
Shiatsu 指圧
Shiatsu is a traditional Japanese acupressure manual therapy. The Japanese word "Shiatsu" 指圧 means "finger pressure". The Japanese have long had a tradition of giving acupressure to each other to relax and maintain health while encouraging bonding. The acupressure techniques were passed down through generations and developed into Shiatsu as a traditional healing art.
Benefit of Shiatsu
Shiatsu's purpose is not about curing diseases as isolated entities, but it aims to help patients reach their optimum health so that their bodies can heal on their own. Shiatsu is also one of the safest therapies. It is simple yet has a reliable effect when applied correctly. Shiatsu can help with numerous physical, psychological and emotional problems.
I practice the following styles of Shiatsu.
Click below to read about;
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Seiki Shiatsu (page work in progress)
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




Shiatsu Therapy
Treatment
Full-body 60 min / 90 min
The treatment takes place on a mattress/or futon on the floor. The receiver is fully clothed. We recommend that you wear loose, comfortable clothing for treatment.
Before Shiatsu treatment
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Please wear loose, comfortable clothes.
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Do not have a large meal or any alcohol.
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Read the consultation form carefully and sign it after ensuring you understand everything.
You cannot have treatment if you:
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have fever
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have been pregnant for less than three months
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have any serious illness or injuries that need GP's approval to have treatment, and you haven't obtained one
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have any medical condition that requires immediate medical help, such as infection, fever, or injuries still at the acute stage.
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have any contagious disease, such as skin disease and infection.