History of Shiatsu
Shiatsu was only coined in the 1920’s however it is originally rooted in the philosophical teachings of Buddhism and holistic health practices. It can be traced back to China 530 BC when Bodhidharma introduced a system of exercises for health known as Tao-Yinn. These incorporated self massage and self applied pressure point therapy. Tao - Yinn (Do In) soon became an integral part of the health practices and along with the other Chinese healing arts spread through south east Asia and Korea.
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By the tenth century AD Chinese Medicine had been introduced to Japan. Tao-Yinn amalgamated with a therapy called Anma and this loosely resembles present day Shiatsu. Around 300 years ago during the Edo era in Japan doctors were required to study Anma to familiarise themselves with the human structure, energy channels and pressure points so that they could accurately diagnose and treat patients. However Anma was reduced to treating muscular tensions and by the 20th century it became licensed only to promote pleasure and comfort. I find it interesting that there are several current Japanese acupuncture schools that teach Shiatsu as a prerequisite to studying acupuncture.
The birth of Shiatsu was considered to be 1919 by Fukanaga Kazuma. He published his second book called Shiatsu Therapy in 1939 and explains in his book that it was the fruit of 20 years experience. Shiatsu was popularised by Tokujiro Namikoshi who established the Shiatsu Institute of Therapy in Hokkaido in 1925 and the Japan Shiatsu Institute in 1940.
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During the 1950’s the Japanese government asked for Shiatsu practitioners to make themselves known and to distinguish themselves from Anma massage. In 1957 the Ministry of Welfare published the book Theory and Practice of Shiatsu. Shiatsu didn’t come widely known into the United States and Europe until the 1970’s. Today Shiatsu is a popular therapy that is beneficial for any stress related issues and supports preventive healthcare. It can support you on a physical, emotional and psychological level.