Beauty Spot: Japan style at Terra by Afloat

Nadine Kam photos
Terra by Afloat owner Ayako Hombo, left, with hairstylist Hide Shibata.

The new Japanese-style hair salon Terra by Afloat opened its doors Dec. 1, and hosted a grand opening party Dec. 20, with a trio of 5-minute hair demonstrations that included a long cut, an updo and frothy curls with no perm.

Afloat is a popular beauty salon chain throughout Japan, noted for its association with numerous Japanese celebrities and JPop group such as News, Kat-tun and Kanjani 8.

Terra by Afloat owner Ayako Hombo said she'd been traveling to Hawaii for four years and noticed a number of boutiques and restaurants catering to individuals from Japan, and she thought what was missing were salons.

"My friend said he was having a difficult time choosing a salon," she said. "He said he was scared to try a local salon."

The new salon will focus on haircuts, color, Japanese straight perms, eyelash extensions, and a room upstairs makes it possible to to feature esthetic services such as facials, lymph drainage, lomilomi and hot stone massage services.

Hombo said one difference between American and Japanese salons is that many American salons use only a few chemical systems for perms and color, but Japan salons feature a larger array to accommodate many different types of hair.

The new salon is at 560 Pensacola St., between Kapiolani Boulevard and Waimanu Street. Call 596-2386 or visit www.terrabyafloat.com.


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After the hair demo, stylist Keiji Ogikubo hammed it up with his model Emily Aoyama.

From left are models Aoyama, Calla Camero and Kim Long.

Pupu were presented on the stylists' tool carts.

Hide Shibata's tool arsenal included a Spider-Man pen.

Japan wears: Fur

Rae Huo photos


Hawaii-based photographer Rae Huo is on the road again and sent back these photos from Japan documented the fur trend there.

"Fur is everywhere," Rae reports and, being a photographer, her favorite pieces are the faux fur animal gloves. "Can you see me holding my camera with them on!" she wrote.

Check out more of her work at her website: www.raehuosworld.com

This has nothing to do with fur, but one day last year Rae came over to my house and took this series of photos of one of my birds enjoying his bath:

Surf culture reinterpreted by 24 Karats Surf

Nadine Kam photos
LDH (Love+Dream+Happiness) Apparel/24 Karats Surf designer Manabu Kawatani, left, and 24 Karats Surf manager Megumi Suzuki greet visitors at the front of the new 24 Karats Surf store at 260 Beachwalk Ave., in Waikiki.


Surf culture is alive and well in Japan, and the wave has hit Hawaii with the opening of 24 Karats Surf, a Hawaiian-style clothing brand from LDH Apparel, designed by Manabu Kawatani, and inspired by one of Japan's hottest pop stars, Takahiro, of the group Exile.

A grand opening party took place Nov. 1, from 11:45 a.m., but fans from Japan were camped outside the store before it opened, long before shoppers were to be admitted at 1 p.m. Most were hoping for a glimpse of Takahiro, who wasn't slated to attend.

I didn't know much about the company before heading out, and I kept looking for a jewelry store on Waikiki Beach Walk before being redirected to Beachwalk Avenue around the corner. Ohhh! Pay attention now because the building it's in is in a flurry of construction, with the new Hard Rock Cafe and Wyland Cafe in the works.

In the meantime,  24 Karats Surf embraces nostalgia for 1970s Americana and Hawaii tropical and beach boy themes, with tanks (about $38), T-shirts (about $40), caps and accessories for men and women. There are also 24K-branded macadamia nut chocolates and coffee, ready for the holidays.

Exile has a 24 Karats urban/street brand in Japan, but the surf line is available only in Hawaii ... at least for now.

From left, Naoto Maekawa, Reiko Tokushige Rogers and Tetsuzo Nagashima, were among the guests at the grand opening.

On the hat rack.

Exile fans from Japan showed up for the opening.

You can tell the shop is designed for Japanese, rather than Hawaii clientele since the extra-large aloha shirt in Pam Davis's hands is equivalent to an American-size medium.

More T-shirts on display.

Usually, store openings are associated with delicate finger foods befitting scrawnier fashionistas, but this one had an incredible spread from nearby Arancino restaurant, including three different kinds of pasta, three different kinds of pizza, a trio of salads, and more.

A beautiful caprese featured imported mozzarella.

There were deli meats and sliced Parmesan.

A manager's special pizza was topped with shrimp, onions and garlic.