Shiatsu is a healing system that allows the patient to get in touch with their own healing abilities. It is a balance – an interactive relationship – between practitioner and patient, in which the healing power of both build upon each other to clear and balance the vital life force energy – known as Qi.

Shiatsu is a Japanese healing art deeply rooted in the philosophy and practices of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Incorporating the therapeutic massage of Japan, and more recently embracing its original focus of meditation and self healing.

Two hands rubbing a back

The purpose was to bring the body into balance – the Yin/ Yang – which results in good health on all levels.

The Japanese not only adopted Traditional Chinese Medicine, but also began to enhance its methods by new combinations, eventually achieving a unique Japanese form called shiatsu. Like the Japanese transformation of the Chinese tea ceremony and flower arrangement, shiatsu became uniquely Japanese.

Shiatsu combines the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine with practices similar to those of acupuncture but performed without needles.

It is a combination of many different techniques, including pressing, hooking, sweeping, shaking, rotating, grasping, vibrating, patting, plucking, lifting, pinching, rolling, brushing, and, in one school developed by Suzuki Yamamoto, barefoot shiatsu, it includes walking on the person’s back, legs, and feet.

The practitioners hands are placed at various points of the body sending the energies to the more than 300 acupoints along the way – creating the healing.