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Expensive Japanese nail clippers: Are they worth it?

Oona McGee Nov 8, 2023
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Precision quality from a city known for its blacksmithing techniques.

Our reporter Mr Sato has been neglecting his nails lately, and though his talons aren’t particularly long, they’ve been getting in the way of his two loves, writing and pole dancing. With his typing speed and grip on the dancing pole compromised, he began to realise just how important it was to keep his nails trimmed, so he decided to give them the attention they deserve — by throwing away his old nail clippers and investing in a top-of-the-range model instead.

After doing some research online, he found that retail chain Tokyu Hands would be the best place to peruse a wide range of nail clippers, so that’s where he headed. When he arrived on the healthcare floor of the store, he wasn’t disappointed, because there, hanging from hooks in one section was the widest variety of nail clippers he’d ever seen.

With so many options in front of him, Mr Sato began to feel anxious about making the right choice for his delicate nails, but then his eye wandered towards the top of the display, where he saw the most expensive models.

These models were made by Suwada, an esteemed manufacturer of nail clippers founded in the city of Sanjo in Niigata Prefecture, an area renowned for its blacksmithing techniques. With prices sitting around the 5,000-7,000-yen (US$33.42-$46.78) mark, these were precision clippers so special they were locked away inside the showcase, requiring a staff member to retrieve them.

Mr Sato had his eye on the 5,390-yen nail clippers, but at that moment an elderly man came along and bought that very model, which turned out to be the last one in stock at the store.

The customer seemed to be incredibly knowledgeable about nail-clipping, even explaining some of the merits of these clippers to the store clerk who helped him, so Mr Sato couldn’t feel too bad about the clippers going to such a deserving gent.

The customer’s rave review sold him on the Suwada clippers, though, so he ended up spending a little more, purchasing the “Tsumekiri Puchi” (“Petit Nail Clippers”), a hybrid model that combines the best features of the company’s clipper types and nipper types, for 6,930 yen.

▼ Beautiful packaging for a beautiful product.

Founded in 1926, Suwada not only makes nail clippers, but bonsai scissors, kitchen tools, and knives, which are highly sought after by professionals.

The company places an emphasis on high-quality construction and design, and this particular model is deigned to look like a wooden clothes peg.

This model combines clipper-shaped slicing with nipper-type blades, polished by craftsmen to ensure the upper and lower blades fit together perfectly, without any gaps.

By cutting into the nail perpendicularly, this blade reduces the stress on the nail and prevents it from being cut into odd shapes. The resulting cut is so clean you don’t even need to use a nail file afterwards.

▼ When the nail clippers are closed, they fit together perfectly, with no gap for even a single hair to fit through.

The product fits comfortably in the hand and is made of stainless steel, giving it a heavy, solid feel.

Feeling ashamed of the state of his nails, Mr Sato got to work giving them a makeover, and the first cut felt very different to a cheap set of clippers.

Mr Sato’s nails felt like bonsai branches being cleanly cut from the tree, with each downward motion on the clippers trimming them with a confident snapping sound. Zooming in for a closer look at the resulting cut, he could see that the edge of the nail looked nice and smooth, with no nicks whatsoever.

It was almost as if his nails were smiling at him, thanking him for making the investment to help them look and feel their best. It was the most money he’s ever spent on nail clippers, but Mr Sato reckons these will last a lifetime, especially with Suwada offering a resharpening and replacement parts service on its products.

With these clippers in his cabinet, and a new 30,000-yen wooden comb in his top pocket, Mr Sato is now on a mission to overhaul his lifestyle by investing in high-quality products. Previously mundane tasks like nail-cutting and hair-brushing now bring him immeasurable amounts of joy, so we can’t wait to see what he invests in next!

Related: Suwada
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