Orthodox flock to Japanese stylist

Atsuko Tanaka doesn’t fit the standard “sheitel lady” profile. Nonetheless, many discriminating, well-to-do ultra-Orthodox Jewish women trust her to take care of their $5,000-plus wigs.

The Japanese-American Tanaka may not know more than a few words of Yiddish, but what she does know is how to expertly style an exorbitantly expensive hairpiece. Consequently, Haredi women (or sometimes just their wigs, delivered by limousine) have been flocking to her chair at the tony Julien Farel Salon on Madison Avenue in Manhattan.

“They call me the Japanese sheitel macher,” Tanaka, 39, told a New York Times reporter who came to watch her in action.

Tanaka, who has styled the hair of celebrities and royalty, is used to pressure. But these super-expensive wigs create stress on a whole different level. “The hardest part is that you cannot mess up — the hair will not grow back,” remarked Tanaka “You make one mistake, and it’s ruined.”

It’s not just New Yorkers who have heard of Tanaka. Her business comes from word of mouth, with stylists in Israel recommending her to their clients. This time of year, with Passover quickly approaching, clients are even paying for Tanaka to be driven or flown out of town to provide her services.

Tanaka’s clients don’t wig out over her minimum $450 fee. “These women know I’m from Japan, so I have to be perfect — it’s our culture, we have to be precise,” Tanaka said. “They’re bringing their culture to me, so I want to bring my culture to them.”

That doesn’t mean she completely gets the sheitel thing. “They’re paying too much for modesty,” she said. “My clients want me to cover their head with something that looks better than their own hair.”