By 
There is common ground between Shiatsu and Western massage. Both systems are wonderful ways to relieve stress and promote health and focus on the body of the person being treated. Furthermore, neither system uses any sophisticated electronic or mechanical machinery in the diagnosis or implementation of treatment. The third point in common is that both Shiatsu and massage are classified in most of the Western world to remain outside the bastion of Western medicine, which is based on the current Western scientific tradition. Outside of Japan, both Shiatsu and Western massage share the fields of non-traditional treatment or alternative medicine with healing, reiki, hypnosis or crystal healing.
Shiatsu practitioners tend to distance themselves from the bandwagon of alternative treatment approaches such as Reiki or faith healing by demonstrating their use of anatomy, physiology, and pathology in the same vein as Western medicine. This could be one of the explanations for the great popularity of Shiatsu in the West, since it unites the West and the East.
When we explore the differences between Shiatsu and Western massage, we notice four main differences.
- The historical evolution of treatments.
- Technique used and ingredients in the treatment.
- The philosophy behind the approach and the essence, which each practitioner tries 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. Although we may not know what ancient Egyptian practitioners actually believed, Egyptian tomb paintings show people receiving massages. A Chinese book from 2700 BC, The Yellow Emperor’s Internal Medicine Classic recommends massaging the skin and flesh as the proper treatment for many foods. Ayurveda, India’s 5,000-year-old system of traditional medicine, places great emphasis on the therapeutic benefits of massage with aromatic oils and spices. In a writing of the VIII century a. C., Homer from Greece mentions that massage is also commonly used for Olympic athletes in the same way it is used today.
1. History and evolution of Shiatsu
Although the first modern reference to the term Shiatsu in a publication might be the 1915 Japanese book, Shiatsu Ryoho Written by Tenpaku Tamai, followers of Tokujiro Namikoshi (1905-2000) consider him the founder of Shiatsu. His approach was completely different from Chinese meridian or Qi based therapies. Namikoshi, at the age of seven in 1912, independently developed a thumb and palm pressure technique while trying to breastfeed his mother who suffered from rheumatoid arthritis. Namikoshi’s influence on Shiatsu can be compared to Picasso’s role in art because he not only created an important genre, but also became an inspiration to many other derivative therapy creators.
Tokujiro Namikoshi opened his first Shiatsu Therapy clinic in 1925 in Hokkaido using the system he perfected. In addition to founding the first school of Shiatsu Therapy in Tokyo (now known as Japan Shiatsu College) in 1940, Namikoshi was involved in the legal recognition of Shiatsu in Japan, which may explain his emphasis on Western medical theories. Namikoshi rose to fame and successfully treated many high-ranking people, such as former Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida. As his fame spread, foreign celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe and Muhammad Ali sought treatment from him. Currently in Japan, the Namikoshi system enjoys a special legal status. Beginning in 1947, after an eight-year clinical research period to determine which of 300 treatments could be legalized, Shiatsu Therapy was recognized by the Japanese Ministry of Health as it proved effective. Shiatsu was placed in the same category with Anma and Western Massage in 1955.
In 1964, Shiatsu was recognized as an independent therapy in Japan. Anyone who practices Shiatsu in Japan must obtain a license from the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Licensing also requires Shiatsu practitioners to study an educational program of 2,500 hours of Shiatsu therapy lasting about three years at universities or colleges authorized by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and pass the national examination.
2. Technique used and ingredients in the treatment
The second difference between Shiatsu and Western massage is in the technique and the use of ingredients such as oils and spices. The Shiatsu technique is based on the pressure of the fingers and the palm, while the Western massage uses a rubbing movement. Since shiatsu does not involve rubbing, oil or lotion is never used during a treatment.
3. Philosophy of Western Massage and Shiatsu
The third and main difference comes from the philosophy behind Western massage and shiatsu.
The main difference between Shiatsu and other modern Western forms of bodywork, for example Swedish massage, is that Shiatsu is a form of holistic healing, whereas Modern Western massage is based on conventional Western views of wellness. and healing. Western massage generally views the human body as the domain of the masseur, while the mind is the domain of psychology and psychiatry. Adapting to 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 incorrect alignment can 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.) better able to naturally cure disease and promote health and well-being.
In Shiatsu, there are 838 basic shiatsu pressure points, or Atten in Japanese, located in the muscles, nerves, blood vessels, lymphatics, bones, and endocrine glands. Depending on the condition of the body, the therapist applies the appropriate types of pressure. The more tense the muscles are, the lighter the pressure. As the muscles relax, the pressure becomes deeper but always firm and constant. This triggers the release of hormones and body chemicals necessary to heal, calm, and keep the mind and body functioning optimally. This method of activating the body’s own healing system does not produce any side effects or toxins and is therefore a completely healthy way to alleviate ailments.
Viewed casually from afar, Shiatsu whole body diagrams can be confused with the Qi or meridian diagrams used in Chinese medicine. But Namikoshi Shiatsu practitioners are quick to point out that Namikoshi’s style of Shiatsu places emphasis only on regions based on anatomy and physiology rather than energy channels/pathways/meridians. Shiatsu works the whole body (including stretching).
4. Derivative treatments
The last area of difference between Shiatsu and Western massage is that of derivatives. Derived Shiatsu generally 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. None of these derivative styles are recognized by the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare.
Within Western massage there are many styles and techniques that focus on particular areas of the body (eg, deep tissue massage, tendo-muscular massage, scalp massage, etc.). However, Western massage can be broadly grouped into three fields, sports massage, wellness massage, and erotic massage. Sports massage aims to put the athlete in shape and ensure superior performance. Creating a certain type of atmosphere with candles, colors, incense or music is very important for well-being and erotic massage but is almost totally absent in sports massage. The field of wellness massage shows the widest divergence in different types of derivative forms such as aromatherapy, reflexology or deep tissue massage.
Sensual massage or erotic massage has been a derivative of traditional massage for centuries in all parts of the world but to date there is no sensual or erotic Shiatsu therapy.
Shiatsu and Western massage have points in common, but they differ greatly in theory, philosophy, and practice. However, despite the differences, the goal of both systems is the same: a balanced, healthy and happy individual.
References:
- tokujirō namikoshi, Japanese Shiatsu finger pressure therapy. Japan Publication – (1974)
- tokujirō namikoshi, SHIATSU; HEALTH AND VITALITY AT YOUR REACH Japan Publication – (1971)
- The Canadian College of Shiatsu Therapy
- The Shiatsutractor Association of Canada