Shiatsu, translating roughly as “finger pressure”, is a style of massage originating in Japan. By the standards of traditional Chinese and Thai medicine it is relatively young, having been developed during the 1920s. However, its roots go much further back, to a traditional Japanese massage modality called “Amna”, itself derived from Chinese Tui Na massage.

Shiatsu’s development is credited to Tokujiro Namikoshi, a Japanese chiropractor trained in Amna massage. Tokujiro gradually developed the modern Shiatsu technique. He opened his first clinic in Hokkaido in 1925 and later established the Japan Shiatsu College in Tokyo, which became a leading institution for shiatsu training and research.

It shares a lot of fundamental ideas with Chinese medicine, and the concepts of “qi” or life force. Shiatsu massage therapists locate the body’s “meridian lines” which they believe channel the body’s energy. The actual massage applies pressure along those lines and the Shiatsu practitioner believes this can unblock and rebalance the flow of energy (qi) along these lines. This is the same objective as traditional Chinese acupuncture, except using pressure rather than needles.

For a customer considering one or the other, Shiatsu and Thai massages are really quite similar. Both modalities in their traditional form are carried out clothed, on a floor futon without oil (but both are typically modified for western customers to use oil and to be carried out on raised massage tables). Therapists in both techniques deploy acupressure along lines up and down the client’s body, using their own body weight. As with Thai massage, the shiatsu therapist applies pressure to the target areas using fingers, palms and knuckles (but unlike Thai, rarely deploys elbows, knees or feet). Unlike Thai massage, sometimes the Shiatsu therapist ‘taps’ an area rather than press it.

In addition to pressure, shiatsu massage can also incorporate stretching and mobilization techniques. The shiatsu therapist may stretch or rotate a client's limbs and joints to improve flexibility and range of motion. They may also use rocking, shaking, or tapping movements.

The last big difference is duration. You sometimes see shiatsu massage treatments being done in 10, 20 or 30 minutes (and sometimes seated rather than lying). Thai massage treatments are normally longer (traditionally 90+ minutes, but often reduced to 60 minutes to meet demand in western markets for slightly shorter treatments). As our name suggests, we offer only Thai massage treatments at Thai Kosai, but encourage all customers to try different massage modalities to see what works best for them!

We know that most customers wanting a massage in London have a wide range of choice. The first decision is whether to book a massage at home through one of the popular at-home providers, or to visit one of the many massage shops or spas in the capital. We do not provide an at-home (sometimes called “out-call”) service, because we would worry about guaranteeing the safety of our staff (plus the licensing requirements are different). But we thought we would write up our opinion of the advantages and disadvantages of getting your regular massage fix at home.

There is no doubt that the convenience of having a therapist show up at your home is a luxury – the time saving probably means you could enjoy a 90-minute massage instead of your normal 60 minutes. And the cost, while certainly a bit higher, is not that much greater. One of the most popular at-home massage services in London costs around £70 for an hour compared to our price of £65.

For some, a massage at home might be an impossibility – for example if you do not have enough space (a massage table with space for the therapist to work around takes up more room than you might expect!). Or perhaps noisy flatmates or shared living areas mean you could not create a peaceful and relaxing space for the massage.

There are other drawbacks to consider too. You could go to the effort of creating a particular ambience (lighting, sound and scent), but that starts to erode the convenience of the home massage experience; and why not just leave that to the spa? You also have the oily towels and sheets to deal with afterwards, whereas we deal with those for you.

And consider your comfort: the folding massage tables used by mobile massage therapists are generally comfortable but they are smaller than the stationary tables in most shops like ours. For the majority of customers, the portable massage tables are sufficient but for larger customers perhaps not; and the smaller and lighter tables do limit some of the more expansive stretches that feature in Thai massage.

Lastly, safety must be a factor. Lying face down, partially clothed, and in a state of relaxation is a vulnerable state for anyone to be in. And to be in that state in your home with only a stranger is, we think, daunting from a safety perspective. We have no doubt the big majority of mobile therapists are professional but there are certainly some horror stories of theft, and much worse.

Overall, you want your massage to be both convenient and relaxing, and we think (we would say this of course!) that the best overall massage experience is to visit a spa or massage shop in person – preferably one of the Thai Kosai branches!

Just a quick message to confirm opening times over this Easter (2023) weekend:

• Spitalfields: open every day, closing 8pm on Saturday and Sunday 8th and 9th
• Holborn: closed Saturday and Sunday as usual, but we will open on the bank holiday Friday and Monday (7th and 10th) until 9pm

We want to wish you all a very happy Easter (and Songkran to our Thai friends), and hope we will see you for a massage soon!

Central to the traditions of Thai medicine, spanning more than 2,000 years, is the concept of ‘Sen lines’. These lines are believed to play a vital role in maintaining health, both physical and emotional. Here we explore a little more of the tradition of Sen lines and how they are used in Thai massage therapy.

Traditionally Sen lines are believed to be ‘channels’ through which the body’s life force flowed. Ancient practitioners thought that when these channels were blocked or out of balance, that physical or emotional ailments would result. Holistic Thai traditional medicine involves various practices such as herbal remedies, diet, meditation, as well as massage therapy to restore balance and harmony to the system of Sen lines.

Practitioners describe more than 70,000 Sen lines in the body, each with a particular function and relation to an aspect of the body, such as the nervous system or circulatory system. Thai traditional massage focuses on just ten of them, the greatest difference can be made by applying pressure or manipulation. The Thai massage therapist uses pressure (finger, palm, forearm, elbow, knee or foot), as well as stretching, to work along the major Sen lines. By manipulating the Sen lines in this way, Thai massage therapy aims to improve wellbeing, flexibility, and promote relaxation.

One example, the Sen Sumana line, is considered the most important. This runs from the navel to the crown of the head and is associated with the heart, lungs, and emotional balance. It is believed that blockages in the Sen Sumana line can lead to physical and emotional imbalances, such as anxiety, depression, or respiratory problems.

Another important Sen line – particularly to the practice of Thai massage – is the Sen Kalathari, running along the spine. This line is believed to be linked to the body's ability to heal and is often used in Thai massage therapy to treat chronic pain conditions.

One of Bangkok’s most famous attractions is “Wat Pho”, or the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. Traditional Thai massage is taught and demonstrated there, and on its walls can been seen ancient illustrations of the Sen lines (see picture above!)

The Office of National Statistics estimate over 2 million people in the UK are (as of October 2022) suffering from “Long COVID” – symptoms continuing at least a month after infection. Over 1 million of these people reported having been infected at least a year earlier. That is an awfully long time to be suffering with any condition, and for as long as formal and well-tested treatments remain elusive, many sufferers are sharing their own symptoms, treatments, self-care tips and recommendations online

The most common symptoms for long COVID sufferers are weakness and tiredness, shortness of breath, and loss of smell but there is a long and very varied list of other symptoms including anxiety, trouble sleeping, muscle aches, and headaches. Sufferers also report some stranger symptoms including “brain fog”, dizziness, skin rashes and even hair loss

We are certainly not advocating massage as a cure for Long COVID. The structural results of a Covid infection, such as damaged lung tissue or neurological alterations, almost certainly cannot be helped by massage. Your first port of call should absolutely by your GP! However, we do believe that a regular massage could help alleviate some of the direct or indirect symptoms. After all, some of those symptoms – like muscle aches, anxiety and sleeping problems – are typical reasons why people see us for regular massages

Indeed, a small study of 20 patients found that a course of 9-10 weekly massages (as well as self-massage by the patients) “significantly reduced fatigue related to Long COVID”. It is still early days of course, but while we wait for larger scale surveys and research to establish formal courses of treatment, we hope our massage might help some long Covid sufferers; it can’t hurt to try! Feel free to discuss your long Covid symptoms with our team of massage professionals and we will do our best to help