What is Shiatsu massage?
Shiatsu is Japanese massage worked through the clothes with no oil. Your therapist applies steady pressure with thumbs, palms and fingertips to points along the body's meridian lines, holding rather than rubbing, on the principle of unblocking the flow of qi and restoring balance between yin and yang.
Medium
3 out of 5Firm enough to work into tension, comfortable throughout.
- Japanese massage
- Acupressure massage
- Shiatsu therapy
We come to you, anywhere in London. Your home, your hotel room or your workplace.
What people say about our Shiatsu massage therapists
I asked for medium pressure and it was actually medium pressure which never happens! Elena checked in a couple of times too. Slept like a log.
Tang's massage was amazing. She's definitely got great knowledge in massaging. She's a very kind, happy person. Made me feel very relaxed and she's easy to talk to.
Lua’s session was amazing. Her extensive healthcare experience really shows. I’ll book her every time!
Had a truly special 90 mins, which seemed longer in the best of ways! with the Wonderful Manju. She is calm, polite, very professional and thoughtful and cares about your wellbeing and where your aches and pains are and expertly soothes them. She really is a special therapist. Thanks so much! Will see you soon!
Booked a full-body relaxation massage online. Great therapist, confident and skilled. Will definitely book again!
Rated Outstanding
Average 4.97/5 from 12,012 reviews
How shiatsu feels
Different from anything oil-based, and it takes a few minutes to get used to. This is pressure that stays put rather than pressure that travels.
- Thumbs, palms and fingertips pressing steadily into single points and holding there
- Worked through loose clothing, on a mat on the floor, with no oil at all
- Your therapist leans her weight in rather than digging, so it is firm without being sharp
- Stretching and rocking of the limbs in between the holds
- Most people come away energised rather than sleepy, which tends to surprise them
Many of our therapists blend it into other treatments rather than doing a full hour of it, and that works well. Ask for shiatsu through the shoulders inside a Swedish massage and you get the best of both.
Who Shiatsu massage suits
Worth booking if
- You are tired in a way that sleep has not fixed
- You would rather keep your clothes on and skip the oil entirely
- You have a stiff neck, a sore back or sciatica that comes and goes
- You like the idea of steady held pressure rather than strokes
- You are drawn to the Eastern side of bodywork, acupuncture and the like
Mention it when you book if
- You want a relaxing oil massage, in which case Swedish suits you better
- You bruise easily, since held pressure can mark
- You have osteoporosis, or fragile or recently broken bones
- You are pregnant, at any stage, so we can send a pregnancy therapist
- You have a heart condition, or are unwell with a fever today
What happens during Shiatsu massage
Below is how a typical 90 minute session pans out. A 60 or a two hour booking follows the same shape, with more or less of the middle.
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Before she arrives
A mat and loose clothes
Floor space with a mat, futon or thick rug, and something loose enough to be stretched in. No towels needed, since there is no oil.
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First 5 minutes
Reading the body
Broad palm pressure over the back and legs while your therapist works out where you are holding. Slower and quieter than the start of most treatments.
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Next hour and 20
Point by point
Steady thumb and palm pressure along the meridian lines, held for several seconds at a time, with rocking and limb stretches in between.
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Final 5 minutes
Neck, head and finish
Finishing at the shoulders, neck and scalp. Get up slowly. Most people feel awake rather than drowsy, which surprises them.
Never had a massage before? Our guide to what to expect at your first massage walks through the whole thing, from preparing the room to how you will feel afterwards.
What you need at home
Floor space and something loose to wear. Shiatsu is traditionally done on a mat with the therapist using her body weight from above, which a soft bed simply absorbs.
No oil means no towels, no undressing and nothing to wash afterwards, which makes it one of the easier treatments to fit into an ordinary evening. Once a month is the rhythm most of our regulars settle into.
How Shiatsu massage differs from the alternatives
Most people land here torn between two. Here is the short version.
| Shiatsu Massage | Thai Massage | Swedish Massage | Foot Reflexology | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure | Steady, held on single points | Firm, through stretching | Light to medium strokes | Precise, on the soles |
| Oil | None | None, unless you ask | Throughout | Usually a little |
| You wear | Loose clothes | Loose clothes | Undressed as far as you like | Everything, socks off |
| Best for | Low energy, stiffness, sleep | Stiffness and lost movement | Stress and winding down | Tired feet and sleep |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Want the longer answer?
If Shiatsu massage is not quite what you had in mind
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Wherever you are, someone covers it. Seven days a week, 7am until 11pm.
Common questions about Shiatsu massage
Yes. Shiatsu is worked entirely through loose clothing with no oil, so nothing comes off and nothing needs washing afterwards. Wear something you could comfortably stretch in. It is one of several Asian massage styles our mobile therapists offer across London.
No, and the names cause endless confusion. Shiatsu is Japanese finger pressure. Ashiatsu is barefoot massage where the therapist uses her feet, holding onto bars overhead for balance. We have written about ashiatsu separately, and some of our Thai therapists offer back-walking.
It should not. The pressure is steady and leaned into rather than jabbed, and it is held long enough that the point softens under it. Tender spots are common. Sharp pain is not, so say something if you feel it.
Monthly suits most people who use it for general upkeep, which is what most of our shiatsu regulars do. If you are working through something specific, fortnightly for a while makes more sense.
Ninety minutes if you are having shiatsu on its own, because holding each point takes time and an hour covers less ground than you would expect. An hour is plenty if you are having it worked into a Swedish or deep tissue massage instead.
£59 for 60 minutes, £80 for 90 minutes and £110 for two hours, the same as every other treatment we offer. Some outer London areas carry a small travel charge, which you see before you pay. We have written up what a massage costs in London and how we compare.
Whatever you are comfortable in when she arrives. During the massage you undress as far as you want to and stay covered by a towel throughout, with only the part being worked on uncovered. If that is the bit you were worried about, what to wear during a massage goes through it properly.
Often within the hour, though it depends on who is free near you at the time. Put your postcode into the box on this page and you will see the therapists covering your area and the times they have left today. We work seven days a week, from 7am until 11pm.
Somewhere to lie down, either your own bed or a mat on the floor, and your own towels. Your therapist brings the oil and the music. We ask you to use your own towels for hygiene, because a therapist working in homes all day cannot launder between visits the way a spa can, and yours will always be cleaner. Old ones are best, since oil stains.
Across more than 200 London neighbourhoods, wherever you are staying or living. Your therapist comes to your home, your hotel room or your workplace. Enter your postcode above to see who covers your address, or look through every area we cover.
Medically and professionally reviewed by Katarzyna Piatkowska, ITEC qualified massage therapist, August 2025.