is a form of Japanese Massage Therapy
Best Alternative and Preventive Medicine
Founder of Shiatsu, Tokujiro Namikoshi
Sensei (right) and his son Toru with Dr. Palmer at the Palmer College
of Chiropractic in Iowa.
is Shiatsu Therapy?
"Shiatsu" is a Japanese word meaning "finger
pressure". It is a "hands-on" therapy used both as a
conventional medicine and as a preventative / alternative therapy.
| Definition of Shiatsu Massage
"Shiatsu technique refers to the use of
fingers and palms of one's hands to apply pressure to particular
sections on the surface of the body for the purpose of correcting the
imbalances of the body, and for maintaining and promoting health. It is
also a method contributing to the healing of specific illnesses."
- From "The
Theory and Practice of Shiatsu"
published by the Ministry of Health in Japan, in 1957.
Shiatsu Massage Therapy
perform Shiatsu by pressing with their thumbs, fingers and palms on
Shiatsu points throughout the body to enhance the body's natural
healing ability and prevent the progression of disease. Shiatsu points
are called "Tsubo" in Japanese and their location
and the effect
of Shiatsu on them is based on an understanding of modern Anatomy and
Physiology. These points are effective in treating all body systems
including the Integumentary, Muscular, Nervous, Circulatory, Skeletal,
Endocrine, and Digestive systems. They are applicable only to Shiatsu
Therapy and are not related to ancient "Chinese Meridians" for
Acupuncture, Moxibustion or Anma therapy.
The Japanese expression "Shindan Soku Chiryo" means
"Diagnosis and Therapy Combined" and is the essence of Shiatsu. The
thumbs, fingers and palms of trained and experienced Shiatsupractors
are sensitive enough to detect, on contact, irregularities in the skin,
muscles or body temperature. Relating to the Cutaneovisceral Reflexes
in the course of practical experience, Shiatsupractors are able to
locate abnormalities and ascertain their degree, as well as determining
the condition of the organs. When detecting abnormalities,
Shiatsupractors apply Shiatsu as a treatment at the same time. The
amount of pressure and its tempo are gauged to apply the appropriate
pressure for each patient - sometimes strong or soft - quick or slow.
Lacking the sensitivity of the hand, knuckles, elbows, knees and feet
are not used for application of pressure during treatments by
Shiatsupractors. Mastering the essence of Shiatsu requires many years
of practical experience and is the goal of a Shiatsupractor.
Namikoshi Sensei, The
founder of Shiatsu (1905-2000)
Sensei (1905-2000). He was the founder of Shiatsu massage therapy. His
mother suffered from rheumatism and, as a young boy of seven, he used
his bare hands to heal her. With this experience as a base, he created
the Shiatsu method of healing. He gave treatment to countless thousands
of people, including many active Japanese Prime Ministers, and also to
foreign visitors such as Marilyn Monroe and Muhammad Ali. Meanwhile, he
established the Japan Shiatsu College and educated many world famous
Shiatsu practitioners, instructors and authors, including Shizuto
Masunaga, who wrote "Zen-Shiatsu", Kensen Saito, who wrote "Shiatsu
Doh", Ryokyu Endo, who wrote "Tao Shiatsu" and Kiyoshi Ikenaga, who is
the author of "Tsubo Shiatsu".
Namikoshi Sensei also founded the Japan Shiatsu Association and the
International Shiatsu Association.
Tokujiro Namikoshi Sensei (Right) in Hokkaido Japan in
tha Founder of the Canadian College of Shiatsu Therapy
born in Tokyo Japan in 1966. He is a Licensed Shiatsu Practitioner by
the Ministry of Health in Japan and a Registered International Shiatsu
Instructor with the International Shiatsu Association. He graduated
from the Japan Shiatsu College in 1986 and studied Shiatsu directly
from Tokujiro Namikoshi sensei. He moved to Toronto, Canada in 1996 and
taught Shiatsu at the Shiatsu Academy of Tokyo Toronto. In 1998,
Kiyoshi established the Canadian College of Shiatsu Therapy in North
Vancouver BC Canada. He is also the founder of the Canadian Shiatsu
Society of BC.
of Shiatsu Therapy
Namikoshi Sensei, the Founder of Shiatsu Massage Therapy, was born
November 3rd, 1905 in Kagawa prefecture on Shikoku Island, Japan. When
he was 7 years old, his family moved to Hokkaido where the weather was
cold and harsh. His mother "Masa" developed rheumatoid arthritis as a
result of hard physical labour and the change from a warm to a cold,
damp climate. There was no doctor or medicine available due to the
isolation. Tokujiro, only 7 years of age, tried to ease his mother's
pain. He discovered that she felt better when he pressed on her body
with his thumbs, rather than stroking or rubbing. He concentrated his
pressure on points which he found on the cervical region of her spine
as well as the middle and lower back. As he applied himself, he also
learned the relationship between the Adrenal glands and rheumatism.
Eventually Masa's rheumatoid arthritis was cured by Tokujiro's
treatment. She lived in good health to be 88 years of age.
From his study and practice he subsequently
developed a scientific
anatomical and physiological theory which explained his treatment. This
unique Japanese hands-on therapy, he called "SHIATSU" (meaning thumb
and finger pressure in Japanese). He then opened his Shiatsu clinic in
Sapporo in 1925 and in Tokyo in 1933. In 1953, he was invited to
introduce his Shiatsu at the Palmer Chiropractic School in Iowa, U.S.A.
There he developed a good relationship with Dr. B.J. Palmer who was a
founder of Chiropractic.
Toru Namikoshi Sensei, who is a son of
Tokujiro, stayed at the Palmer
Chiropractic School for 7 years to study and compare Shiatsu and
Chiropractic. After he returned to Japan from the U.S., he contributed
to the development of Shiatsu Therapy based on modern Anatomy and
In 1940, Tokujiro established his school,
the Japan Shiatsu College in
Tokyo, and began to train Shiatsupractorｮs/ Shiatsu
Practitioners. This was the first Training school in the world for Shiatsupractorｮ
Shiatsu Practitioners. In 1955, the Japan Shiatsu College was
officially licensed by the Ministry of Health in Japan. At present, the
3 year Registered Shiatsu Therapist program requires students to be in
full attendance for 2500 hours. Upon successful completion of the
program the students are eligible to take the government examination.
In fact, there is only one type of Shiatsu
Massage Therapy in the world
today, the original Japanese Shiatsu Therapy of Namikoshi Sensei, but
there are many derivatives. The most popular and best know of these
derivatives is Zen-Shiatsu developed by Shizuto Masunaga Sensei. He
graduated from the Japan Shiatsu College in 1958 and devised his style
of Shiatsu based on the Chinese Meridians. It is known around the world.
In 1955, Shiatsu Therapy was first
authorized by the Ministry of Health
in Japan. At that time the Ministry mistakenly assumed that Shiatsu and
Western massage were partially Anma, a type of Acupressure massage from
ancient China. In 1964, The Ministry of Health in Japan realized that
Japanese Shiatsu and Western massage didn't belong to Traditional
Chinese Medicine and amended the law so that Anma from China, Shiatsu
from Japan and Massage from the West were all realized as different and
unique therapies. Finally, Shiatsu Therapy obtained legal
acknowledgement as a unique therapy.
Today, the Ministry of Health in Japan
Moxibustion, Anma, Massage and Shiatsu as "Alternative Therapies" which
it regulates under the license system. This licensing system has
promoted a misunderstanding that Shiatsu belongs to traditional Chinese
Medicine. This is because the Japanese Ministry of Health considers
Japanese Shiatsu, Western Massage and Anma, (all hands on therapies) to
be in one category, As such, they all come under one license.
Practitioners are required to pass
government exams. Every student in
Japan who wants to become a Shiatsu Practitioners or a Registered
Massage Therapist must learn the Chinese Meridians to pass the
examination. Students who pass are officially called an "Anma, Massage
and Shiatsu Practitioners".
It is important to recognize that Shiatsu
and Western massage do not
belong to Traditional Chinese Medicine. Shiatsu Therapy was first
authorized by the Japanese Ministry of Health in 1955. At that time,
the Ministry considered Anma (a type of acupressure massage from
China), Western Massage and Shiatsu all as one inclusive therapy. It
was not until 1964 that Shiatsu and Western Massage were recognized by
the Ministry of Health in Japan as distinctly different therapies not
belonging to Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Although the word "Shiatsu" is originally
Japanese, its meaning has
come to be understood in English speaking counties and throughout the