Hands-on osteopathic treatment in central Kyoto.
English consultations available. No referral needed.
Visiting Kyoto? We can help.
Long flights, jet lag, and days of walking take a toll. These are the most common reasons travellers visit us:
Neck and back stiffness after a long flight — hours in an airline seat compress the spine and tighten muscles in ways that don’t always resolve on their own.
Sore feet, knees, or hips from walking all day — Kyoto involves a lot of walking, often on temple stairs and stone paths. Pain that builds over several days usually has a structural cause.
Sudden back pain or stiff neck — sleeping on an unfamiliar pillow, carrying luggage, or simply moving differently than usual can trigger acute episodes.
Headache, fatigue, or general heaviness — jet lag, dehydration, and travel stress can leave you feeling off. Sometimes the body just needs a reset.
One session is often enough to get you moving comfortably again. If your situation needs more, we’ll tell you — but most travellers feel significantly better after a single visit.
Quick info for visitors
Language: Yusuke (director) speaks fluent English. All consultations, explanations, and aftercare instructions in English — no Japanese needed.
Fees (Sakata, 1F):
| First visit (approx. 60 min) | Follow-up (approx. 40 min) | |
|---|---|---|
| Sakata (1F) | 14,300 yen | 11,000 yen |
Cash, Visa, Amex, and most major cards accepted.
Not covered by Japanese health insurance. We can provide a receipt for your travel insurance — just ask.
Location: 3-minute walk from Omiya Station (Hankyu Kyoto Line). About 10 minutes by taxi from Kyoto Station.
For taxi drivers: 〒604-8366 京都市中京区七軒町466
Hours: 9:00–22:30 (last booking 21:30). Closed Sundays and public holidays (Sakata).
About Kyoto Osteopathy Center OQ
OQ is a specialist osteopathic clinic in central Kyoto, serving both international visitors and long-term residents. Our practitioners hold internationally recognised qualifications and have treated patients from more than 10 countries.
We don’t do quick fixes or relaxation massage. We look at your whole body, figure out why the problem is happening, and treat accordingly. That’s what osteopathy is — and it’s what makes us different from the massage and seitai clinics you’ll find everywhere in Kyoto.
What is osteopathy?
Osteopathy is a hands-on approach to healthcare that looks at the whole body — not just the area that hurts. Rather than treating symptoms in isolation, an osteopath works to understand why they appeared, using palpation and movement to assess how the body functions as a connected system.
It is widely practised across the UK, Europe, Australia, and the US, where osteopaths hold university-level qualifications and are regulated healthcare professionals. At OQ, we bring that same standard of care to Kyoto.
Our practitioners
Yusuke Sakata, BSc(Ost) — Director (1st floor)
Yusuke holds a Bachelor of Science in Osteopathy from Swansea University, Wales — a full four-year university degree, and one of the rarest qualifications held by any practitioner currently working in Japan. He is the only Asian practitioner ever to have completed EVOST (Evolutionary Medicine in the Osteopathic Field) at morphologicum in Belgium — a five-year post-graduate programme drawing on evolutionary medicine and the original writings of osteopathy’s founder, A.T. Still. The programme concluded its 20-year history in 2026. No practitioner in Asia will hold this qualification again.
In November 2025, Yusuke organised and hosted the first Membrain Health seminar in Japan, inviting its creator Joanna Wildy DO — cranial osteopath and author of Mind & Membrain — to teach in person. He is a listed Membrain Health practitioner at mindandmembrain.com.
With over 20 years of clinical practice, Yusuke has applied Classical Osteopathy’s Total Body Adjustment throughout his career. He has also completed a cranial osteopathy course in the United States.
Areas of focus: paediatric care (babies and infants), pregnancy, postpartum recovery, skin conditions, digestive and constitutional health, cranial osteopathy, and whole-body structural problems.
Sota Omura, PT, MSc — Associate (2nd floor)
Sota is a licensed Physical Therapist with a Master’s degree in Health Science, with additional osteopathic training from multiple institutions. He specialises in post-stroke rehabilitation, hip and knee conditions, lower limb pain, gait analysis, and custom orthotics (insoles).
Sota has basic English and will do his best to communicate — we also use written notes, diagrams, and translation tools when helpful.
Areas of focus: stroke rehabilitation, lower limb pain (hip, knee, ankle), lower back pain, gait and walking guidance, custom insoles.
Omura’s fees:
| First visit (approx. 60 min) | Follow-up (approx. 40 min) | |
|---|---|---|
| Omura (2F) | 11,000 yen | 8,800 yen |
Conditions we treat
We see patients of all ages — from newborns to elderly adults.
- Back pain, neck pain, and sciatica
- Headache and migraine
- Frozen shoulder and shoulder pain
- Pregnancy discomfort and postpartum recovery
- Baby care — colic, plagiocephaly, sleep difficulties, torticollis
- Hip and knee pain, osteoarthritis
- Stroke rehabilitation and neurological conditions
- Skin conditions (eczema, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis)
- Digestive and visceral problems
- Developmental support for children
Frequently asked questions
Do you speak English?
Yes. Yusuke conducts sessions fully in English. Sota has basic English and uses written notes, diagrams, and translation tools when helpful.
Is one session enough?
For most travel-related complaints, yes. Acute issues like flight-related stiffness or walking strain usually respond well to a single treatment. If something more is needed, we’ll be upfront about it.
Is this the same as Japanese massage or seitai?
No. Osteopathy is a distinct healthcare discipline originating in the United States in the 1870s and now regulated in the UK, EU, Australia, and USA. It goes beyond soft tissue work to address the whole body — joints, fascia, visceral organs, and the nervous system.
Can I bring my baby?
Absolutely. Infant care is one of our core specialities. Babies are welcome.
Do I need a referral?
No. Book directly online.
Is osteopathy covered by Japanese health insurance?
No. Osteopathy is a private (self-pay) service in Japan.
Can I get a receipt for travel insurance?
Yes. Just let us know at your appointment and we’ll prepare one.
Learn more
We’ve put together dedicated pages for the most common reasons English-speaking patients come to OQ.
Back pain treatment in Kyoto →
Lower back pain, sciatica, disc-related pain, postural strain.
Osteopathy during pregnancy →
Back pain, pelvic girdle pain, rib tightness, and preparation for birth.
Infant and baby osteopathy →
Colic, feeding difficulties, head shape asymmetry, torticollis, and post-birth check-ups.
Visiting Kyoto? Information for travellers →
FAQ for patients passing through — booking, payment, receipts, what to bring.
Concussion & mild traumatic brain injury →
Osteopathic approach to concussion and persistent post-concussion symptoms.
About Yusuke Sakata BSc(Ost) →
Qualifications, training background, and clinical approach.
Why your body hurts — an evolutionary perspective →
Why modern humans get back pain, tension, and chronic fatigue at rates our ancestors didn’t.