Born and raised in Japan, Atsuko was endowed with eyes for the unique, trendy and edgy. She has more than 20 years of experience and has completed training in a myriad of cut and color techniques including Balayage Boot Camp, Bumble & Bumble, DiPietro Todd, Vidal Sassoon and Goldwell, and never stop learning.
This has given her a thorough understanding of the art, enabling her to keep the integrity of her clients' hair while color correcting in any shade. Today, Atsuko is a color specialist and a Balayage artist with a very strong sense of color theory. Nothing makes her happier than mixing up a bowl of different hues, a process clients love to watch.
This has given her a thorough understanding of the art, enabling her to keep the integrity of her clients' hair while color correcting in any shade. Today, Atsuko is a color specialist and a Balayage artist with a very strong sense of color theory. Nothing makes her happier than mixing up a bowl of different hues, a process clients love to watch.
Reviews (19)
Ash N.
Aug 15, 2021
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I went to Atsuko for a hair cut and color. Before my appointment, I sent pictures of my hair, sent an email, and had a phone call with her to make it very clear that my hair is wavy, coarse, and textured. I did this because I've had bad experiences at salons before, and wanted to be upfront.
Atsuko was extremely pleasant, nice, and seemed very knowledgeable about how to dye certain types of hair. However, despite her best effort, my hair was not dyed or styled satisfactorily. She acknowledged this, offered a discount, and afterwards informed me that she wouldn't be able to work with
Atsuko was extremely pleasant, nice, and seemed very knowledgeable about how to dye certain types of hair. However, despite her best effort, my hair was not dyed or styled satisfactorily. She acknowledged this, offered a discount, and afterwards informed me that she wouldn't be able to work with
Grace K.
Jul 02, 2021
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Carmina C.
Mar 13, 2021
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Atsuko, she's a gem! I've been going to her for some time now. I got my haircut done first with her for my first appointment, the next one was getting my first Balayage for my 28th birthday last year.
She's so passionate and does her work effortlessly. Whenever I show her what I want for my hair through pictures to make it easier for her to craft her work on my hair. She never disappoints!
I love that she has her own private salon; Super COVID friendly & cleanliness is on point
I'm so glad my sister, recommended me to her. Now, I have a hairstylist that I can count
She's so passionate and does her work effortlessly. Whenever I show her what I want for my hair through pictures to make it easier for her to craft her work on my hair. She never disappoints!
I love that she has her own private salon; Super COVID friendly & cleanliness is on point
I'm so glad my sister, recommended me to her. Now, I have a hairstylist that I can count
Lyn C.
Mar 09, 2021
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I've been going to Atsuko for a while now. I first started going to her when she worked in a salon in Emeryville and now she has her own spot. I'm very comfortable seeing her during shelter in place. She's keeps her private studio very clean and takes all the necessary precautions. She is very kind and puts a lot of care into everything she does. Such a pro at balayages!!
Marge N.
Jun 24, 2020
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Atsuko has been cutting my hair for years, as well as my daughters' whenever they're in town. But it had been awhile because of shelter-in-place. Upon re-opening, I was able to get an appointment, and happy to see all of the procedures in place to keep both of us healthy. As usual, I received a beautifully sculpted cut, even more appreciated after so many months.
Tina W.
Dec 06, 2019
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Joan G.
Nov 22, 2019
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Soyun L.
Sep 04, 2019
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Lisa W.
Jul 21, 2019
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I've been getting my hair cut and colored regularly with Atsuko for about 9 months and am so glad that I found her. She did a beautiful natural looking balayage on my dark hair. I always look forward to my appointments with her. She gives me a cup of tea and then I just sit back and let her work her magic.
Hazel I.
Jun 24, 2019
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Super happy I found Atsuko! She gave me an A line hair cut and a conditioning treatment and I was very pleased with everything!! I was scared to go short but she made me feel comfortable and confident with my choice! My hair now looks for healthier and thicker after cutting off all my dead ends!! Can't wait to see her too. She's such a great person to talk to which is also a plus!!
Lynn L.
Mar 11, 2019
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Apryl H.
Mar 01, 2019
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Atsuko is absolutely amazing. She is a very talented colorist. I am so happy to finally find someone close and talented. I gave her two pictures of what I wanted and text her a picture of what my hair looks like. She is very professionally trained in color and my hair turned out pretty darn close to the picture I gave her as an example. I will be back!
Jenny H.
Dec 22, 2018
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I love Atsuko. I have followed her to four different salons now, and have been going to her for nearly 20 years. I moved to Fairfax when she was working in Emeryville, and the commute was so bad that I went to a local stylist for a while. I hated the way he did my hair, so I went back. There is nobody as good that I have found.
Julie S.
Nov 18, 2018
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I have been a client of Atsuko's for many years. I love how she cares about my hair; wants it be healthy and look good. She is an expert with hair colors -it is fascinating to watch her at work. Plus she is fun and interesting to to be with. I always enjoy my time with her. I also love her new salon; it is close to stores and restaurants and has lots of free parking!
Jennifer M.
Nov 14, 2018
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Atsuko is fantastic. I first went to her for a color correction and she did a wonderful job making my hair look healthier than it was at the time. Since then we've had some fun- I went short & platinum- she's great with color! I definitely recommend Atsuko to anyone looking for a truly professional and artistic hair stylist.
Shirley C.
Oct 19, 2018
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I got my hair done by Atsuko a few weeks ago and I am still in love with it. I had really long, heavy hair that I felt weighed down by. I was more than ready to cut it short so when I came across Atsuko's yelp page while looking for hair stylists close to me. Her web page is easy to navigate and I love being able to book appointments online. The day of my appointment, I had a vague idea of what I wanted. Atsuko did a great job of cutting my hair short. She is super knowledgeable. I used to have a really hard time styling my hair. It never turned out how I wanted but Atsuko gave me really good
Christina U.
Oct 07, 2018
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Atsuko is great! My hair was already dyed multiple times and pretty damaged, but she revamped it and gave me my first balayage. I've never gone this light and wasn't sure if I would suit blonde hair, but she did a great job choosing a shade that matched my skin tone. On top of that, it's been over 3 weeks and it's not brassy at all and still looks healthy! Definitely recommend!
Toshimi F.
Aug 31, 2018
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I first went to Atsuko because a good friend recommended her to me. The last time I went, she did a custom balayage and turned my hair a bright pinkish red. I've gotten tons of compliments on my hair! She uses high quality products, so even after 2 months my hair still looked amazing (see second photo). Atsuko's salon is small but well-decorated, and since my hair took such a long time to work on, she provided yummy coffee, tea, and snacks. I'll keep returning to her to keep my hair looking great!
Juliet B.
Jul 23, 2015
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I love haircuts from Atsuko! I have yet to have a haircut I was unhappy with in the last 10+ years. My experience has always been a high quality haircut that grows out beautifully.
Where Atusko really shines is in wonderfully shaped shorter cuts, I always got a ton of compliments and again, they grew out so nicely -- none of that horribly awkward growth.
Lately I've grown my hair out longer and Atusko shapes it and makes sure that it stays healthy enough to keep growing out. I am thankful to have Atsuko and not have to worry about whether I'll like my next haircut!
Where Atusko really shines is in wonderfully shaped shorter cuts, I always got a ton of compliments and again, they grew out so nicely -- none of that horribly awkward growth.
Lately I've grown my hair out longer and Atusko shapes it and makes sure that it stays healthy enough to keep growing out. I am thankful to have Atsuko and not have to worry about whether I'll like my next haircut!
