Your long-term osteopath in Kyoto
Not every visit to OQ is a short one. Many of our patients see us every month for years — expat families, visiting scholars, long-stay residents from Osaka and Kobe. This page is for you.
OQ has practised in the same Kyoto location since February 2007. Both practitioners train in the UK osteopathic tradition. The director speaks fluent English and sees every patient personally.
Who this page is for
If you live in Kyoto or the wider Kansai region, this page is meant for you. Our long-term patients include:
- Expat families raising children in Kyoto, Osaka, or Kobe
- University scholars and researchers on multi-year placements
- Employees of multinational companies posted to the Kansai region
- International marriages where one partner is Japanese
- Remote workers and digital nomads on long-stay visas
Different situations, same need: somewhere you can come back to, year after year, for yourself and the people you live with.
Family care
At OQ, family care is the rule rather than the exception. Parents, children, and sometimes three generations come in the same week — or the same day.
We are particularly used to families from the Middle East and South America who like to visit together. The director has worked with this rhythm for nearly two decades, and arranging it is straightforward.
What we offer to families
- Same-month family discount. When a second family member visits in the same calendar month, the second session is discounted by 10% (equivalent to Japan’s consumption tax). This applies to everyone — local or international.
- Babies under one year old, seen free of charge. If the mother received six or more sessions during pregnancy with the director, the baby is seen free of charge during the mother’s follow-up sessions for the first year after birth.
- Flexible same-day booking. You can book sessions for different family members on the same day, or across the same week. Tell us what you need when you book.
- Children in the treatment room. Parents with small children are welcome to bring them into the session.
Accessibility
OQ is in a traditional two-floor Kyoto building. There is no lift — only stairs between the ground and second floors.
If you are in a wheelchair, in late-stage pregnancy, elderly, or otherwise unable to use the stairs, please tell us when you book. The director and the co-director can swap floors for your session — the co-director moves to the ground floor so that you can be treated without needing to climb.
This is something we arrange by request, not automatically. A short message a few days before your visit is all we need.
Overseas insurance
Japan’s national health insurance does not cover osteopathy. However, many international residents reclaim costs through private overseas health insurance (such as Cigna, Aetna, Allianz Care, or BUPA).
Here is what we can provide:
- Simple receipts in English — free, issued on the day (handwritten).
- Treatment notes for your records — free, issued as a short electronic document on request.
- Completed insurance claim forms on your insurer’s template — ¥8,800 per form, returned as a PDF. If your insurer sends us their form, we will fill it in.
If you are unsure whether your insurance will accept our documentation, send us a message before your first visit and we will tell you honestly.
Payment
We accept most common payment methods used by residents in Japan:
- Cash (Japanese yen only)
- Credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB)
- Apple Pay and Google Pay
- Major QR payment apps (PayPay and similar)
For UnionPay, Alipay, or WeChat Pay, please send us a short message before your visit so we can confirm. Payment is made at the end of each session.
Coming from outside Kyoto
OQ is a 2-minute walk from Omiya Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Line. Many long-term patients live elsewhere in Kansai and come once a month. From the main Kansai hubs:
- Central Osaka (Umeda or Namba): 45–55 minutes door to door
- Kobe (Sannomiya): 75–90 minutes
- Nara: 50–70 minutes (via JR or Kintetsu)
- Otsu (Shiga): 30–40 minutes
We take bookings until 21:30 six days a week, so many working patients come in after office hours.
The body and where you live
Kyoto summers are humid. Kyoto winters are dry and cold. Traditional Japanese housing prioritises air flow and natural materials. Modern concrete apartments do the opposite — sealed, heated, insulated.
How you live affects your body more than most people notice. Where you sleep. How you sit at work. What surface you walk on. How much you heat or cool your rooms. These are not background details. Over months and years, they shape the body.
This is part of how the director thinks about long-term patients. What we work on during a session is only half of the story. The other half is what your daily life is quietly doing to you.
For long-term residents, this is where osteopathy at OQ becomes something different from treating a single symptom. Over months and years, we can see how Kyoto life is shaping you — and adjust accordingly.
Common questions from long-term residents
Can you see my baby and me in the same session?
For babies under one year old, yes — if the mother received six or more sessions during pregnancy with the director, the baby is seen free of charge during the mother’s follow-up sessions. Otherwise, please book a separate session for the baby.
Does the family discount apply to us?
Yes. When a second family member visits in the same calendar month, the second session is discounted by 10%. This applies to everyone — local or international.
Can I use my overseas health insurance?
Many of our patients do. We provide simple English receipts and treatment notes free of charge. For completed claim forms on your insurer’s template, there is a ¥8,800 document fee. Ask us before booking if you are unsure.
What if I use a wheelchair, or have a family member who does?
Our building has stairs only. For wheelchair users, late-stage pregnancy, or elderly patients, we arrange for the co-director to use the ground floor for your session so you do not need to climb. Please tell us when you book.
What happens if I move away from Japan?
We can usually recommend a UK-registered osteopath in your destination country, or someone we know by professional connection. Our training network covers the UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Tell us where you are going a few weeks in advance and we will see what we can do.
My family has very different needs — will that work at OQ?
Very likely. The director’s specialty covers women’s health, pregnancy, paediatrics, and complex internal concerns. The co-director focuses on post-stroke care, hip and knee conditions, and lower-limb rehabilitation. Between the two, most needs in a family can be met.
Start here
If this sounds like what you are looking for, book a first visit. We see this as the beginning of a longer conversation, not a single appointment.
Read the full FAQ for international patients →