Guys!
It happened, it happened! I got to visit Japan and attend the highly regarded and talked about Tokyo Nail Expo!
This is a nail show I’ve had on my radar since 2016, and if I’m very honest… I never had a solid plan to attend. It seemed like a big deal to me to attend, in all the ways, but it did always linger in my mind… as a “it would be nice”-kind of thought.
In fact, and a really… fun fact, I attended on 24-hour notice. And no, I don’t have a private yet. I flew economy.
You heard right; I only made the decision to fly to Japan the day before leaving. Absolutely wild, I know… my family and I are still in disbelief that we made it happen, and I think we’re always going to be.
In this video, I’ll be sharing how this all came about, the highlights of my experience, showing you my nail haul (spoiler alert, it wasn’t as big as you would imagine), before wrapping things up with pointers from me and some of my peers that can help you, should you decide to one day attend the Tokyo Nail Expo yourself.
Let’s dive in.
Alright, how did this even happen?
Again, it was always just a thought.
But this year, we got a nudging and an official invitation from Koko-san, owner of Kokoist products, to visit Japan and attend the Tokyo Nail Expo.
It all started in March when we got together for our California educator event. Koko casually invited us all to Japan for the November annual Tokyo Nail Expo. For the most part, we all thought: “Sure, that would be nice.” At least I did.
But then her team sent a formal invitation to us, where she mentioned there would be “happenings” if enough of us attended, like dinners, a field trip to her manufacturing facility, and 2-day show tickets.
I still said no, in my head, at least. Nowadays, long-distance travel makes me uneasy.
But there did seem to be a lot of ‘yays’ among my peers, so the invitation was well received!
And that was that. The warm invitation settled in my inbox.
Then, approximately 2 weeks before the Expo, my husband mentioned something about plane tickets to Japan being ridiculously low. I said, “Japan? … you know Koko-san did invite us.” we got excited for about 2 minutes before realizing one of our passports was expired, and there was no way we would get it within 2 weeks.
It was an exciting thought for the 2 minutes it lasted.
Incredibly enough, the passport gets shipped to us way faster than expected, and the hubby gets an alert that tickets are still at the same record-low price…
And then we start really thinking about it, and finally say… “Let’s do it. We’re doing it.”… and we leave the next day. I know. Crazy.
And just like that, the next morning, we were en route to Japan.
After 16 hours of total travel time, we landed at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan.
I’m so excited at this point and totally having a pinch-me moment.
The Tokyo Nail Expo isn’t until another 3 days or so, but our itinerary extraordinaire (my husband) puts some things together for us to keep us quite engaged while in Japan. We stayed a total of 7 days in Japan, maybe 8, and I seriously don’t know because there is a 14-hour difference, which made it really hard for me to keep track of what day it was.
Our first night we spent it in Shibuya, where we enjoyed the best fresh mochi and got to experience a serene trip to Don Quijote in the middle of the night because we were, obviously, wide awake. This actually ended up being a good thing because this store, which sells just about anything you can imagine, is apparently chaos during the day.
Totally not our experience; we like had the store all to ourselves, and if you’re wondering what we bought… the answer is… STUFF … with a big emphasis on snacks. Yeah, I think that’s the main reason you want to visit Don-Qui: to get all of the different Japanese snacks and treats. I even bought a second luggage there, but that was for later shopping in Tokyo.
Either way, we stayed in Shibuya for about a day and a half before traveling about two hours to Kyoto, where we stayed, I believe for two and a half days.
Shibuya is very “walkable” and not very big, I think, so I definitely recommend you add it to your itinerary. And I think it could totally be a one-day stay or a trip to and from Japan. I recommend you add it to your itinerary should you visit Japan for the Nail Expo.
OK, so off we went to Kyoto, which seemed to me like the matcha capital of Japan. I even got to try a delicious Matcha ice cream at the train station, which was delish. Sidenote: Japanese treats are nowhere near as sweet as American treats, so I felt like it was hard to overindulge in Japan.
Kyoto is like a 2-hour trip from Tokyo, but it is so mellow out there. It’s like the backcountry to Tokyo. In my eyes, Tokyo is like New York on steroids, and Kyoto is a little bit like Los Angeles, with less hustle and bustle. It is still very busy but feels a lot more liveable.
Again, it’s quite a train trip away from Tokyo, but I think if you add two days to your itinerary, it’s worth it.
There are certainly a lot of touristy things to do in Kyoto, which I unfortunately had to opt out of to be with the little one. But my personal favorite thing was the Nishiki Market, which is like a 5 block open market where you can grab a whole array of seafood items on skewers.
If you do decide to visit Kyoto, you won’t regret it. Just account for the two hours to and from Tokyo, which may allow you to catch up on some sleep anyway.
Alright, Shibuya. Kyoto. Done. Off to Tokyo, we went.
Then, we headed to Tokyo for the Nail Expo, where we finished our stay in Japan.
Here’s how the Tokyo Nail Expo went…
✨Day 1, Tokyo Nail Expo!
Remember, Kokoist kindly reserved tickets for us all, so I wouldn’t know exactly how much they were, but I’ll link you to the website down below if you’re ever interested in attending.
Just FYI, unlike American beauty shows… children are allowed to attend the Tokyo Nail Expo. I think they do have a “no stroller” policy, so bring your baby carrier if you decide to bring your infant along.
Kokoist’s director of operations met us in the front to give us our tickets. She’s so sweet and beautiful, isn’t she? She’s Mexican and Japanese, so extra cool in my books.
We then had to check in with the front desk to activate or register them. I honestly am not sure because everything was in Japanese. They do have an English-speaking person at the front, and they just guided me through the online pages on my phone, telling me what to fill out and skip.
So, there will be help in English once you get there.
I do have to mention that so many people speak English in Japan, and the few you interact with that don’t, and you can just use the Google Translator App on your phone. That was very helpful a few times, for sure.
So in we go!
The Kokoist booth happens to be right by the door, and warm and exciting hellos are exchanged.
I take in the Kokoist booth in all of its glory. Kokoist has a couple of off-shoot brands in Japan that we don’t have here in the U.S., like Gelist, which carries nail art items, and Bondist, which is a permanent bracelet jewelry line.
The bigger Japanese brands build these mini-stages with popular artists holding sessions, which I think is genius. I think the hair brands do that here, too, where rather than going off to some classroom, brands make the learning part of the show-floor experience.
Oh, and I finally got to meet my favorite Kokoist artist- Hiyo!
Alright, off I go for my first stroll at the oh-so-popular Tokyo Nail Expo!
I got there approximately 3 hours before it ended, so this first day, I just walked around and sort of slowly and candidly took as much as could in.
The last 3 hours of the show were super chill. I really should have gotten my shopping in then, but you’re a bit conflicted as a foreigner; you want to see it all and don’t want to get stuck in a line, so I just kept strolling.
The lines at this nail show, and yes, this is a nails-only show, can be as long as two hours long. [SIDENOTE: Japan does have another beauty show in May, I believe (Beauty World Japan), and that show encompasses all beauty industries. I hear it is as big of a deal, so do consider that one also in case November doesn’t fit your schedule.]
I check out some booths and say hi to one of my longtime favorite Japanese nail artists, Ageha, and yay! She remembers me.
I met Ageha early in my journey into potted soft gel systems in California approximately 8 years ago!
When I tell you, she is an artist at heart… She is an artist at heart. She is very creative and unique and seems to never run out of nail art ideas. She may have been the artist who created the 3D shell design, which is now an evergreen design making a comeback every Spring and Summer. I say may because I remember that post on her Instagram blowing up like 4 years ago, and as I said, she’s pretty unique and innovative.
Another booth I spent some time at was the Para Gel booth. It was actually my husband who wanted to check it out, as the booth was very unique. Part of my husband’s previous work experience actually involved ordering and designing the booth space at trade shows for their company. So he was like, “Woe. Who is that?” when he saw their booth.
You may remember Para Gel from one of my previous nail haul videos, and in it I showcased the professional starter kit they so generously sent us a few months ago.
And really, after that, we lingered for just a little bit. On this day 1, I only bought one thing: these diamond cuticle pushers… which I sadly lost by the time we made it back to our hotel that day.
These were like $50 diamond cuticle pushers, but the reason why I was like, “Give me two of those,” was because the pusher end was finely encrusted with diamond particles. SO unique, and this is why you’re at these shows to see the new-new!
Either way, trying to move past the sucky feeling of having lost them.
So that was the show, at least on Day 1.
But Day 1 in Tokyo was not over.
Kokoist hosted a dinner for the USA squad, including educators and distributors from around the world.
It was such a treat, and really unbelievable because the last time we were all together like this was in LA, and now here we were in Tokyo together!
Like, who do we think we are with our international meetups?
✨Day 2 of the Expo
Ok, on Day 2 of the expo, I decided to do a bit more filming, and of course shopping.
And I have to say this now…
Yes, potted soft gel systems continue dominating Japan’s nail scene.
Remember, what is Japanese gel?
Sure, it is a gel that is primarily found in pots and made in Japan, but a less tangible characteristic of Japanese gels is their art capabilities. Japanese gels facilitate an array of nail art techniques. Companies hold their ears to the demand from nail artists for what function or feature they need from their gels to help them create their unique nail art. One of the biggest artistic allurements of Japanese gel to its users is its application form from pot and brush vs. just brushing on gel from a bottle.
Potted soft gel continues to be king in Japan, and we fully embrace that in this channel. In fact, that is why I created the Master Gel Nails Course: to show you my salon method of beautifully smooth and long-wearing overlays using soft gel only. In the course, we primarily use potted soft gel, but I break down all soft gel by explaining the differences among them. Pot or bottle, it depends on the viscosity that you need from the gel and knowing what length of nails you’re working on to properly support them with a gel overlay. If you’re interested in learning more about this course, check out the free masterclass.
So, on Day 2, I got there about an hour after they opened, and the lines were mild in length. (The hubby and the little one were off to find Godzilla because… of course!)
On day 2, I wanted to focus more on shopping, but I made a mistake, well, two, actually, in retrospect.
- One- I should have gotten there right after opening, and…
- Two- I should have focused on shopping first and strolling and filming second.
Learn from me here.
I think “earlier” is the best time to get to the show, on either day, especially on Day 2. I think some hype dwindles at the start of Day 2, and the lines are small enough for you to shop through for the primary things on your shopping list.
Again, I take a stroll, a little too confident that the lines will remain small.
I stop strolling to do a bit of shopping at none other than one of our faves, Leafgel Premium. Immediately, I noticed the new curing unit, which I was so tempted to buy, but I had such limited luggage space that I sadly had to pass, and I just hoped we would get it here in the States soon! Which I think we are!
✨So here’s what I got at Leafgel…
Their new base coat, this one, is supposed to be in between Extreme Clear and Sanding-Free Plus in viscosity. I purchased the 8g, but they also gifted me a 4g jar. I am looking forward to trying this base coat out as I liked the adhesion capability of Extreme Clear, but I always thought it could be a little thicker.
I also snagged their two new brushes. The new Comb gradation brush and Liner M brush. We desperately needed a little thicker liner in Leafgel’s brush lineup. So I’m glad this is finally here.
I think a comparison between this gradation brush and the older one may be worth a comparison video. Let me know in the comments if this interests you.
Lastly, from Leafgel, I purchased their non-wipe art gel, which is a raised gel used for burnishing. I wanted to see how similar or different it was from my favorite one, the Kokoist Accessory Bond.
Just so you know, I haven’t tried any of my Tokyo Nail Expo items, but feel free to check in with me in the future via the comments section to inquire on how I’m liking my new items.
The Leafgel line went by pretty swiftly, but that was as much of the short-line glee as I would experience the rest of the time I stayed on the show floor this second day. It took me, maybe 15 minutes, to pay in the Leafgel checkout line.
By the time I was done there, I decided to check out Vetro, literally on the other side of Leafgel; I delusionally thought there was no line, as there was no line in sight. It turned out it was across the way and at least three times the length of Leafgel’s by this time. 🙁
All I wanted to try from Vetro was the new base coat, Fuji Second, which I haven’t gotten confirmation on how it will compare from Base Max and the other two Fuji bases, as all three of those are going bye, bye.
It looks like Japan has already made the shift, and North America is still in transition, so this is another thing you can keep up with me by inquiring in the comments section. I will update you as soon as I know the official update.
This is when I realized that there was no going back to short lines until closing time was nearing.
So I strolled again until I could find a booth that was not too busy but with something still worthy of purchase. I really didn’t NEED anything, but still very much open to purchasing anything >_<.
I decided just to walk and take it all in. And the lines only got bigger and bigger till the aisles became crowded.
I know I’ve already said it, but get there early, within the first two hours of the show, or you’ll just have to wait until the last 3, for things to die down. The middle hours are definitely all rush hours.
Alright, enough complaining. I stopped at this booth with several brands HBaz? And they had two brands that were a bit familiar to me: Toys X Inity & Flicka. It seems like Inity is a big brand that collaborates with various artists in Japan, and Inity is one of Zillabeau’s news brands that has been added here in the USA.
✨Here’s what I got here:
A newly released spatula, and before you roll your eyes and say come on, a spatula… This one is expertly crafted. See, that is the Japanese style; show me your best… now it’s our turn to do it better… even if it’s just a friggin spatula (lol).
But for real, my friend Hiyo said I needed something like this… especially when molding my molding gel. Something she is a pro at.
This spatula is super lightweight and thin. So it is great for slicing, which is something you do to your molding gel. And if you are at a complete loss, what do you do with molding gel? I was, too, which is why I decided to create Ring Bling, a course to show you 10 different designs using molding gel. I’ll link it down below for you to check out.
Next up from this booth is this new magnet by the brand LEM. Again, don’t you roll your eyes… this magnet is different. It’s rounded and covered by a wooden case to protect it, and it also has this slender magnet that allows you to create curves in your design. See, they re-imagined the magnet.
Lastly, I picked up this palette with soft metallic shades from this booth and Toys X Inity. I know we have chrome pigments here in the States, but these looked a bit more soft.
After this booth, I headed over to the Bio Sculpture vendor, who was also part of another collaborative booth. I stocked up on some potted clear gel essentials. I inquired about the Evo line, and nope, again, bottled gel to them is a downgrade… because it really is, guys. It literally uses less of the expensive stuff to make. It is still of good quality but slightly diluted in strength.
Fun fact: I just took a refresher course with Bio Sculpture and look forward to using them more this year.
At the start of this channel, over 5 years ago now, I wanted to make things easier for you and me, and I made the hard decision not to incorporate Bio Sculpture too much, but if you’ve been here for some time, you know Bio Sculpture is how I initially started in potted soft gels, and they are the inventors of UV soak-off gel.
You see, product lines have so many changes and new releases, and I didn’t want to carry the weight of keeping up with four brands. This year, I look forward to focusing more on only two brands, as I want to focus on other things in the business, but I just want to know if a brand gets featured in this channel. We have some know, like, and trust factors with them.
Do note that here in the US, Bio Sculpture sells only to licensed professionals.
Ok, a little more strolling before it was time to get my Bondist on.
I seriously was so excited about this. The sweet Erina took up the videographer role while I was initiated, and the procedure was quick.
I was a bit nervous about having this be permanent… but seriously, it is so thin and comfortable; definitely a keeper…
Yes, I had made terms with tarrying it off if it was the slightest bit uncomfortable.
That’s how I am nowadays if it’s not a fit… out of my life.
But it wasn’t. Highly recommend.
But Bondist is not offered in the US, for now.
And that was all I did at the trade show, believe me… you could do way more than I did, especially if you are a beginner or actively doing nails.
As a beginner in nails, shows make such an impact on you. I can surely remember my first show experience. I felt like a princess, treating myself to everything in the name of business. (lol)
And if you’re actively servicing clients, traveling overseas can build up your value with them, like… “Wow. You’re applying things you bought in Japan on me!” They truly will feel special, as if you took the trip for them.
✨On Day 3 of our Tokyo stay…
Dad and son went off on their excursions while I walked Tokyo and shopped. Of course, I did.
I was on a mission to buy comfortable shoes, a trench coat, and some jeans. I’m such a homebody that I don’t know what I need on outings until I’m there… and I still didn’t know what to wear for that night’s event. Give me a break! I flew out on less than 24 hours’ notice, remember!?
And there was urgency; I had to walk my buns back to the hotel and catch a cab in time for dinner with the Koko-fam again.
On day 3 in Tokyo after the nail expo, Koko-san hosted an educational event for all Japanese artists, which included a dinner party. Koko again graciously invited the USA and International Squad to attend.
And little did we know what we were in for.
Every year, I think there is a talent show. Educators form groups and perform. And I mean perform.
It was wild. The food and the people were great. So much fun! Thank you, and well done Koko-fam.
But the Kokoist happenings were not over.
Day 4 of our Tokyo stay …
Included a visit to Kokoist’s manufacturing facility, Japan Chemi-Tech, which I so sadly skipped on to see more of Japan, particularly the Mount Fuji area.
Koko-san AGAIN went above and beyond to make her educators feel welcome while in her home country. Not only did she make sure all were fed, but she hosted a class with her lead chemist and other members of her production team, and rumor has it… she actually closed half of production at her facility to host us. Guys. I could cry. That was SO nice.
I knew I would be missing out, but I soothed myself by walking over to the Kokoist Japan office in the glamorous district of Tokyo, Ginza.
Day 5 and last day…
Our last day in Tokyo was a half day.
It consisted of visiting the zoo (the husband and I have been zoo connoisseurs since even before our son, so we had to), and a quick stop in Shinjuku because… you know, boys and Godzilla.
Off we were on our way back home, knowing we had just had the experience of a lifetime. One last trip to 7-Eleven because it’s not 7-Eleven as you know it here in the US. It’s totally different.
So let’s bring it all home…
Should you consider visiting the Tokyo Nail Expo? Yes! But make sure that you budget for an extended stay. You are in Japan. There is so much to do, eat, and see.
Keep your eyes on the Japanese yen, too; at our time of travel, apparently, the Japanese yen was at its lowest level.
Ultimately, I took this trip because deep in my heart, it felt like it was this channel’s birthright trip.
What set us apart here in our early beginnings of YouTube, our start in 2017, and then our real start in 2019, was talking about something that I thought was great but that no one was shedding a light on like it needed to, and that was Japanese gel.
I couldn’t believe that I was the only one who thought this niche was so artistically fun. And I wasn’t wrong. I kept going and talking about it until enough people listened. And here you are with me today, listening about an extraordinary trip that wouldn’t have happened without all of the hard work that has gone into creating this channel and community. You contributed to this, and I wanted to make sure I shared this experience with you. So, a big thank you to you for making my dreams possible, and I continue to be here for you to make yours very possible!
I want to encourage you to find your voice and niche and use ours to specialize in premium soft gel formulas like Japanese gel. I want you to! They up-leveled my business and that of students and peers, so by all means partake! There’s enough here for all of us.
Which brings me to my next point.
Make money in this nail industry. What do I mean? All of my peers who attended were not only “brand educators”; they were content creators and business owners of their own. They’re out there like me, putting in the work. They create content, and they are distributors, salon owners, educators, and nail techs. They diversify their income streams to make things like this happen for them. You can, too. This was by no means “an all expenses paid” trip. Save your money, yes, but most importantly, get out there and make more. Do it within your capabilities; manage risk, but also believe in yourself!
I hope you enjoyed this video with me. If you did, give a thumbs-up to boost it up in the algorithm so that we can help more nail artists experience the Tokyo Nail Expo.
Thank you for watching; if you enjoyed this video, consider watching this one, up next.
Otherwise, bye for now.
Content written by Paola Ponce.
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