Japanese acupuncture is known for its gentle and refined approach. We use very fine needles and shallow insertion, so treatment is usually not painful. Most clients experience it as calm, subtle, and comfortable, even if they were nervous about acupuncture before.

Yes. We use sterile, single-use disposable needles for every treatment. Each needle is individually packaged, used only once, and safely disposed of after the session. We use high-quality Japanese needles from trusted medical suppliers, and all needles are manufactured and sterilized as medical devices.

Yes. If you would prefer a female practitioner, you are welcome to choose HIROYO when booking. At the moment, appointments are available with our female practitioner only.

We begin by listening to your symptoms and carefully assessing the body through touch. For first-time clients, treatment often starts with gentle touch and shiatsu to help the body relax. Very fine needles are then applied slowly, one by one, and adjusted carefully throughout the session.

Please try to arrive about 10 minutes early, so you have time to settle in and relax before your session. We prepare warm organic tea at the clinic, which you are welcome to enjoy before treatment. It is also best to eat a light meal beforehand, stay hydrated, and avoid alcohol before your appointment.

You can come in your normal everyday clothes. For treatment, we usually ask clients to change into their underwear, and we use fresh clean towels for every session to cover all areas that are not being treated, so your privacy is always respected. If you would prefer not to change into your underwear, you are welcome to bring a T-shirt and shorts or other loose, comfortable clothing.

This depends on your condition and how long you have had the symptoms. Some people notice clear improvement after the first session, while long-standing issues usually require more time and consistent treatment. In many cases, we recommend starting with one session per week for about four weeks, then adjusting the treatment plan based on your progress.

After treatment, we recommend taking it easy, staying warm, and drinking plenty of water. If possible, avoid intense exercise, alcohol, or a very heavy meal for the rest of the day. Some people feel deeply relaxed or slightly tired after treatment, so giving your body a little time to settle can help you get the most from the session.

Japanese acupuncture can usually be received alongside other medical treatment. Many clients come to us while taking medication or receiving ongoing care, and treatment is adjusted carefully to suit their condition. For some people, acupuncture also becomes a supportive way to reduce reliance on symptom-control medication over time, especially for pain, tension, stress, and sleep-related issues. If your body begins to feel more settled and stable, you may find that you need less support from painkillers or other medication. However, any change to prescribed medication, especially opioids or other long-term drugs, should always be made together with your doctor. Please let us know about any medication, ongoing treatment, recent surgery, or medical condition before your session, so we can treat you safely and appropriately.

Traditional Japanese acupuncture is often more palpation-based and tactile in its approach. In many Japanese lineages, the hands are trained to feel subtle tension, imbalance, and changes in the body very precisely. This means the treatment is guided not only by theory, but by what the practitioner can actually feel through touch. As a result, Japanese acupuncture often feels less like “being needled” and more like being carefully touched and guided. The needle is introduced slowly and precisely into areas of tension or imbalance, usually with finer needles and shallower insertion. Chinese acupuncture is often experienced as stronger and more stimulation-based, with deeper insertion and a more noticeable needle sensation, although styles vary. Many people who are sensitive or needle-shy find Japanese acupuncture gentler, subtler, and more comfortable.

Yes. Acupuncture has been studied in modern medicine, especially in relation to pain, stress, and nervous system regulation. While research is still evolving and results can vary depending on the condition, many studies suggest that acupuncture can influence how the body responds to pain, tension, and stress. At the same time, traditional Japanese acupuncture also values careful palpation and clinical observation, not only theory.

We accept iDEAL, credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Maestro, JCB), as well as cash.

In Japan, acupuncture is a nationally licensed profession. Practitioners complete a minimum of three years of formal education at an accredited professional school, college, or university, and must then pass national examinations in acupuncture and moxibustion before they can practise. Some continue on to postgraduate study, including master’s and doctoral degrees. The training is rigorous and includes anatomy, physiology, clinical observation, and extensive hands-on practical work. This is one reason Japanese acupuncture is often recognised for its precision, discipline, and refined technique.

At the core of this ancient medicine is the philosophy that ki (pronounced "Ki") or vital energy, flows throughout the body. ki helps to animate the body and protect it from illness, pain and disease. A person's health is influenced by the quality, quantity and balance of Ki. Ki circulates through specific pathways called meridians. There are 14 main meridian pathways throughout the body. Each is connected to specific organs and glands. Meridian pathways are like rivers. Where a river flows, it transports life-giving water that nourishes the land, plants and people. In the same way, meridian pathways transport life-giving Ki to nourish and energize every cell, organ, gland, tissue and muscle. When Ki flows freely throughout the body, one enjoys good physical, mental and emotional well-being. An obstruction of Ki anywhere in the body is like a dam, backing up the flow in one area and restricting it in others. This blockage can hinder the distribution of the nourishment that the body requires to function properly. An acupuncture session is a great way to balance your Ki.

The accurate selection of acupuncture points requires that knowledge of the general anatomical location of points be matched by experience and sensitivity in the fingertips. Mr. Sorei Yanagia, the most renowned acupuncturist in modern Japan and the first principal of my Acupuncture College wrote in his book The Complete Book of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Medicine, "When performing acupuncture and moxibustion for disease prevention and treatment, one must, at any cost, be very strict in selecting acupoints...Is the purpose of acupuncture merely for stimulation? No, we do not think this way. While stimulation of the living body makes one metal needle or one pinch of moxa effective, we believe that it is the accurate selection of acupuncture points that contribute most to their effectiveness."

Our patients include people with Relaxing the patient, decreasing stress, and taking individual time with patients Regulating hormonal imbalances resulting in a larger number of follicles Strengthening the immune system Lessening the side effects of drugs used in IVF or other western reproductive procedures and techniques Improving the function of the ovaries to help produce better quality eggs Increasing blood flow to the uterus and increasing the thickness of the uterine lining Preventing the uterus from contracting Improving semen and sperm to create a better quality and quantity of embryos Decreasing the chances of miscarriage Generally helping to minimize the side-effects associated with ART

YES Paediatric acupuncture is different. Children are not small adults. They respond to much lighter treatment techniques than most adults and rarely need “grown-up acupuncture”. Shonishin is a Japanese non-invasive (needle-free) treatment method for infants, toddlers and school-age children. It is based on the same principles as acupuncture, but instead of needles, small metal tools are used to stimulate the child’s acupuncture meridians with tapping, rubbing or light pressure. The treatment is pleasant, and many children look forward to their treatment. Asthma, allergies, hay fever, runny nose, sinus problems, chronic cough, recurring infections Ear infections, glue ear, tonsillitis, adenoids, Food allergies, vomiting, colic, diarrhoea, constipation, diabetes, poor appetite, teething Bedwetting, kidney problems, cystitis, urinary tract infections Eczema, hives, psoriasis, dermatitis, nappy rash ADD/ADHD, learning difficulties, dyslexia, epilepsy/seizures, anxiety, depression, temper tantrums Measles, chicken pox, mumps, rubella, glandular fever Failure to thrive, chronic fatigue Insomnia, night-time crying, nightmares, night terrors, night fevers Difficulties adapting to changes (new creche, new school, moving house, or family situation (separation, new siblings, absent or ill family member.

​ Understanding a dancers body and the demands placed upon it is difficult to imagine unless you've experienced it yourself. As a former dancer I am aware of the high standards dancers expect from their own bodies and helping to achieve those standards is my aim. ​ Dance is physically demanding, whether you’re a professional or dance is your hobby; classes, rehearsals, and performances are physically intensive. Dancers are well known for dancing through an injury, but regular treatments can help prevent the injury before it happens as well as releasing tension in the joints & tendons, improving flexibility and range of motion. Due to busy schedules, dancers are more prone to overuse injuries. These injuries occur when muscles are not rested fully after training, rehearsal or performance. To use your muscles to your maximum ability it is essential to allow them to recover from the previous session. Overuse is the most common cause of muscular imbalances and injury in dance. If these are not noticed early on they can effect performance or worse, can cause further injures. ​ Many dancers find that a rest period is very difficult to achieve, whilst trying to keep up with rehearsal and performance. Massage can improve circulation which helps to flush out toxins that build up in the muscles aiding a speedy recovery. This is a huge bonus to dancers that are eager to get back into training after injury. our traditional Japanese treatment is a very safe method of treating injuries and aiding the healing process. ​ ​ Benefits for Dancers: ​ Aids and speeds up the body’s natural recovery process Massage helps prevent injury Enhances performance by releasing muscular tension Aids the healing process with minor soft tissue injuries Improves flexibility & range of motion Improves posture Overall relaxation

Voice treatment is extremely beneficial to those that use the voice professionally. By working on the muscles involved in voice production, it allows a balanced function for these muscles to work correctly. The emphasis is to activate correct breathing patterns and release tension around the larynx, improving the quality of the voice. The majority of issues I see with singers fall into the broad category of Muscle Tension Dysphonia (MTD). This is where increased tension in the vocal musculature leads to a variety of symptoms which can include breathiness, hoarseness, pitch changes, breaks, weakness etc., and can manifest with or without pain or discomfort. Usually there is no frank damage to the cords themselves, although this can be a sequela in extreme cases. So what can lead to this muscle tension? If we look at where the vocal apparatus sits in the context of the whole body, then we can start to understand this better. The vocal apparatus is made up of the larynx (housing the vocal cords), the thyroid and cricoid cartilages and the hyoid bone, which serves as an attachment point for many of the extrinsic muscles associated with phonation. The hyoid is a unique bone in the body in that it does not articulate (join with) any other bone – it is literally suspended in space by the sling of muscles that surrounds it. by treatment once an optimal neutral posture is found and the muscle function is better understood, much of this strain disappears. Losing one’s voice is a loss of self,issues can often lead to the voice becoming dissociated from whole body. By working from the feet up, we can reintegrate the voice into the body and allow for the freedom of expression, which serves as the inspiration for all singers

In some cases, symptoms may feel temporarily stronger after treatment before they begin to settle. In traditional East Asian medicine, this can happen as the body starts to rebalance and the flow of Qi (Ki) begins to shift, making areas of tension or stagnation more noticeable for a short time. This does not always happen, and when it does, it is usually temporary. Some people may feel tired, sensitive, or more aware of certain parts of the body after a session before they start to feel better. If the reaction feels unusually strong, worries you, or lasts longer than expected, please let us know so we can reassess and adjust the treatment if needed.

Acupuncture and shiatsu are great for relieving some uncomfortable symptoms and reducing some pain of serious illness. They can also play an important role in recovery and rehabilitation by restoring balance of structure and function in the body. Above all, acupuncture and shiatsu are excellent preventive medicine for they can correct energy flow before serious illness occurs. ​ The role of acupuncture in the curative group is in its adjunctive use in anesthesia, in post-operative pain control, and in aiding and hastening recovery from the side effects of the various therapies. Acupuncture is effective for control of pain, of local swelling post-operatively, for shortening the resolution of hematoma and tissue swelling and for minimizing use of medications and their attendant side effects. Energetic acupuncture, an approach consisting of the use of needles with electricity and moxibustion (a form of local heating with herbs imparts a sense of well being and accelerates patients' recovery. In conjunction with nutritional support, its use is routinely employed in some cancer institutions. That acupuncture is a powerful tool for general pain control is widely known. Less known is its success use in some cancer-related pain and in reducing narcotic use, thereby minimizing side effects such as confusion, behavioral changes, nausea and severe constipation. Needling a variety of trigger and painful points, percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, and osteo-puncture, along with whole body energetic acupuncture support, are approaches available to the acupuncturists. In the acupuncture paradigm, any chronic disease process depletes the energy level in the organism. Such depletion can be ameliorated, at least temporarily, by tonification, a process of imparting energy into the system. This is deemed necessary for more durable, successful pain control. It can also add to the patients' sense of well being and decrease the malaise associated with any chronic disease, especially cancer. Nutritional support as an aid in boosting immune response in cancer patients, along with minimizing the immune and white blood cell suppression that occurs with most chemotherapeutic agents, has been receiving greater attention and funding for research.. Kenneth Conklin, M.D., Ph.D., an anesthesiologist at UCLA working with the Oncology Department, reports gratifying results utilizing nutrition and supplements combined with energetic acupuncture. Energetic acupuncture repletes energy level to the organism as a whole, re-establishes homeostasis by re-balancing energy distribution and un-blocking energy flow. This systems approach to deal with system wide patho-physiology can be complemented by distinct meridian acupuncture, which directs healing energy to specific organ pathology and is a routine approach in treating diseased organs such as liver, pancreas kidney, including those ravaged by cancers. While the degree of beneficial results from acupuncture treatment is dependent on various clinical factors such as presenting symptoms, clinical staging, timing of the encounter in the course of the illness, areas of involvement, the answer to the opening question "can acupuncture help me?" is, in all probability, that it can help in the care of the cancer patient.

The factor is to Strong emphasis on touch As the other senses will tend to be more developed to compensate for the lack of sight. ​ Blind acupuncturists are said to be more sensitive to touch. They can touch the patient’s body more lightly and feel more. They seem to be able to pick up very subtle changes when reading the pulse. Acupuncture works on the physical – the muscles and flesh, but it is also known as an energy medicine system. Acupuncture goes much deeper to encompass the energetic flow in the body. During treatment, many changes can occur to the quality of the pulse, the luster of the skin, and the energy flow of the body. As blind practitioners are not hindered by sight, they see with their hands and pick up on these changes far more quickly. They may find it easier to find the exact location of the acupuncture point. Ironically, in some ways, sight can blind a practitioner.