Working within each person's comfort
The person's experience of pain guides the session, with movement kept within a comfortable range rather than forced. If pain occurs, the practitioner adjusts the technique at that point.
Gentle Touch Therapy,
born in Japan.
What is Yurashi?
Gentle touch, slow movement
Yurashi Gentle Touch Therapy is a Japanese-origin hands-on approach that combines gentle hand pressure with joint movement. Practitioners adapt their touch and movements to each person's breathing, sensations, and physical responses.
Adapting gentle techniques to each person
Rather than using force to overcome tension, practitioners choose techniques the person can comfortably receive. The rhythm and range of movement, and coordination with breathing, matter as much as the amount of pressure.
Techniques include moving a joint while applying finger pressure, or while maintaining a gentle pulling force.
When guiding movement by hand, the practitioner uses one hand to support the body and the other to guide the joint's movement. Rather than focusing on one joint alone, they observe how it moves in coordination with adjacent joints and the trunk.
Movements generally follow a gentle, steady rhythm and stay comfortably within the joint's range, without pushing it to its limit. Practitioners check resistance to movement and the person's sensations, then adjust hand placement and range. The same symptom may call for different techniques depending on the person's condition.
Considering everyday strain
In Yurashi, muscle tension and restricted movement are not viewed simply as problems to be eliminated. They are considered possible responses to protecting part of the body or coping with everyday demands. Understanding that background is an important part of the approach.
Prolonged postures, repetitive movements, stress at work or home, and limited opportunities to rest all form part of the picture. Practitioners look beyond the painful area to the person's daily life. They observe posture, movement, and breathing, and listen to the person's experience when considering what the session can address.
Safety and scope of practice
Understanding pain in context
Pain involves physical, psychological, and social factors, and each person's experience matters. Imaging findings do not necessarily explain the whole experience of pain. The absence of an abnormal finding does not, on its own, rule out a medical problem.
Understanding pain: International Association for the Study of Pain
Not a substitute for medical care
During a Yurashi session, practitioners adapt their touch and movements to the person's sensations and physical responses. This is different from diagnosing an illness or injury, or determining that no medical problem is present.
Diagnosis, medical tests, and treatment decisions are the role of healthcare professionals. Yurashi sessions do not replace these services. This page offers general information, rather than individual diagnoses or medical consultations.
Medical care comes first
For new or severe pain, or worsening symptoms, please consult a healthcare professional before a session rather than postponing medical care. If you are receiving medical treatment or are unsure whether a session is appropriate for you, please discuss this with your healthcare professional.
Case records
Conditions and concerns
A directory of symptoms and concerns, organized by body area and type.
Inclusion does not establish that Yurashi is appropriate or effective for any listed condition. The scope of a session is assessed in light of medical diagnosis and treatment.
Head and face
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Tinnitus
- Eye strain
- Temporomandibular disorders (TMD)
- Tension-type headache
- Occipital neuralgia
- Discomfort or stiffness following facial nerve palsy
- Discomfort after TMD surgery
- Other pain (head and face)
Neck and shoulders
- Cervical disc herniation
- Whiplash
- Neck pain after sleeping in an awkward position
- Neck muscle cramps
- Other pain (neck and shoulders)
- Neck and shoulder tension
- Frozen shoulder
- Loss of the normal cervical curve (straight neck)
- Cervicobrachial syndrome
- Cervical spondylosis
- Thoracic outlet syndrome
- Care after recovery from a rotator cuff injury
- Long-head biceps tendinitis
- Subacromial impingement syndrome
- Acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis
- Pain after acromioclavicular joint dislocation
- Shoulder pain or restricted movement after breast cancer surgery
Arms and hands
- Elbow pain (golfer's elbow)
- Elbow pain (tennis elbow)
- Elbow pain (baseball-related)
- Elbow pain after a contusion
- Tenosynovitis
- Hand numbness
- Trigger finger
- Care after recovery from a triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) injury
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Guyon's canal syndrome
- Cubital tunnel syndrome
- Ulnar neuropathy
- Median neuropathy
- De Quervain's tenosynovitis
- Thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) osteoarthritis
- Heberden's and Bouchard's nodes
- Other pain (arms and hands)
Trunk, lower back, and hips
- Scoliosis
- Intercostal neuralgia
- Chronic low back pain
- Acute low back pain
- Sciatica
- Lumbar disc herniation
- Spinal stenosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Lumbar spondylolysis
- Hip osteoarthritis
- Acetabular dysplasia
- Groin pain syndrome
- Piriformis syndrome
- Sacroiliac joint pain
- Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
- Myofascial low back pain
- Lumbar facet joint osteoarthritis
- Pain after a lumbar compression fracture
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Iliopsoas inflammation or syndrome
- Greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS)
- Snapping hip
- Postpartum low back or pelvic pain
- Other pain (trunk and lower back)
Knees
- Knee osteoarthritis
- Osgood–Schlatter disease
- Jumper's knee
- Care after recovery from a meniscal injury
- Care after recovery from a collateral ligament injury (knee)
- Care after recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament injury
- Care after recovery from a posterior cruciate ligament injury
- Knee effusion
- Iliotibial band syndrome (runner's knee)
- Pes anserine bursitis
- Patellofemoral joint disorder (patellofemoral pain syndrome)
- Patellar tendinitis
- Other pain (knees)
Legs and feet
- Hamstring strain
- Calf muscle strain
- Other muscle strains
- Shin splints
- Tightness in the legs
- Plantar fasciitis
- Numbness in the legs or feet
- Hallux valgus (bunion)
- Bunionette
- Sever's disease (calcaneal apophysitis)
- Flat feet
- Morton's neuroma
- Painful accessory navicular
- Tarsal tunnel syndrome
- Peroneal tendinitis
- Achilles tendinitis
- Ankle instability
- Pain after an ankle sprain
- Pain after a stress fracture
- Sesamoid disorders
- Other pain (legs and feet)
Autonomic and daily-life concerns
- Autonomic dysfunction
- Sleep disorders
- Menopause-related symptoms
- Myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)
Abdominal and digestive concerns
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Functional dyspepsia (FD)
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Reflux esophagitis (GERD)
Menstrual and gynecological concerns
- Menstrual pain
- Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
- Symptoms during or after treatment for endometriosis
- Symptoms during or after treatment for uterine fibroids
- Symptoms during or after treatment for ovarian cysts
Whole-body concerns
- General fatigue or sluggishness
- Physical fatigue
- Muscle tightness or stiffness
- Uneven posture or movement patterns
- Sensitivity to cold
- Swelling
- Discomfort or heaviness associated with lymphedema
Pain, numbness, and concerns after surgery or treatment
- Pain or numbness after surgery
- Pain or numbness after other treatment
- After surgery
- After a fracture
- Care after recovery from a ligament injury
- After a dislocation
- After a sprain
- After joint replacement
- After cancer treatment
- Musculoskeletal symptoms
- After treatment for facial nerve palsy
- After treatment for herpes
- Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN)
Maintenance and other concerns
- Maintenance care or massage
- Other concerns
Medical care and the role of Yurashi
For pain or numbness after surgery, or symptoms associated with a condition under medical treatment, please speak with your treating physician about whether a session is appropriate and what it may address before proceeding. Yurashi does not replace diagnosis or treatment of the underlying condition.
Hands-on care documented on video
Explore individual records of muscle strains, Osgood–Schlatter disease, and meniscal injuries, alongside shoulder, elbow, lower back, head and neck, and foot concerns. These videos are individual records, not guarantees of the same outcome or time to improvement.
8 categories · 21 videos
The audio and on-screen explanations in these videos are in Japanese.
Client feedback
Experiences shared, in their own handwriting.
People who have experienced Yurashi, and their families, have sent us handwritten postcards. This collection brings together the postcards published on our Japanese website, without grouping them by condition.
346postcards in this collection
Original handwritten messages, mainly in Japanese. Select a postcard to enlarge it.
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These postcards share individual experiences and opinions. They are separate from clinical research findings and do not guarantee effectiveness or safety.
View on our Japanese websiteGoogle Maps
Ratings on Google Maps
Ratings for our four directly operated Yurashi Lab locations. Current ratings and reviews are available on each location’s Google Maps page.
Yurashi Lab
Shinagawa Takanawa
4.8/ 5
279 reviews
View on Google Maps
Yurashi Lab
Yoyogi
4.9/ 5
237 reviews
View on Google Maps
Yurashi Lab
Ikebukuro
5.0/ 5
23 reviews
View on Google Maps
Yurashi Lab
Fukuoka Ohori Park
4.9/ 5
115 reviews
View on Google MapsThese ratings reflect customers’ experiences and do not guarantee the effectiveness or safety of the therapy.
Origins and future directions
From Japanese hands-on care to research and international exchange
Yurashi has its roots in Japanese hands-on care and gentle-touch techniques. Koji Matsunaga developed the techniques he learned in Japan, spending approximately 10 years systematizing the techniques and theory as Yurashi.
He then introduced this approach, systematized in Japan, to Germany. The medical research and international exchanges that followed continue to inform today's education and collaborative research.
- Learning in Japan
- Matsunaga learned in Japan from a teacher whose practice had roots in Japanese folk therapies
- Development and systematization in Japan (approximately 10 years)
- He developed the techniques in Japan, spending approximately 10 years systematizing the techniques and theory as Yurashi
- Introduction abroad
- Matsunaga introduced Yurashi, systematized in Japan, to Germany, leading to local courses and exchanges
- 2012
- Collaborative research began with professionals in medicine and naturopathy in Germany. A related book was published
- 2013
- A basic course was held at a naturopathy school in Düsseldorf
- 2015–2016
- Company-operated Yurashi Lab locations opened in Japan. Yurashi International Co., Ltd. was established, and basic courses began in Tokyo
- 2019
- Accompanied a player competing in the French Open tennis tournament
- 2022
- Work on functional dyspepsia began at Miyata Gastroenterology, Internal Medicine and Dermatology Clinic
- 2023
- Collaborative research began with the Institute of Physical Education, Keio University, and Karasawa Orthopaedic Clinic
- 2026
- Two research papers on Osgood–Schlatter disease were published
Experience in competitive sport
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At the tennis tournament venue in Strasbourg
These photographs document a separate event in Strasbourg, not the French Open mentioned below.
In 2019, we accompanied a player competing in the French Open tennis tournament. Our work spans both competitive sports settings and research with physicians and researchers.
Read the physician interview mentioning the French Open trip
Learning techniques and when to use them
Courses teach hand techniques alongside how to assess a person's condition and why to choose a particular technique. Certification and continuing training also cover responses to pain and decisions about the appropriate scope of a session.
We aim to test observations from practice through research, then bring the findings back into practice and education. This ongoing exchange is intended to deepen both technical skill and understanding.
Sharing experience and research with professionals worldwide
We hope to introduce the techniques and research developed in Japan to professionals in medicine, rehabilitation, and sport overseas.
This means offering firsthand experience and listening to professional perspectives, sharing research papers, and exploring questions we can investigate together. We will continue these exchanges with respect for local healthcare systems and professional roles.
Medical collaboration
Working together in care and research
The examples below describe collaboration with medical institutions in care and research. Within these collaborations, physicians remain responsible for diagnosis and medical treatment plans; Yurashi sessions do not replace those medical roles. In research, researchers design the assessments and carry out measurement and analysis.
Karasawa Orthopaedic Clinic
Hands-on care and collaborative research in orthopedics
We collaborate with Dr Genko Karasawa on research into Osgood–Schlatter disease. The clinic is the clinical research site for the published studies.
Miyata Gastroenterology, Internal Medicine and Dermatology Clinic
Extending research into internal medicine
We work with Dr Naoteru Miyata on research into a hands-on intervention for functional dyspepsia (FD).
Denenchofu Osada Orthopaedic Clinic
Connecting orthopedic care and hands-on practice
Yurashi sessions are provided within the clinic, which also collaborates on research into muscle strains.
Yomiuriland Keiyu Hospital
Care in an end-of-life setting
We have been involved in complementary care using gentle touch in an end-of-life care setting.
Clinical research
Clinical research with physicians and researchers
Collaborative research with the Institute of Physical Education, Keio University, and Karasawa Orthopaedic Clinic has led to two papers on Osgood–Schlatter disease in peer-reviewed international journals.
The studies examine one part of the approach as passive hip and knee joint movement. Passive movement means that an external force, such as a practitioner's hands, moves the joint rather than the person moving it themselves. The studies assess immediate changes in muscle stiffness, ease of movement, and self-reported pain.
Published | Immediate changes after 10 minutes of passive movement
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Participants | 53 participants with bilateral Osgood–Schlatter disease |
| Method | Each participant's legs were randomly assigned to intervention or rest; 10 minutes of passive movement was compared with 10 minutes of rest |
| Measures | Stiffness of the rectus femoris muscle at the front of the thigh, heel-to-buttock distance, and self-reported knee pain |
| Findings | Muscle stiffness, heel-to-buttock distance, and pain decreased immediately on the intervention side. No significant changes were reported on the resting side |
Journal: Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation / 2026 / Volume 8, Issue 4, e70041
Read the publication record · DOI: 10.1002/ars2.70041
PubMedPublished | Does repetition further change muscle stiffness?
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Participants | 15 participants aged 10–14 with bilateral Osgood–Schlatter disease |
| Method | Two 10-minute sets of passive movement on the intervention side, with measurements before the intervention, after one set, and after two sets. The opposite side rested |
| Measures | Rectus femoris muscle stiffness |
| Findings | Stiffness was lower than baseline after both one and two sets, but no significant difference was reported between the first and second sets |
Journal: Children / 2026 / Volume 13, Issue 4, 460
Read the paper · DOI: 10.3390/children13040460
Funding: Yurashi International Co., Ltd. The paper discloses that the company did not influence the scientific interpretation of the collected data or publication of the paper.
ChildrenResearch findings and their limits
These studies examine immediate changes in specific participants under specific conditions. They do not establish a cure, prevention of recurrence, long-term benefits, or effectiveness for other conditions.
We distinguish the principles behind the approach from findings established by research. These papers do not explain the detailed mechanisms behind the changes or establish the effects of the full range of Yurashi techniques.
Research in progress
| Topic | Status |
|---|---|
| Hands-on intervention for functional dyspepsia (FD) | Manuscript submitted and under peer review |
| Hands-on intervention for muscle strains | Research ongoing with physicians and researchers |
The FD work concerns internal medicine; the muscle-strain work concerns orthopedics and sports medicine. We present work under review or in progress separately from published findings.