Shiatsu a method of massage that originated in Japan and is inspired by traditional Chinese medicine.
By the successive application of pressure, stretches, rocking motion and other movements, the Shiatsu practitioner rebalances energy circulation in the body via the autonomous nervous system. Shiatsu encompasses stretching of the limbs, slow sustained pressure from applied body weight and lighter contact to gauge the flow of energy, blood circulation, the suppleness of joints and habitual postures.
Pressure and contact are directly applied by the hands, fingers, forearms, knees and feet while the person receiving the massage is placed in various positions. Treatment is often focussed on the path of the meridians (as in acupuncture) and certain specific points on the meridians (acupuncture points)