A brief history of Shiatsu in Japan

Since the fifth century, the Japanese have practised traditional Chinese medicine for centuries, such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, and massages. During that time, Japanese priests and doctors actively introduced and studied the classical medical texts from the Han dynasty and the Daoism and Confucian philosophies, which are the foundation of Chinese Medicine. Anma was part of formal medical treatment when Chinese Medicine was at the heart of Japan's medical system.  

However, the therapeutic use of Anma faded gradually from the Edo era (17th -19th centuries), when the government encouraged blind people to work as Anma masseurs. Since then, Anma has almost lost its therapeutic application and is mainly used only for relaxation and comfort. 

In the early 1900s, Shiatsu, separated from Anma, was developed to revive the remedial acupressure and designed to treat specific illnesses within the framework of oriental medicine. However, the practice of Shiatsu declined when Western medicine and science became a dominant medical practice in Japan. And during the postwar when the US proposed a law to ban all forms of traditional medicine. During this time, Shiatsu, based on science and physiology, became famous and stripped of the concept of Qi, Meridians, and Chinese Medicine (Namikoshi Shiatsu).

​

 

Different styles of Shiatsu -mainstream Shiatsu (Masunaga-style) 

Many different styles of Shiatsu are currently practised in Japan and many other countries. Tokujiro Namikoshi, known as the father of Shiatsu, developed the standardised form of Shiatsu in Japan (Namikoshi Shiatsu) by making Shiatsu based on science and Western medicine.  He initiated the legalisation of Shiatsu and founded the Japan Shiatsu College, which gained recognition from the Japanese Ministry of Health to license professional practitioners. Since then, Shiatsu has become a legalised profession in Japan. To become a Shiatsu practitioner in Japan, one must learn Shiatsu as defined by the Japanese Ministry of Health. Namikoshi Shiatsu's techniques are characterised by using mainly the fingers, palms and especially overuse of the thumbs. Namikoshi Shiatsu does not influence traditional Chinese Medicine or Meridian theories anymore; instead, a large part of its theory relies on modern Western anatomy and physiology.

 

Keiraku Shiatsu

At the same time, Shizuto Masunaga developed Keiraku Shiatsu based on traditional Chinese Medicine classics and Meridian theories. As a result, Keiraku Shiatsu spread to the West, mainly in America and Europe, and is the origin of what is now called Zen Shiatsu in the West. 

Masunaga, a former psychology professor who studied Shiatsu directly from Namikoshi at the Japan Shiatsu College, combined his understanding of Western psychology with Traditional Eastern Medicine. Based on the Chinese Medicine classics, bioscience and psychology, combined with his clinical experiences, Masunaga developed his theory and practices of Keiraku Shiatsu. Keiraku Shiatsu is also called Iokai Shiatsu, as Iokai is the name of the institute Masunaga founded. Continue to read about Keiraku Shiatsu

​