Kobido - An Ancient Japanese Way of Beauty
By Denise R. Fuller, Earthsentials


When people want to get healthy, look good and feel better, they go to the bookstore and pick up the latest wellness book on the market. All too often, the book is cracked, a few chapters are read, and then the 200-plus page key-to-total-wellness becomes a coaster on the coffee table and starts to collect dust. Face it; reading books isn't going to get anyone anywhere unless the words are digested and put to use. Nevertheless, individuals are buying into the wellness craze and will continue to buy self-help books, supplements and join gym memberships in the hopes of achieving optimal health and longevity. In response to this trend, many spas have added nutritionists and dieticians to aid their clients' search for healthy alternatives. In addition, our profession has branched out to embrace world therapies that help us provide the total wellness our clients seek. One such therapy, which comes from an "ancient way of beauty" in Japan, is Kobido massage.


Eastern origins

For many people, the mention of Japanese culture conjures up images of unique masks and extravagantly made-up actors twirling red umbrellas on a stage, and elegant, kimono-clad ladies demurely pouring cups of tea within tranquil temples surrounded with cherry blossoms. It seems to be a private society rich in history and purity.

All cultural aspects aside, according to the World Health Organization, the Japanese have the highest life expectancy in the world. The Japanese embrace rituals and healing practices, and they respect wisdom that comes with long life. The Japanese have known for centuries that the secret to longevity is to have good eating habits and to exercise. Their beauty secrets stem from their belief that beauty is more than skin deep, and that in order to be beautiful, one must also be in good health. For the Japanese, good health is maintained through massage. In fact, in Eastern traditions, massage is considered as important to health and beauty as diet and exercise. Eastern facial massage movements use simple but very effective techniques involving meridians, acupressure points, and lymphatic drainage to create nonsurgical facelifts.

From generation to generation, this knowledge and belief system is passed down to ensure a balanced lifestyle. Through this passing of knowledge, the rich blends of facial movements of how to restore vitality and beauty to the skin are given to the next generation.

back to top

The Rise of Kobido

The Kobido tradition itself is an art lineage rather than a family lineage. This means that the Kobido tradition is passed from master to student

The Kobido experience was established in 1472 in Japan. The Empress at the time, when receiving her beauty treatments, would specifically ask for Kobido massage. As a result, this technique became better known and requested. The Kobido skill and experience has been passed down from one generation to the next. The treatment, which has finally reached the United States, is gaining much publicity because of the benefits it achieves during a facial.

Kobido's ultimate goal is to produce the immediate lifting results through the incorporation of Shiatsu movements and therapeutic techniques, which stimulate the facial nerves that reach the skin cells. This improves blood flow. And as you know, improved blood flow helps distribute nutrients to parts of the body and helps remove toxins and dead skin cells.

Much like exercise, which increases blood flow to the body, Kobido massage is an "exercise" designed for the skin - a treatment that uses sacred, ancient movements that are known to achieve impressive results to help improve health.

The massage is performed very lightly with smooth stroking and quick, light, percussive techniques. Depending on the skin's condition, a combination of deep-kneading is used to work the muscles underneath the surface tissues. These movements are said to "unblock" the restriction of blood flow and allow fresh blood to circulate and enter the surface of the face. This action, in turn, provides oxygen and nutrition to the skin cells and allows the skin to rebuild itself. According to Kobido experts, only when this circulation is unimpeded can skin cells repair and rejuvenate themselves.

Practitioners believe that Kobido massage is a treatment that is unsurpassed by conventional facial movements and they also assert that it brings about unparalleled results. Health retreats and spas have begun to learn and incorporate the specialised massage. According to practitioners and recipients alike, a Kobido experience provides benefits that go beyond the feel-good perks, and it's a treatment that gets raves. Today, it is one of the premiere treatments at a Japanese spa, and prices will range from $350 to $400 per treatment.

back to top

Balancing the 'life force'

The focus of Kobido, which means "ancient way of beauty," is centered on the condition of the client's skin. The practitioner pays close attention to its colour, texture and turgor. The practitioner will then refer to the state of the client's ki, or the life-force energy and balance of psychological conditions. It is believed that balancing the ki flow brings the body and emotions into balance simultaneously. During a treatment, the face, neck, and scalp muscles are systematically massaged while acupressure points are activated. The massage helps free constrictions in the connective tissues and helps restore lost microcirculation.

Using a three-stage treatment consisting of cleansing, moisturising and energising, the facial stimulates the meridians, which will "balance and harmonise" the condition of internal organs. The energising massage embraces the techniques that come from anma, acupressure, and lymphatic drainage. Important meridians originate and terminate in the face, and there are several points where ki passes from one meridian to the other. Applying gentle pressure to these points, massaging the face, and stroking the meridians very gently can improve ki flow. This is referred to as the "energising stage," where facial nerves are activated and ki flow is increased to the face. This, according to practitioners, brings about a natural facelift effect and radiant beauty. It is important to understand that this wonderful massage is not a "quick fix." The effects are cumulative.

back to top

Benefits of the Ancient Way

This ancient way of beauty, which differs from other types of facial massage, is regarded as a refreshing treatment that stimulates skin tone, improves circulation, promotes relaxation, and encourages collagen growth over time. Kobido facial massage is believed to be extremely effective in treating dry and oily skin, acne, wrinkles, age spots and poor facial tone, as well as migraines, headaches and TMJ disorders. Further, Kobido is touted as one of the most effective, natural treatments to enhance the condition of the skin and minimise the ageing process. This treatment was developed to improve the client's health and vitality with an emphasis on the prevention of problems - a main feature of traditional Eastern medicine - rather than fixing existing ones.

Eastern Tradition and Training

According to Shogo Mochizuki, "There are distinct differences between Japanese and Western facial massages. The core of Western facial massage is smooth, light stroking of the surface tissues. Japanese facial massage uses a much larger, more varied, and much more refined application of techniques, a variety of surface strokes, as well as deeper pressure massage. There are also many technical differences in hand and finger applications. It is based on percussive techniques, and it combines this with deep kneading techniques to work the musculature underneath the surface tissues."

The Eastern technique also requires extensive training and practice. The Kobido tradition itself is an art lineage rather than a family lineage. This means that the Kobido tradition is passed from master to student without restrictions of bloodlines. In 2005, Master Ito, who served as the head of the Kobido lineage in Japan for more than 50 years, appointed Mochizuki as his successor and the 27th master of the Kobido art form. Mochizuki, who has been studying Kobido since he was 11 years old, brought this ancient therapy to the United States in 1984. He currently resides in the USA, where his company promotes Kobido. Mochizuki has been a licensed massage therapist and acupuncturist since 1981, and he is the author of 17 books on traditional Japanese massage and aesthetics. He hosts workshops to pass on his extensive knowledge. He says that the trainings are comprehensive and there are many levels of training to master this art. Mochizuki has videos that will assist in learning Kobido, but most aestheticians and massage therapists say that it is imperative to attend Kobido classes to really understand the effects of the movements.

back to top

Kobido Today

Gigi Fisher, licensed aesthetician and owner of GG Marlene Skin Care Professionals, a Day Spa in Jupiter, Florida (USA), has attended many Kobido classes. Fisher remarks that "there is nothing like it." Training is very extensive. For example, a three-day workshop, which starts at 7 a.m., would end at 11 p.m., each day. But even after such extensive workshops, Fisher says she knows she has just scratched the surface of mastering this technique.

The training doesn't solely focus on the massage part of the facial, says Fisher. It includes everything a professional needs to do a complete facial. It starts with the cleanser, then goes to the application of toner. Then after extractions, the technique continues with hydrating oil. Even the mask is applied using Kobido techniques, and a moisturiser is layered over the mask to help the therapist penetrate the mask into the client's skin. In essence, the client does not just receive one massage, but a facial with movements that are continuous.

"You can't just take a portion of the Kobido massage and incorporate it with other facials ... it is a facial in itself," says Fisher. According to practitioners, with a combination of natural ingredients and the Kobido facial massage, the skin will thicken, and with this thicker, healthier skin, the desire for a facelift becomes unnecessary.

Since Fisher has started to offer the Kobido experience, her clients request the facial over and over because "the results are so impressive." Clients can see the immediate, overall improvement and they feel amazing, she says. Fisher says she has worked with several pieces of aesthetics equipment, but believes that with the Kobido massage techniques, her hands are now her greatest tools.

This Japanese facial is more than just a beauty treatment, it brings historical significance to the aesthetics room. While Kobido is relatively new to the United States, those who have used it have found the results to be very impressive. Aestheticians who pursue this art will be of great value to their clients and will lead them down a path of ancient beauty.