Bodywork was a key part of Japanese culture even before shiatsu became the national massage. Anma or traditional massage therapists date back to the Taiho Ritsuryo (Taiho Code) in the eighth century. Shiatsu was born during the Meiji Era when Japan was particularly enthusiastic about western ideas. Massage techniques were imported from France and integrated with the methods of anma. This hybrid is the shiatsu we know today.

Like acupuncture, shiatsu is based on the healthy flow of qi ("chi") - life force energy - and works with 700 points on the body and the coordinating meridian lines of "energy flow" that connect them. Most shiatsu practitioners use their fingers - shiatsu is often translated as "fingerpressure" - and as well as their elbows to apply slow, steady pressure to relieve tension and improve the circulation of qi.

What's your favorite form of massage? Have you ever experienced shiatsu?

[via Japan Times]

Image: rianvisser.nl/shiatsu/e_watis.htm