Although the term “Seifukujitsu” (say-foo-koo-jit-soo) is largely unknown in the U.S., it is frequently recognized in Japan and Hawaii. The term can be translated as “Restoration Therapy” because it emphasizes restoring the body to a normal state, known in China as “Fusheng”. It is derived from three Chinese characters that mean “whole and complete”, “to recover what was lost”, and “skilled art or method”. The Japanese translation of seifukujitsu is “a skillful method of adjusting and restoring”.

From an energetic perspective, seifukujitsu rectifies internal energy, or “straightens up the hara“. Seifukujitsu can also be said to “break down the old and build up the new”.

In pre-modern Japan, martial art sensei (teachers) used seifukujitsu to deal with various muscle, tendon, and bone injuries that occurred during martial training. Seifukujitsu was once considered a “high art” practiced only by advanced practitioners of the martial arts. Today, while karate, jujitsu, and judo schools teach self-defense techniques, it is rare to find a martial art school that teaches seifukujitsu. Seifukujitsu has been practiced in Japan for over twelve hundred to fifteen hundred years.

The specific style of seifukujitsu practiced at Soma Therapeutics evolved from Henry Seishiro Okazaki, a masterful healer and martial artist based in Hawaii, and the founder of Danzan Ryu (DZR) Jujitsu. This style has been referred to as the ‘long-life massage’ because the benefits of frequent treatments include a higher level of overall health and sense of wellbeing, and therefore to prolong one’s lifespan.

What Does Seifukujitsu Look Like?

The bodywork penetrates deep into tissues with a unique, pulsating, forearm pressure. The practitioner discovers the underlying resistance in muscular structures, resolves areas of stress and discomfort, helps the muscles to relax, and restores the body’s natural healing processes. The forearm is also used to break down injured tissues, allowing them to heal properly. Seifukujitsu includes other treatment methods that may include balancing of “ki” (energy), joint manipulation, rehabilitative exercises, hydrotherapy, and the use of poultices and herbs. Few bodywork methods have a similar range of therapies compared to Seifukujitsu, primarily because of its long history.

What Does Seifukujitsu Treat?

Seifukujitsu restoration therapy has two goals:
To balance the energy flow in the body (Ki (“Kee”) in Japanese or Qi (“Chee”) in Chinese)
To break down soft tissue areas of the body that have been injured, allowing them to properly heal.

Seifukujitsu successfully treats many body conditions, with specific protocols for conditions such as:

• Injury Rehabilitation
• Muscle Strain and Sprain
• Joint Injuries
• Sports and Work Injuries
• Muscular Aches and Pains
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Repetitive Stress Syndrome
• Headaches & Migraines
• General, Mental, & Physical Fatigue
• Stress
• Anxiety
• Nervous Tension
• Menstrual Cramps
• Tendency for Frequent Illness

In addition to its healing characteristics, Restoration Therapy is known to:

• Tone the body
• Promote general health
• Improve circulation
• Balance flow of Qi
• Induce a feeling of connectedness
• Leave you feeling restored, not exhausted

Instructions Before & After Treatment

Before a treatment:

• Bathe
• Refrain from eating for two hours
• Drink plenty of water
• Remove jewelry and contact lenses
• Modest clients may choose to wear a bathing suit

After the treatment:

• Drink a lot of water
• Wait an hour before eating
• Wait an hour before bathing or swimming
• Plan to spend some quiet time immediately following the treatment
• Feel great!

Please note that the effects of the treatment may take up to 24 hours to fully manifest.

Would you like to feel energized, be healthier, and function more effectively?  Incorporate seifukujitsu bodywork into your routine.  Send me a message or just schedule an appointment – I’d love to work with you!