Kyoto Barber & Beauty College (KYORI)

Founded in 1915, KYORI is one of the oldest barbering and beauty colleges in Japan and holds designation from the health ministry, so its two-year barbering course leads to the national licence examination.

The barbering department takes 60 students a year and the beauty department 200. A three-year correspondence course and a dual-licence route are also available, the latter for students who want both the barber and beautician qualifications. First-year fees for the 2026 academic year run around 1.14 to 1.24 million yen for either department, covering tuition across hair, make-up, nail, esthetics and bridal work, with materials charged separately, noticeably less than the Tokyo colleges, which is worth weighing if you are choosing between cities.

One correction: this listing previously pointed at a regional vocational-schools directory page rather than the college itself. The link here is the college’s own site.

A note on Japanese credentials, because they matter more here than almost anywhere. Barbering, riyō, is a licensed profession in Japan. To practise you must graduate from a training facility designated by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare and then pass the national barber examination. A short private course confers nothing. All three Japanese providers listed here are designated colleges, which is why the list is short: in Japan there is essentially no other legitimate route.