FEATURE
Stressed to kill
Another day, another
yen. The alarm rings, you slap the sleep buzzer and roll over for "just another five
quick ones" which, before you know it, easily becomes another hour. For some reason
you can't quite put your finger on it's getting increasingly more difficult to get up in
the morning. In fact, since you've come to Tokyo you've started catching colds, when you
used to have the constitution of a horse. Your skin is breaking out, you've gotten more
respiratory infections, your eyes itch, you can't sleep and on and on the list of
complaints goes. Sound familiar? Well you're not alone, and it's more than a case of
culture shock. In fact it's something much more life-threatening. Stress.
Stress affects every single resident of Tokyo no matter their age, nationality or health
condition. Environmental stress, from air, noise, water and sewage pollution, is
everywhere. Then there's work stress, stress from school, commuting, making ends meet,
relationships, the kids, inlaws... The list of possible sources is literally endless. The
"fight or flight" mechanism, which causes the body to tense up and stop
breathing, is the body's natural response to any outside threat, real or otherwise. And
stress is a very real threat to the body's natural state of balance. Health in its optimum
state is lost to the ravages of stress little by little, and if left untreated for an
extended period of time it can break down your immune system to the point where you
succumb to serious disease. Luckily, living in Tokyo offers as many advantages as it does
sources of stress, one of those being that we live in a country where Asian medical
practices are a widely accepted way to maintain one's health and effectively deal with
stress.
Now the hard part begins. You've recognized it's time to do something but where to start?
In addition to the suggested practitioners listed below, here are some helpful hints to
get you back on the road to a balanced lifestyle and better health:
1) The phone book. This is an amazing tool and if you can't read Japanese
have a friend or co-worker help you. From yoga to shiatsu, Chinese herbs to coed sauna
baths, whatever you need you'll find it in the yellow pages.
2) Keep your eyes and ears open. Look around the area you work for signs
with the kanji for kampo, shiatsu, acupuncture, etc. You'll be surprised how many clinics
you never noticed before will jump right out at you when you begin looking. Look around
the neighborhood surrounding your train station; this tends to be where most of these
small clinics are concentrated. A short vocabulary list is included at the end of this
article for those terms that are unfamiliar.
3) Ask friends, co-workers and even your family doctor for introductions
to clinics they recommend as some of the best practitioners never, ever advertise.
 ACUPUNCTURE
When people hear the word acupuncture, most have some horrific childhood memory of a
Ripley's Believe It or Not TV special where the Indian yogi lay down on a bed of foot-long
nails. Acupuncture is nothing like this. It is an ancient practice based on the body's
paths of energy (meridians) and energy points (tsubo in Japanese) where the practitioner
skillfully inserts hair-thin needles into precise points, causing blocked energy to move
and restoring the body to a more balanced state. People who move beyond their fear of
needles to try this miraculous medical treatment become instant converts to its amazing
restorative power.
Acupuncture
Clinic Roppongi
Acupuncture,
moxibustion.
Some English and Spanish spoken. Appointments necessary as location makes the clinic
popular with foreign clients.
4-4-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku.
Tel: 3401-8514.
Hours: 10am-6pm. Closed Sun and national holidays.
Aoyanagi
Acupuncture Clinic
Massage,
acupuncture, moxibustion and other treatments. Famous acupuncturist, well respected, kind,
gentle and caring. Appointment necessary.
1-6-13 Nakamachi, Meguro-ku.
Tel: 3711-4037
Hours: 9am-7pm. Closed Sun and national holidays.
Edward's
Acupuncture Clinic
Monday's Japan
Times carries a fascinating and practical column on Chinese medicine written by Edward
Obaidey. Comes highly recommended for acupuncture, moxibustion, shiatsu, amma (blind
masseuse) and Western massage.
Co-op Sangenjaya 3F, 2-17-12 Sangenjaya, Setagaya-ku.
Tel: 3418-8989.
Hours: 10am-5:15pm (last appointment). Closed Thu, Sun and national holidays.
Jiyugaoka
Massage
Shiatsu by
licensed professionals, three of whom are licensed to do acupuncture as well. Hatayama
Sensei does magic with his hands and needles on stiff necks, sore shoulders and menstrual
cramps! House calls for the same price as a visit to the clinic.
5-41-5 Okusawa, Setagaya-ku.
Tel: 3722-8644.
Hours: 10am-4pm daily.
Karada House
Acupuncture,
moxibustion and shiatsu. Some therapists speak a little English. Appointments advised.
Kichijoji Sunplaza #304, 1-6-1 Gotenyama, Musashino-shi.
Tel: 0422-47-8626.
Hours: 10am-9pm. Closed Sun and national holidays.
Okabe Clinic
(Okabe Shinkyu Naika)
Acupuncture,
moxibustion and kampo. Some practitioners speak English. Japanese insurance accepted for
some treatments. First-time patients must make appointment.
1-14-9 Jinnan, Shibuya-ku.
Tel: 3461-2426.
Hours: 10am-12pm, 2-6pm. Closed Thu, Sun and national holidays.
Soma
Acupuncture House (Soma Shinkyuin)
Acupuncture,
shiatsu, moxibustion. A little difficult to find, but the therapist is very gentle and
takes considerable time with each patient. Makes house calls if you live in the area.
Speaks some English and has reasonable rates. Appointment necessary.
3-9-26 Sakurajosui, Setagaya-ku.
Tel: 3329-3955.
Hours: 9am-12pm, 2-6pm. Closed Sun and national holidays.
KAMPO (CHINESE MEDICINE)
 Kampo is
Chinese herbalism based on the study of some 6,000 substances of which 300 are used in
nearly 800 medicinal compounds. Practiced in Japan for over 1000 years, kampo is
recognized as being effective in dealing with a range of physical and emotional troubles,
from allergies and menstrual distress to depression and insomnia. Kampo looks at the whole
body and sees illness as the body's expression of an underlying disorder in its natural
balance.
Nihon
Kampo Research Institute Shibuya
Kampo prescribed
by well-trained professionals. This writer has had an amazing turn of health with a kampo
formula prescribed by Dr. Inagi. Accepts public insurance.
Shin Taiso Bldg 2, 4F, 2-10-7 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku.
Tel: 3464-6431.
Hours: 9am-4pm (lunch break from 11:30am-1:30pm). Closed Sun.
Tokyo Women's
Medical College Oriental Medicine
Research Center
Acupuncture and
moxibustion also available. Public insurance accepted only for kampo. Some doctors speak a
little English. Appointments necessary.
Shinjuku NS Bldg, 4F, 2-4-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku.
Tel: 3340-0821.
Hours: 9-11am, 1-3pm. Closed Sun and national holidays.
Mimi Pharmacy
Counseling and
treatment with Mariko Fujisawa, a practitioner of Chinese medicine who speaks English and
has studied abroad. Appointments necessary.
2-29-21 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku.
Tel: 3463-6419.
Hours: 10am-4pm. Open all year.
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