Shiatsu around the world

Shiatsu, a much-loved therapy of Machiya Geelong ~ is offered by our experienced practitioners who received their training at the Australian Shiatsu College in Melbourne, Victoria. This form of traditional Japanese bodywork (introduced to Japan in the 6th century) has been practised in Australia since the 1970s. Whether to alleviate/aid in the treatment of stress, mental health, dis-ease in the body (including pain), a variety of other physical conditions ~ or to simply relax and enjoy ~ Shiatsu is a modality of wellness that has steadily been growing in popularity.

Both Aleisha and Rosie have been incredibly fortunate this past year to spend some time internationally exploring a variety of countries and cultures. And so, they thought, why not see what the rest of the world thinks about Shiatsu?

Aleisha visited the motherland of Shiatsu, Japan, and received three very different yet wonderful treatments. You might imagine that Shiatsu is very accessible in Japan however being a form of folk medicine it is not as sought after as it maybe once was.  Kyoto was the first stop where Aleisha sought out highly experienced practitioner, Bridget Scott.

“I enjoyed bike riding across the city and up to the bamboo foothills to find a lovely and passionate English expat living and treating in a humble tatami room. The practitioner had been treating in Kyoto for the past 30 years and the treatment was most akin to the style and pressure of how we treat at Machiya.”

She then travelled into the quaint mountain town of Nozawa (famous for its endless free public onsens) to visit a new-found friend running Shizen ~ a yoga studio come Aussie-inspired vegan cafe ~ delicious! In the open space of the studio, Aleisha enjoyed a pretty firm treatment by a lovely local in the traditional style of Anja massage (which translates to finger pressure). They shared few words between them, due to the language barrier, but enjoyed a great hour of bodywork. 

Back to the capital, Tokyo, for her final stop.

“I was hoping to visit the student clinic of the Tokyo School of Shiatsu, but alas, they were on summer holidays. So, instead, I found a great little clinic in the trendy suburb of Daikanyama, Nature Tokyo. Here the therapists were trained in both Shiatsu and Chiropractics. What a combo! 50 minutes of relaxing (but again quite firm) Shiatsu followed by about 10 minutes of subtle adjustments to the ankles, wrists, torso and neck. I loved it!” 

Rosie happily spent some time in Europe over the course of the European summer. She received Shiatsu treatments in Catania - Sicily (My Shiatsu Time); Brighton - England (Brighton Shiatsu Centre); Malmö - Sweden (Shiatsu Skåne); and Gothenburg - Sweden (Shiatsu Rummet). While Shiatsu likely arrived in Europe during the latter half of the 20th century (particularly during the global spread of complementary and alternative medicine practices), it’s not consistently documented across the continent.

“It surprised me how popular Shiatsu was across the island of Sicily,” said Rosie. “I found so many practitioners to choose from. In England, it felt pretty similarly prevalent as it is here in Australia - with still some way to go. And while it was easy enough to find treatments in Sweden, the practitioners explained that it’s still largely unknown and utilised across the country. But they did say it is growing in popularity.”

Just like Machiya, each treatment Rosie received was fully clothed and offered on a futon. 

“All of the practitioners used a combination of acupressure and muscle stretching, focussing on the principles of East Asian theories of Meridian pathways and Qi flow. Some a little firmer than others”

Earlier this year Aleisha also visited Hoi An and Saigon in Vietnam. 

“An incredible country with a dark history, rich in culture and cuisine, and the kindest hearts you’ll ever meet”.  

Here she tried a fun, modern take on Shiatsu called ‘Barefoot Shiatsu’. This treatment included the use of oils glided across the body with bare feet.  “It was amazing! But we won’t be adding it to Machiya just yet.”

She also experienced a strong classical-style Shiatsu treatment. 

“This one was very professional. The therapists dressed in traditional and simple plain white attire and the walls were covered in meridian charts.”

Aleisha was asked to prepare her body to receive the treatment by steaming in the sauna, followed by a shower. 

“The young therapists were very talented and gave a wonderfully detailed and focused treatment!”  

While there was some variation in the different treatments both Rosie and Aleisha received, from pressure firmness to the use (or not use) of aromatherapy, they found that despite the language barriers, there was a universal connection between each experience.

Next time you’re abroad or interstate, try looking up a local Shiatsu Therapist and let us know how you experience the beautiful ancient body work!