Peter's Japan blog

Japense barber shops can be detected by looking for a long tube with a blue/red/white cylinder in it rotating. Each one of them has it, and in all sizes.

I've read stories about these barber shops that have like 12 employees each having another task: one that takes your coat, one to put on a hot towel, one to ask how you would like your hair cut, one to cut your hair, one to ask if you need your side burns done, one to put on the shaving cream, one to shave them, one to finish up, and on at the counter ;p
I haven't been to one personally, but I'm guessing this is not in every little barber shop, but then again, you never know in Japan ^^;