Shiatsu practitioners tend to distance themselves from the bandwagon of alternative treatments by  using

  anatomy, physiology and pathology.  Shiatsu seems to bridge the West and the East.

      When we explore the differences between Shiatsu and Western massage, we notice four main differences.

          The historical evolution of the treatments.

          Technique used and ingredients in treatment.

          The philosophy behind the approach and the essence, which every practitioner attempts to capture.

          The nature of derivative systems that have emerged.

     Body massage might be one of the oldest forms of medical care known to man.  Egyptian tomb paintings show

  people being massaged. A Chinese book from 2,700 B.C., The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine,

  recommends massage of skin and flesh as a treatment for many ailments.  Ayurveda, the 5000-year old

  traditional Indian system of medicine, stresses the therapeutic benefits of massage. Writing in the 8th

  century BC, Homer of Greece mentions massage being used for Olympic athletes in the same way as it is used

  today.

                      1. The History and Evolution of Shiatsu

      A form of massage called Anma evolved during the Edo Period (1603-1868) in Japan. Anma was somewhat

  similar to the chinese Tui Na  and used rubbing,  stroking,  squeezing,  tapping,  pushing,  and pulling techniques, to

  influence the muscles and circulatory systems of the body.  In the book Ampuku Zukai, written in 1827 by Shinsai

  Ota, we find a description of how to apply pressure, the basis of modern shiatsu.

     This therapy was mainly performed by the blind. 

      Unfortunately, because the means were not available for the blind to receive much education, their medical

  knowledge was not up to the level of Doctors and Herbalists at the time. Thus, Anma  practitioners fell behind

  in their knowledge, and Anma came to have a reputation of only being useful for relaxation.

      The earliest modern reference to the term Shiatsu in a publication might be the 1915 Japanese book,

  Shiatsu Ryöhö  ("finger pressure way of healing") written by Tempaku Tamai.  His book combined Anma, Ampuku

  (an ancient form of abdominal massage used in pregnancy and childbirth), and Do-In (therapeutic exercises), with

  Western anatomy and physiology. In 1919 he published Shiatsu Ho ("finger pressure method").

      Tokujiro Namikoshi's (1905-2000) followers consider him to be the founder of modern Shiatsu.  Namikoshi at

  age seven, in 1912, developed a technique of pressing with his thumbs and palms, together with rubbing and

  squeezing techniques, as he tried to nurse his mother, who suffered from rheumatoid arthritis. He slowly

  discovered his treatments were more effective if he increased his ratio of pressing to rubbing techniques.

     Eventually, his mother's rheumatoid arthritis was gone and she lived to be 88, and in relatively good health.

  Later Tokujiro was to realise that by pressing on the muscles on either side of the middle region of her spine, he

  was stimulating the adrenal glands to produce cortisol, the cure for rheumatism.

      Namikoshi's influence on Shiatsu became an inspiration for many other creators of derivative therapies.

  Tokujiro Namikoshi opened his first clinic for Shiatsu Therapy in 1925 in Hokkaido using the system that he

  developed. The basis for Shiatsu was a combination of three oriental therapies: Anma, Do-In and Katsuho from

  Judo, and the theory and practice of new therapies that arrived from the USA: chiropraxis, osteopathy and

 spondylotherapy.

      Tokujiro took the following words as a slogan for Shiatsu: "The heart of Shiatsu is like a mother's love". This

  sets out the importance of the caring, healing attitude of the person who performs shiatsu on someone else.

       In addition to founding in 1940 the first school of Shiatsu Therapy in Tokyo (Now known as the Japan

  Shiatsu College), Namikoshi was involved with the legal recognition of Shiatsu in Japan. Namikoshi achieved fame

  and successfully treated many high-ranking persons such as the former Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida.

      As his fame spread foreign celebrities like Marilyn Monroe and Muhammad Ali sought his treatment. Currently,

  in Japan, Namikoshi's system enjoys special legal status. Starting from 1947, after an eight-year clinical 

  investigation period to ascertain which of 300 treatments could be legalised, the Ministry of Health of Japan

  acknowledged Shiatsu Therapy, as it proved effective. Shiatsu was placed in the same category with Anma and

  Western Massage in 1955.

      In 1964 Shiatsu was acknowledged as a separate therapy on its own in Japan. Everyone practising Shiatsu in

  Japan should obtain a licence from the Ministry of Health and Welfare.  Licensing also requires that Shiatsu

  practitioners study a 2,500-hour educational programme of Shiatsu therapy lasting about three years in the

  colleges or schools authorized by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and pass the national exam.

                      2. Technique used and ingredients in treatment

    The second difference between Shiatsu and Western massage is in technique and in the use of ingredients,

  like oils and spices. Shiatsu relies on finger and palm pressure, while Western Massage uses a rubbing motion.

  Since Shiatsu does not involve rubbing, no oil or lotion is ever used during a treatment, and the recipient is clothed.

                      3. Philosophy of Western Massage and Shiatsu

      The third and main difference comes from the philosophy behind Western Massage and Shiatsu.

  The principal difference between Shiatsu and modern Western forms of bodywork, e.g. Swedish massage or Deep

  Tissue massage, is that Shiatsu is a form of holistic healing, while modern Western massage is based on

  conventional Western views of wellness and healing. Western massage usually considers the human body the

  domain of the masseur while the mind is the domain of psychology and psychiatry. Adapting a holistic approach,

  Shiatsu regulates the nervous system and promotes natural healing by stimulating chemical responses in the body.

      Western Massage is based on the idea that muscle tension and improper alignment may cause or worsen physical,

  mental and internal imbalances. Massage techniques attempt to reduce tension within the body to facilitate the

  free flow of blood and energy. This in turn makes the major systems of the body (immune, circulatory, nervous,

  etc.) to be better able to naturally heal disease and promote health and well-being.

      There are over 1000 points, or Atten in Japanese, that may be pressed in Shiatsu, located on the muscles,

  nerves, blood vessels, lymph vessels, bones and endocrine glands. Depending on the condition of the body, the

  therapist applies the adequate type of pressure. The tighter the muscles are, the lighter the pressure. As the

  muscles relax, the pressure becomes deeper but is always firm and steady. This triggers the release of hormones

  and body chemicals necessary to heal, to soothe and to make you mind and body perform optimally. This method of 

  triggering the own healing system of the body, does not produce side effects or toxins, and is thus a totally

  healthy way of getting relief from ailments.

      Shiatsu, as a holistic therapy, works the whole body, and although practitioners have different approaches,

  most of them include stretches in their application of shiatsu.

                    4. Derivative treatments

      The last area of difference between Shiatsu and Western massage is that of derivatives.  Derivative Shiatsu

  usually refers to the other current styles of Shiatsu,  which have evolved after Namikoshi Shiatsu,  such as

  Meridian Shiatsu,  Zen Shiatsu, Tao Shiatsu, Tsubo Shiatsu, Ohashiatsu and Quantum Shiatsu.  Although these

  styles are not official, many schools,  such as Shiatsu Yasuragi,  have added to their Namikoshi-based basic form, 

  many aspects of Zen or Meridian Shiatsu.

      Within Western Massage there are many styles and techniques, which focus on particular area of the body (e.g.,

  deep tissue massage, tendo-muscular massage, scalp massage, etc.).  However, Western Massage can be broadly

  grouped into either sports massage or well-being massage.  Sports massage aims to get the  athlete in fit shape and

  ensure superior performance.   Creating a certain type of ambience with candles, colours, incense or music is very

  important to well-being but almost totally absent in sports massage.

      The field of well-being massage displays the widest divergence in different types of derivative forms like

  aromatherapy, reflexology or deep tissue massage.

       Shiatsu and Western Massage do have common ground but differ much in theory, philosophy and practice.

  However, in spite of the differences, the aim of both systems is the same - a balanced, healthy and happy

  individual.

                          5. Definition of Shiatsu

Shiatsu technique refers to the use of fingers and palm of one's hand 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. It has no side effects.