Rooms and privacy

There are three rooms

The first is fully enclosed, walled on all sides with a door, for one guest alone. The second is also a private room, walled in the same way, and open above to a high ceiling.

And the third is a twin room, where two guests lie side by side.

The number of rooms is limited. Where the room you would like is already taken, we will offer one that is free. Tell us your preference when you book and we will say there and then whether we can hold it.

In every room, no oil and no instruments are used. Sessions are usually given in a gown we provide. If changing is difficult, we will adjust to your needs case by case.

A duty written into law

Practitioners in Japan are bound by a statutory duty of confidentiality (Act No. 217 of 1947, Article 7-2). Without legitimate cause, a practitioner must not disclose another person's secrets learned in the course of the work. The duty continues after a practitioner leaves the profession.

We do not tell anyone outside the salon who has been here. If we are asked, we will not give a name and we will not confirm whether anyone has been. This is how we answer for every guest, without exception.

It is also why we keep no online booking calendar. An open diary of free slots shows, in reverse, whose hours are already taken.

Reservations come by telephone and email; the reservations page sets out how.

The same door, the same sequence

There is one way in. A first-time guest, a guest of many years, and a family member or company booker reserving on someone’s behalf all come through the same telephone line and the same email address. There is no second line and no held-back slot.

When you arrive, you fill in a short record at reception. It takes about five minutes. The practitioner then asks how you are and what you would like, and shows you to the room.

That order is the same for everyone. Reservations: +81-3-3581-7354 or reservation@namikoshi-shiatsu.co.jp. We are on the mezzanine floor of the Main Building of Imperial Hotel Tokyo, one minute from Hibiya station exit A13.

Risks and side effects

After a session, the areas we have worked on may feel heavy or tired. Rarely, a spot where pressure was applied may be sore for a short time, or a small bruise may appear. Most of this settles within a few days; if it continues, or grows stronger, please call us.

There are conditions we cannot work with. Among them are a fever, a fracture, a recent injury, a tendency to bruise or bleed easily and pregnancy. Please tell us when you book.

If you have strong pain, numbness or swelling, please see a physician first. Shiatsu here is practised under the Japanese national licence «あん摩マッサージ指圧師» (Anma Massage Shiatsu Practitioner). It is not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment by a physician.