Ohashiatsu in New York

by Botumroath Lebun

“I love giving Ohashiatsu,” says Kumiko Kanayama. Ohashiatsu means ‘touch to heal.’

Kanayama, 37, dressed in a white uniform, her hair tied back, begins to push her fists on a man’s body, moving around him as he lies on a futon, face-down on a pillow, a white sheet covering his body. The 5’1”, 110-pound masseuse first ‘touches’ his back, legs and arms, searching for muscle tension and stiffness. Then she begins to massage, using her thumbs to apply pressure on the man’s lower back while he lies half asleep.

“When she applies pressure in her fists and begins to massage my body, I could almost cry because it hurts,” says the 64 year-old-man who won’t give his name. “When I leave here, I feel really good and look forward coming back.”

Giving massage is a state of mind, says Kanayama. When she massages she also meditates. She benefits from it both physically and financially. “I get a lot of physical exercise when I stretch my client’s body. I use my arms and legs to stretch as well,” she says. “I’m giving you a massage, but at the same time you are giving me a good workout and paying me.”

Born and raised in Hiroshima, Japan, Kanayama came to America when she was 21, hoping to study journalism. “When I arrived here, I discovered that the education in America is too expensive,” she says. Now she works at the Ohashi Institute, on 25th Street. Her uncle, Wataru Ohashi, who founded the practice, opened the Institute in 1974.

“When I was a little girl, my family told me so much about my uncle and his philosophy. I was curious about his work in America.” Ohashi invited his niece to sit in one of his sessions during the summer of 1998. “I was impressed by the way he communicated with people, showing them how to move their bodies, how to touch each other, and talking about health problems,” explains Kanayama. “I felt I had something to learn, not just from my uncle, but also from the Americans.”

She has observed that most of her clients suffer pain in their lower back and upper shoulders.

Kanayama, who has been living in New York for 16, calls the profession her religion. “If this simple touch helps people feel better, then I feel very honored to be able to touch these human beings to help balance their lives.”

For a glimpse into the career of ohashiatsu, call 212-595-4911.

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