Nailing a Fashion Trend

(Left) The Japan Nailist Association organizes a nail expo every November to coincide with “Nail Month.” In November 2012, the two-day 17th Tokyo Nail Expo, held at Tokyo Big Site, attracted 54,000 visitors. (Right) One of the its highlights was a “natiful” contest (a term that combines “nail” and “beautiful”), where models are judged for their overall appearance, including hair, makeup, dress, and of course nails. (Photo courtesy of the Japan Nailist Association.)

Tonomura Masako, a nailist at Yumi Kinoshita Make-up & Nail Atelier, placed second in the 2012 Tokyo Nail Expo’s “natiful” contest for professionals. She says that the defining characteristic of nail services in Japan comes down to the hospitality afforded customers and the ambience of the salon space.

Tonomura’s entry in the “naitiful” contest, which took her over a month to prepare, incorporated an East-meets-West style, incorporating such traditional Japanese elements as peonies and paper fans.

A design by Nadine (left) and Hokuri (middle) featuring gel nails with a bright color base. (Right) Toenail creations from Tóut Soleil.

Women often visit a nail salon for the first time around the time they get married. Nails done in a pink or white base with pearl or flowered “bridal tips” are particularly popular. (Photo courtesy of Innocent) (Right) Nails are also decorated with rhinestones, studs, and glitter. (Photo courtesy of esNAIL)

Goods line the shelves of at the stalls of Nail Expo.

A Sha-Nail Pro sheet of butterflies. The sheets are intended for professional nail artists but can also be purchased by individuals in Japan. (Photo courtesy of Props Co.)

Photos of nail art courtesy of (from left) Takata Masumi (Office Glowbiz Style), Nadine, and La Couronne.