UK Toyohari Acupuncture

About Toyohari

What is Toyohari?

Acupuncture is being increasingly accepted, both by the medical establishment and the general public, as a reputable and safe way of treating a wide range of conditions. Toyohari is a refinement of this 2,500 year old tradition, derived from classical Chinese medical knowledge. These have been innovatively reviewed in the context of both modern clinical experience and in the context of the times in which we live. Its gentle approach, which emphasises touch, was developed in Japan where acupuncture has been uniquely influenced by its four-hundred year old tradition of blind acupuncture practitioners.

It is largely based on the practitioner’s ability to feel and work with qi (pronounced chee) which flows throughout a person’s body and in particular along twelve main channels or meridians. Practitioners use specialised needle techniques, unique to Toyohari, which are very gentle and non-invasive. Since the treatment is pain free and less invasive than other forms of acupuncture it is particularly suited to children and for those who are wary of needles. Like acupuncture Toyohari can treat all sorts of health conditions but there are specific treatments for neck and shoulder problems unique to this approach.

History

In 1959 Kodo Fukushima, a blind Japanese acupuncturist founded the Toyohari Medical Association, which trained hundreds of sightless practitioners. The approach is similar to other ‘five element’ or ‘five phase’ styles such as ‘Meridian Therapy’ but the needle techniques are quite different. The practice of Toyohari is constantly evolving as practitioners regularly come together to study and work with each other. More recently the association has started to accept sighted practitioners and today the Toyohari tradition is alive and strong in Japan and is growing in Australasia, the United States and Europe.

What happens in a treatment?

There are some obvious differences between Toyohari and other styles of acupuncture practice. Patients receiving treatment are most likely to notice that the Toyohari approach is more gentle and the practitioner’s touch and needling techniques feel lighter and less invasive.

A very important aspect of the treatment is the diagnosis, finding the correct fundamental imbalance in the person’s body – this is known as finding the sho (pattern). Other treatment is supportive and works on specific symptoms but if the correct sho is treated then the results are expected to be more effective and longer lasting. This is what makes this treatment completely different to the sort of acupuncture you might receive in a pain clinic for example, where most often only the symptoms are treated.

Treatment takes anywhere between fifteen minutes and one hour and patients usually remain fully clothed. This is normally a very pleasant, relaxing experience.

See more questions and answers about Toyohari acupuncture.

Toyohari practitioners

Practitioners are already qualified and fully trained as acupuncturists before they learn Toyohari. Once they have completed the basic Toyohari training they continue to work and study together to constantly improve their skills and abilities to diagnose and treat effectively. Toyohari practitioners are committed to practising acupuncture to the very highest standards and there are minimum requirements for ongoing study that must be undertaken for the practitioner to remain a member of the Toyohari Association, which is accredited from Japan.

Find your nearest Toyohari practitioner.