What is Shiatsu?

The term Shiatsu comes from the Japanese words shi, meaning finger, and atsu, meaning pressure. According to the Japanese Medical Department of the Ministry of Welfare, Shiatsu technique refers to the “use of fingers and palm of one's hand to apply pressure on particular sections of the surface of the body for the purpose of correcting its imbalances, and for maintaining and promoting health.”

One of the defining aspects of Shiatsu is “Combined Diagnosis and Therapy”. It refers to the use of sensory organs (such as palms, fingers, and thumbs) to detect imbalances in the energetic components of the body, and to perform empirically established routines to correct these problems.

Origins of Shiatsu

The Japan Shiatsu College was founded in 1940 by Tokujiro Namikoshi. Unlike other Chinese and Japanese traditional hands-on-therapy that preceded it, Namikoshi’s Shiatsu reconciled the ancient massage arts of Japan with Western medicine, basing his therapy on Western anatomy and physiology.

Shiatsu has continued to evolve over time; different kinds and styles of Shiatsu now exist and are referred to as types of Derivative Shiatsu. Since the 1980s the evolution of Shiatsu has mainly taken place outside of Japan, mainly in Western Europe and North America.

Licensing and Recognition

While in Japan Shiatsupractors must be licensed with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and are required to study shiatsu therapy for three years (2200 hours) in a university or college, there is no international standardisation of educational requirements and licensing for Shiatsupractors as of yet. In British Columbia, the Canadian Shiatsu Society of British Columbia has set a 2200 hour educational requirement upon its establishment in 1999, and “Shiatsupractor” has been a registered occupational title in this province since 2000.

It is important to note that the benefits of Shiatsu Therapy in the treatment of specific illnesses and disorders are still being debated and researched both in North America and Europe. A 2007 study conducted by the Faculty of Medicine and Health of the University of Leeds School of Healthcare found sampled recipients of Shiatsu Therapy to experience significant improvement in symptoms, especially in regards to stress and muscular/joint problems, as well as feeling more relaxed, calm, and better able to deal with their medical condition.

For answers to common questions about Shiatsu in BC, including whether this therapy is covered by insurance, click here.

Our Services

Our professional Shiatsupractor, Jack Miro, offers private Shiatsu treatment, as well as foundational workshops for individuals interested in providing family members and friends with a basic Shiatsu massage.



Private Shiatsu treatment by professional practitioner:

30-minute session: $50

50-minute session: $70

80-minute session: $100

Family Shiatsu workshops are offered several times a year, mostly on weekends. For more information on upcoming workshops, contact Jack.