Rolfing in Kyoto
| Rolfing: 10,000 yen / 90 minutes | The Rolfing 10-Series is a 10-session program designed to help you achieve a body in harmony with gravity. Single sessions are also available. |
| Rolfing Trial Session: 3,000 yen / 60 minutes | Experience firsthand how Rolfing is performed. |
| Craniosacral Therapy: 10,000 yen / 90 minutes | Promotes the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid and enhances the body’s self-regulating capacity. |
- By appointment only. Please make a reservation before visiting.
- Payment：Please pay in cash.
- There’s an intercom at the entrance. Please press “405” and the call button, and I’ll unlock the door for you.
- Attire：Anything goes
Hidehiko Shinobi
Certified Rolfer™・ Rolf Movement™ Practitioner
□Born in 1973.
Graduated from the College of International Relations at Ritsumeikan University.
□After graduation, traveled throughout Asia and Europe for one year.
Upon returning to Japan, worked at a bodywork clinic for four and a half years.
□Studied Rolfing at The Rolf Institute
in Boulder, Colorado, USA, and was officially certified as a Rolfer in 2004.
□In 2007, completed the Rolf Movement certification course in Sydney, Australia.
□Craniosacral Therapy Practitioner
□A family of four: wife and two children
Personal stories
M.T.
I’ve had Rolfing sessions a few times before, but Shinobi’s session was a truly special experience.
Having worked in Pilates and bodywork for about 20 years, I had come to realize that my body wasn’t moving the way I wanted it to, and I’d been studying relentlessly in hopes of finding a solution.
However, the more I learned, the better I understood the theory, but my efforts to apply all that knowledge to my own body only increased, and before I knew it, I was physically and mentally exhausted.
While I wanted to participate in an advanced training course offered by the organization that certifies me, I paused to ask myself if there was anything else I could truly do for myself right now—and that’s how I discovered Shinobu’s Rolfing.
During the actual sessions, through his gentle touch and words, I became aware of my own mind. When I stood up, I noticed changes in my body’s sensations and movements. Every time, I was surprised and delighted to feel that the “things I had learned”—which I had been desperately forcing onto my body—were now being naturally felt within me.
I don’t think I could have truly understood—without experiencing it firsthand—how “believing in myself,” “feeling at ease,” and “letting go” lead to free movement and whole-body integration.
I gradually came to realize that I had unconsciously been wearing a kind of armor around my mind and body, which was limiting my movements, my emotions, and even how I perceived the world around me—and I also began to understand how to remove that armor.
Through these real-life experiences, I’ve come to realize that there is a world beyond the limits of my own beliefs—a world I once thought encompassed everything. This has not only helped me achieve the physical freedom I originally sought but has also certainly led to a reduction in my uncertainty about various aspects of life.
I truly hope that many people will have the opportunity to experience Shinobi-san’s sessions.
S.I.
I work as a massage therapist, but I had been suffering from knee and lower back pain, and because my body was constantly tense—leading to severe shoulder stiffness—I started coming here hoping to restore my balance and alleviate these issues.
With traditional bodywork or massage, I feel better right away, but after a few days my body reverts to its original state, and I end up having to go back. However, I heard that with Rolfing, the more sessions you have, the better you feel—and I thought, “Huh? What does that mean??” With these questions still a mystery—what exactly is involved and what state my body would be in—I went in for my first session.
The session room is a simple space with nothing but a comfortable treatment table and warm lighting.
Shinobi gently places his hands on the specific body part that’s the focus for the day and, in a calm tone, tells me where to direct my attention and what images to visualize.
I take that in and let it sink into my body. We then repeated this process, checking each time to see where changes had occurred.
That’s pretty much all there is to it, but strangely enough, my body relaxed, and I could actually feel the changes taking place. Of course, there were also obvious visual changes.
There were absolutely no techniques involving strong pressure or kneading. I simply focused my awareness on her instructions and visualized the images she described.
When I felt this change during my very first session, I was genuinely surprised and thought, “Wow! How is that possible?!” It was so strange that I couldn’t help but laugh.
As the sessions continued, my body—which had always been tense, stiff as a board, and plagued by severe shoulder stiffness—became so relaxed that before I knew it, I’d even forgotten to go for a massage.
And as my body relaxed, my mind relaxed as well, undergoing a major transformation. It was the first time I’d ever felt so deeply that my body and mind are one.
I’m becoming a more stable version of myself—calmer and more composed than ever before, and less affected by my surroundings.
And just as I was told, both my body and mind continue to improve, and I have never once returned to that initial, rock-hard state.
While there are some minor fluctuations in my physical condition, the pain in my knees and lower back has lessened, and I’m spending more and more time with a relaxed body and a calm mind.
What makes Rolfing so compelling is that it allows you to truly experience—through the changes in your own body—that the body and mind are one.
I highly recommend it as a new approach for anyone whose body is constantly tense and unable to relax, anyone experiencing physical discomfort anywhere in their body, anyone whose mind is troubled by attachments or fixations, or anyone who feels their mind remains clouded no matter what they do.
Through Rolfing, I was able to discover a liberated, peaceful version of myself. This experience is truly priceless.
If you’re even slightly curious—since compatibility with your Rolfer is important—I recommend starting with a trial session. (By the way, Shinobi is a very sincere, warm, and trustworthy person.)
Please give this mysterious and completely new sensation a try. It’s fun! ♪
E.I.
It’s been a little over 10 days since I finished the 10-series.
I had imagined that “once I finished the 10 sessions, I’d feel like I’d reached a turning point, both mentally and physically,” but to be honest, my daily life and my body feel like a continuous flow that just keeps moving along…
That’s precisely why, over the past few days, I’ve been reflecting anew on how my habits and the way I direct my awareness toward various things are being put to the test.
Looking back, I had decided to try Rolfing with the mindset of searching for a miracle cure—feeling suffocated by a series of unpredictable physical ailments I couldn’t accept, wondering if there was a breakthrough somewhere or, if possible, a way to overcome them.
However, as I was guided to a world that unfolded from a perspective completely different from my initial expectations, the feeling of being “stifled” has significantly diminished. I’m deeply grateful for the many hints I received about where the true “miracle cure” might be found.
It wasn’t just the hints… the actual relief my body felt—especially the ability to sleep peacefully and to stand and walk without pain or strain—has brought me a tremendous sense of security. This is gradually transforming the quality of my life over the past few years, a time when I had absolutely no room to breathe.
And as my body became more at ease, I feel as though space began to open up in my mind as well—room to think and feel.
Throughout this process, the various things I’ve felt have been like the task of unlocking, one by one, the drawers I had kept tightly shut before I could “let go.”
As I opened them, I often realized that what I had neglected the most in recent years was using my five senses, and I frequently felt as if I were rediscovering things I had forgotten.
Since I feel like I’ve reminisced a bit too much… from here on out, I want to focus on organizing the contents of these drawers while striving to truly experience what it means to let go and surrender.
Also, the teacher’s words—“Don’t leave the pain behind”—were a perspective I’d never considered before, and they gave me the most food for thought.
It makes sense to me now because I’m not in intense pain, but I feel as though I’ve been given a major assignment: how I will face the pain and how I want to be when I encounter it again in the future…
Just one more thing… What was particularly significant for me was the softness and depth of the teacher’s touch.
Every time I had a session—and not just in terms of the hands—it gave me an opportunity to reflect on how I interact with the world around me (both people and things).
I am truly grateful for this invaluable experience, both physically and mentally, and I’m sure you showed me a great deal of consideration—especially regarding my skin and my tendency to hold onto tension.
Thank you very much.
I feel like I’m a few laps behind in terms of my realizations, and it looks like it will take some time to complete the process of letting go, but I’d like to accept that as part of who I am and move forward without rushing or getting flustered.
