When you’re at the hairdresser’s, the pressure is at its greatest: You’re trapped and there’s no choice but to make conversation — unless you’ve specifically asked your stylist for the “silent treatment.”

More options for conversation-less services in Japan — from haircuts and taxi rides to retail store and restaurant visits — are catering to customers who want to politely avoid idle chitchat with strangers.

At Hair Works Credo, a salon in Tokyo’s Setagaya Ward, guests can choose a conversational or hushed approach. There are three courses to choose from: normal talking, less talking and no talking. After an initial consultation, the silent experience begins.