In order to receive a therapeutic massage you really must buy a shiatsu massage chair. Shiatsu is the application of pressure with fingers and thumbs on energetic pathways, called meridians to improve the flow of energy. Many manufacturers claim that their robotic massage chairs deliver a shiatsu massage, however not all do. Here's a review of some popular models that do and do not offer a genuine shiatsu massage.
A cheap chair simply isn't going to deliver a shiatsu massage. Brands like HoMedics and iJoy massage chairs lack the technology required. Shiatsu is very precise and requires the pin-point location of a person's pressure points and cheap models lack the technology to do this. If you really want a genuine, good shiatsu massager you can expect to pay a minimum of $1,800.
Another undeniable fact is that the best chairs are made by Japanese companies. Japan has been the most competitive market for many years - some 25% of households own one. Competition has meant that Japanese companies constantly produce chairs that are more technically advanced and with more features than non-Japanese companies. Every single new technical feature has come from Japan; Japanese companies innovative while the rest imitate.
Fujikura make the most affordable models. The Fujikura 2000 retails for around $1,800 and is a machine that comes with an intelligent roller system that conforms to the shape of an individual's spine and neck. The 2000 also has other great features like arm massagers and 26 air bags - 20 of which are in the foot and calf massager. It comes with the massage modes you'd expect; rolling, kneading, shiatsu results, compression and percussion, chop action and flapping. Incredibly for its price there's also a music therapy system. The Fujikura 2000 is a very good, feature-rich chair at a very competitive price.
Talking of music therapy, the OSIM iSymphonic doesn't simply play music along with the massage; the type of music played determines the type of massage you get - automatically. This is a very intelligent piece of software that was first developed by the Japanese company, Inada. The iSymphonic retails for around $3,500 and comes with a host of features such as infrared body scanning that determines exact body shape and acupressure location before each massage, so you are sure to get a genuine shiatsu massage. It also comes with 5 Healthcare programs, plus you can set your own courses, giving you complete control of your personal massage. However, unlike the Fujikura 2000, there are no arm massagers.
