so well.
I was so happy, I thought,
"Really? No way!"
How did Reiya do?
Not bad, but this part is too wide.
The section from the corners of the eyes to the hairline was not equidistant.
Our teacher mentioned who
he thinks is good enough for the nationals.
I'm disappointed he didn't choose me.
On this day, Toshiaki brings a special guest.
Hello.
Good to see you.
Okabe Kota is a former student.
He came in second in the hairdressing championship, and has won many other awards.
There's too much volume in the bottom.
You need to cut it more.
For each line, you need to look at it like this.
And this.
He teaches for almost three hours.
The students are starting to look worn out.
Let's call it a day.
I'm beat.
I want to hit the sack.
The students bring the lesson to a close, without their teacher's permission.
It's time to practice, but Toshiaki is nowhere in sight.
Our teacher's not coming today.
He's fuming.
I think he's more
disappointed than angry.
He's not happy we were so lazy,
complaining about being sleepy or hungry.
We're acting spoiled.
They decide to give their teacher a call.
What?
We all had a discussion
and came to a decision.
We'll put in all our efforts into training.
But we can't do it just by ourselves.
We still have things to learn.
Please stick with us till the end.
Some students practice on their own.
But you guys are lucky to get a space
to train and receive guidance from graduates.
Not everyone gets opportunities like that.
Please think about it.
There's no room for regret.
Thank you.
- He's coming.
- I'm going to cry.
What a relief.
No tears.
Toshiaki wanted his students to learn more than just how to cut hair.
Through this contest,
I want them to develop gratitude.
Being open-minded is key.
It helps you grow as a person.
After they graduate, these qualities can
help them nurture relationships with clients.
Reiya was once focused on maintaining her own pace.
But now, that's changed.
I'm struggling with this.
She asks Anju to teach her how to execute the finishing touches.
If you make this section rounder,
it will look higher.
All my effort goes
into the finishing touches.
You're great with both
cutting and brushing.
I'm terrible at cutting.
Reiya is not writing down just her own observations anymore.
She has begun to include advice from her rivals too.
Cutting is her strength.
She shares her techniques with Anju.
Here, take a look.
If it sticks out like this,
you need to cut it off.
It's not good?
No, too much volume.
We can make at least one great style
if we teach each other.
Our work is improving
because we're practicing together.
Reiya is visiting her hometown ahead of the regional competition.
I want to dye my hair before the event.
She's meeting with Nonoshita Miku, the person who inspired her to become a hairdresser.
Miku has some advice.
Experience all kinds of things.
They can help you in unexpected ways.
That can come in handy
when you're struggling.
These experiences can
help you as a hairdresser.
It's motivating to have peers
working hard alongside you.
These five young stylists have competed against and learned from each other.
The bangs are a mess.
I don't know what to do.
As Anju shares her frustrations, her peers jump in to help.
This is how Anju does it.
Wow, you noticed?
I've been off my game recently.
Anju's forgotten how she cuts.
But I still taught Yui how to do it.
At first, I thought I should be sly
and keep my tricks to myself.
But recently, I've been wanting to
cooperate and teach the others.
They've helped me out,
so I'm glad to offer advice as well.
Initially, I thought of them as my rivals.
But we've been practicing until it's late,
I've even seen some of them cry.
Seeing them work hard has
motivated me to do better too.
Inspired me to give it my all.
It's the day of the regionals.
Out of 22 participants, only 2 will be selected for the nationals.
You have 20 minutes.
Get set, go.
The competition is underway.
Then, with two minutes left, Reiya encounters something unexpected.
She and the others are competing in the beauticians category,
while the competition for barbers is taking place nearby.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1, stop.
This announcement was directed at the barbers.
But Reiya thought it was for her group, and put her scissors down.
She didn't complete the finishing touches.
- You didn't hear it properly?
- I didn't.
I panicked.
Everyone was starting to pack up.
- You finished it though?
- Did I?
I know I did the front part.
I'm so worried.
Just calm down.
Let's wait for the results.
They are about to announce the two participants who will advance to the next round.
Entry number 412.
Nonami Reiya.
Entry number 420.
Morita Manaka.
Reiya and Manaka will go to the nationals.
For Anju and the others, it's the end of the road.
My work had a lot of loose ends.
I'm happy I qualified,
but I still have plenty of regrets.
Time to practice more.
I'm off.
The two are practicing
for the nationals.
The bangs should be here.
The members who did not
qualify continue to show their support.
I'll give it everything I have.
We cried together.
I know how tough this journey is.
That's why I want them to
see it through until the end.
They are carrying the hopes
and expectations of their peers.
They've said things like,
"You'll do great, have fun."
Those words were so reassuring.
I want to work hard for
the three who didn't make it.
The big day has arrived.
Competing against each other are the 25 winners of the regional rounds.
One of them will win the title of Best Student Hairdresser.
Haircut, beautician category.
Get ready, begin.
Audience numbers are limited due to COVID restrictions.
- It's starting.
- Oh dear.
I'm so nervous.
The students in Kochi are watching the proceedings.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1, stop.
Runner-up, entry number 6025.
Nonami Reiya, Kochi Hairdressing School.
Reiya did not win the grand prize, but she came close.
We encouraged each other
and helped each other grow.
I want to tell her, "Well done."
I didn't come out number one,
but I was able to show off my skills.
I put so much effort into training.
I think I've gotten better.
I hope to keep working hard
as a hairdresser.
For the past four months,
these students have been friendly, supportive rivals in their quest to be number one.
Cheers!
Together, they've grown stronger.
Now they're ready to face their next set of challenges.