Since time immemorial, when man works, pain is never far behind. Maybe the neanderthals were cut up from facing down the sabertoothed tigers or broken bones from the last territory battle with the hominids down the valley, pain unites people in all different eras and nations in an obscene sort of way. Thus, the business of alleviating pain, and stress which was usually not far behind, was, and always will be, very profitable.

Then the Japanese came up with shiatsu, a method of alleviating pain through the application of gentle force on to certain pressure points in the body in 1000AD. The Chinese later on improved upon the techniques by adding acupuncture, as the method improved the knowledge of the body’s pressure points. The use of fingers for the massage was pioneered by a man named Tokujiro Namikoshi. He was only 7 years old when he discovered the techniques treating his mother’s arthritis. It was also him that gave the practice its current name and founded the Japan Shiatsu College. Today, it is an internationally recognized practice with two different schools (one founded on Western Anatomy while the other relies on traditional Chinese medicine) and a constantly evolving form.

Now, there are certain schools of thought that hold the recognition of groping and fondling of oiled-up people to be utterly ridiculous. After all, it is more recognized in its own home and European thought hold such practices to be against the law. They point out that those people who spend money on being rhythmically slapped by experts should rather go see doctors for their aches or even buy over-the-counter pain medications. Some are also quite quick to argue that in the past, the instructors had no basic medical know-how, like anatomy and physiology. The instructors would instead focus on kampo, the Japanese adaption of Traditional Chinese medicine.

However, it should be noted that most of the time, no one listens to the people who hold those thoughts. And to shore up the credentials of the practitioners, shiatsu is regulated by the Japanese Ministry of Heath, Labour and Welfare and elsewhere by governing bodies of practitioners. There is now an international license issued to both practitioners and instructors worldwide based off the Japanese standards. Aspiring Japanese, North American and European Union practitioners must spend at least three years in study before taking a licensure exam (earning what is called the shiatsupractor, the standard shiatsu license) while their counterparts without any regulations must spend 2 to 3 years plus 1600 - 2200 hours in study of the art depending on where one is.

Shiatsu also has its defenders. A 20-year practitioner based in London says that people look at the art as an alternative treatment because it is nondemanding and noninvasive. And while the art cannot completely heal those with diseases like HIV, it helps them to cope with life.

To some people who hold that science will be the cure to all, shiatsu looks like rubbing and fondling, but to others, it is the magic touch that makes every breath a little sweeter.