It stars Masako Motai as the titular Yoshino, a barber who ensures that every young boy in her village has a bowl-shaped haircut.

When a boy with dyed hair (Hoshi Isida) arrives from Tokyo and refuses to conform to the town's bowl cut, he sparks a rebellion against Yoshino and village tradition.

[1][2][3] Variety's Russell Edwards wrote that the film "schematically uses the village as a microcosm for Japan, and it's not without amusing moments", but noted that "The amount of four-letter words smattered throughout the dialogue — and the pivotal role pornography plays in the storyline — will have conservative Western [audiences] looking askance at this kidpic oddity.

"[1] Tom Horgen of the Minnesota Daily wrote that "The film's gorgeous visuals and comedic tone give it a whimsical, almost fluffy feeling.

"[2] In a review of the film for Midnight Eye, Jasper Sharp concluded: "A great piece of independent filmmaking that actually has something to say, Yoshino's Barber Shop is the kind of low-key offering that, unfortunately, far too seldom makes it past the film festival circuit".