Anma is one of Japan’s oldest physical practices. Derived from techniques from China and refined over the centuries, this approach to manual care combines precise gestures, slow mobilizations and energy work. For a curious traveller of Japanese traditions, the anma offers an authentic immersion in the history of local well-being. Knowing its origins, its principles and its current place also makes it possible to choose a session more serenely during a stay in Japan.
Origins and historical evolution
It is rooted in the Chinese Tui Na, introduced to Japan during the Nara period. Manual techniques then developed in the medical structures of the period, before taking a more codified form in the 14th century thanks to practitioner Akashi Kan Ichi. The first dedicated textbooks then appeared in the 17th century, when the Anma experienced a notable boom thanks to masters such as Sugiyama Waichi.
In the Edo era, anma became a widespread activity. Practitioners often travel from town to city, providing care in return for accommodation or modest remuneration. The social status of this profession varies from time to time, influenced by changing mentalities and the increasing presence of Western medicine during the Meiji era. Despite this context, the anma continues to be transmitted, integrating over time certain elements into the modern practice of Shiatsu, while maintaining its own identity.
The central place of blind practitioners
The history of the Anma is deeply linked to the blind community of Japan. Sugiyama Waichi, himself blind, founded several schools for medical education for visually impaired persons. Under Tokugawa Shogunate, laws even reserve this profession to blind practitioners, creating a stable activity in a context where professional resources are limited.
This specialization has a lasting influence on the image of anma in Japanese culture. Many works, stories and films feature blind mobile masseurs, both respected for their tactile expertise and perceived as emblematic figures of the Edo era. After the Second World War, the profession was briefly threatened by the administrative directives imposed on the archipelago, but the mobilization of prominent figures allowed it to continue. Even today, the Anma remains an important professional path for a part of the blind community in Japan.
Basic techniques of anma
Anma is based on a range of precise gestures designed to stimulate circulation, release tensions and harmonize internal body flows. Practitioners use several techniques, each with a specific purpose depending on the areas worked and the recipient’s needs.
The main actions include continuous pressure, kneading movements, vigorous friction, vibration and percussion. The work of meridians occupies an essential place, as does the stimulation of targeted energy points. Anma also incorporates anpuku, an abdominal palpation method used to regulate the breath and internal functioning.
It is a dynamic massage, often more toned than other Japanese practices. Movements usually run through clothes, which corresponds to the original practice, but also to traditional Japanese modesty. A session may vary in intensity depending on the school or the practitioner’s style, ranging from deep muscle work to more subtle treatment of the energy zones.
Where to discover the anma during a trip to Japan
Today, anma is practiced in many specialized offices, wellness centres and shiatsu institutes that perpetuate tradition. Some historic schools continue to train practitioners and offer sessions to visitors. In major cities such as Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto, several certified clinics offer the opportunity to experiment with this form of massage in a professional setting.
For travellers looking for an in-depth cultural discovery, an expert travel planner from Japan can offer initiation workshops, visits to traditional schools or sessions provided by practitioners specializing in the classical approach of the anma. This approach adds a cultural dimension to a moment of relaxation and better understands the principles that guide this therapeutic art.
Anma remains a valuable reflection of Japanese well-being history. This practice offers both a physical appeasement and an immersion in a manual tradition that has gone through the centuries. During a trip to Japan, discovering the anma allows you to appreciate the finesse of touch and the richness of know-how transmitted from generation to generation.
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