About Komo
Nail artist · Educator · Burnaby, BC
Komo,
in layers.
I’m Komo, the artist and educator behind Ajisai Nail. I create Japanese gel nail art with sheer colour, hand-painted flowers and carefully built detail.
From my studio in Burnaby to the classes I teach, I share the same love of colour, texture and depth.
Burnaby, British Columbia
Airbrush Educator
and online classes.
A little about me
Small details.
A style of your own.
Komo
I’m Komo. I opened Ajisai Nail in Burnaby in 2019, and my work now brings together studio appointments, nail education and Muguet, my handmade press-on line.
I build designs in translucent layers of colour, sometimes with hand-painted watercolour, sometimes with sculptural 3D detail, so a nail becomes a tiny painting you can look into, not just look at. Flowers keep finding their way into that world: soft petals beneath the surface, a small bouquet, or a shape that changes as you turn your hand.
That is the thread through everything I do: in the studio, in the classroom, and in every set of press-on nails that leaves my hands. Texture, dimension, and a style of your own are what I keep exploring, and what I want to share with my students.
I have trained in Japan, China and New York, and I keep training still: advanced gel techniques, nail watercolour, and corrective nail care and rehabilitation. Learning remains part of my practice. I share what I learn through classes and tutorial videos, with students online as well as in the room.
Monet’s water lilies are a lasting influence on my work. I love the way colour seems to float in the water, and how light gives a painting a feeling of space. That softness stays with me when I work with sheer colour and flowers on a much smaller canvas.
AJISAI · 紫陽花 · あじさい · ajisai
Hydrangea, in Japanese. My studio carries the flower’s name, and its way of holding many small blooms, in many shades, in a single head.
The Depth Method
Colour you can
look into.
The Depth Method is my approach to layered nail art, developed over years of client work and study. It is how a flat surface becomes a water lily pond, a piece of porcelain, a season.
It is also the method I teach, step by step, in my classes and tutorials, so students can build depth themselves in any colour story, and carry that understanding into designs of their own.
01 · Between the layers
Optical depth — looking in
Translucent layers of colour are stacked so light moves through the design, like water over petals. Colour, imagery and fine details sit at different levels within the nail, creating a sense of distance between the layers.
Some details feel close; others seem to float further beneath the surface. This is the depth you look into.
02 · Within the form
Sculptural depth — building up
A three-dimensional flower bouquet or crystal ball has depth of its own. Petals and stones are arranged with height, overlap and space between them, so the eye can move from front to back and around the form.
That relationship between the parts gives the whole piece volume. It is depth you can feel as well as see.
Training & teaching
A practice that keeps growing.
From studying in Japan, China and New York to teaching in Canada and demonstrating overseas.
2018
Training in Japan
Passed the JNA and JNEC examinations.
2019
Ajisai & Leafgel Premium
Opened my Burnaby studio and became a Leafgel Premium educator.
2021
CANDY+ education
Became one of the brand’s first educators and its Canadian distributor.
2024
Teaching beyond the studio
Airbrush educator and examiner certification in Japan; live demonstration at CIBE in Shanghai.
View my full training & teaching journey
2017
Flower nail art certificate — Maki Mukai, New York
Taken in New York in October 2017, with Maki Mukai (向井真紀) — a pioneer of hand-painted floral nail art, renowned for her hand-painted roses.
2018
Passed the JNA and JNEC examinations in Japan
Passed the JNA and JNEC examinations in Japan in 2018.
2019
Leafgel Premium educator; BC distributor, 2019–2023
In 2019, I became a Leafgel Premium educator, earning the highest practical score in my educator-examination cohort. I also served as the Leafgel Premium distributor for British Columbia from 2019 to 2023.
2020
GORO nail-care course certificate, Japan
A nail-care course at the GORO nail school in Japan, known for its philosophy of healthy nail care.
2020
M.D.A NAiL design course certificate — Ginza, Tokyo
A design course with Mayu, founder of M.D.A NAiL in Ginza, and the creator of tarashikomi nails (たらしこみネイル) and several other signature nail techniques.
2023
CANDY+ — first class in North America
Teaching assistant for CANDY+’s first class in North America, held in partnership with Zillabeau.
2024
Airbrush educator & examiner — Japan
Became an airbrush educator and examiner in Japan, and holds a World Airbrush educator certification.
2024
CIBE Beauty Expo — Shanghai
Invited to demonstrate CANDY+ designs live at the China International Beauty Expo (CIBE) in Shanghai.
I continue to attend advanced training courses every year.
Learn with me
From the first layer
to your own style.
My classes combine demonstration, explanation and guided practice. We work through the details together, from gel fundamentals to watercolour, layered design and 3D nail art.
I teach both brand education and my own studio courses:
- Leafgel Premium · Levels 1–3
- CANDY+ · Steps 1–4
- Komo’s studio courses · My approach to colour, layers and detail
Across my studio courses, brand education and online classes, I have taught more than 50 students. I want you to understand how a design is built, then use that understanding to find a style of your own.
Visit Education to explore the courses, or email me about current dates, class formats and the right starting point for you.
More moments from the classroom
Visit the studio · Burnaby
Made for your hands.
Every Ajisai appointment is with me. Bring a colour, a reference or an idea, and we’ll create a set around your style.
See my latest work on Instagram ↗
For availability, email your preferred days and a little about the design you have in mind. Appointments are confirmed by email.
Muguet · By Ajisai Studio
A little of my art,
wherever you are.
Muguet is my handmade press-on nail line, bringing my love of soft colour, flowers and layered detail beyond the studio.
Follow the making on TikTok, or email me about a custom set. Each design is made by hand, one set at a time.
Let’s stay in touch
A design, a class, a question.
Write to me at hello@ajisainail.com.