Preview the Course

Shonishin is a unique and powerful method of non-invasive Paediatric Acupuncture/Therapy that developed in Japan in the 17th and 18th Centuries and reached fruition in the 19th century with the Daishi Ryu Shonishin (Grandmaster Style Shonishin) through Tanioka Sensei.

Shonishin focuses on specific diagnostics, and treatment techniques using gentle tapping and stroking of the meridians with metallic tools to have a balancing effect on the pediatric patient, and on rare occasions, gentle and non-insertion needle techniques.

These methods are used for children, aged 0 -12 years, and can also be used for adults in certain special cases. Shonishin has continued to evolve into the modern era with recent famous masters such as Yoneyama Sensei and Mori Sensei and has now been taught worldwide. Shonishin as practiced and taught today mainly conforms to the Daishi Style of Shonishin.

While apprenticing with Master Nagano, Mr. Shimamura learned Master Nagano’s unique self-devised theories, methods, and techniques of Shonishin that had set Master Nagano apart as a highly sought after practitioner for his amazing clinical effectiveness in children’s disorders. Whilst having similarities to Daishi Shonishin, Master Nagano’s Shonishin differs in many regards and has its own unique approach and techniques.

During this two-day recorded seminar, Mr. Shimamura taught attendees, Master Nagano’s Shonishin approach, and covered a number of important topics:

• History of Shonishin.
• Comparison of Daishi Shonishin to Master Nagano’s Shonishin approach.
• Master Nagano’s Shonishin: an immune-focused approach.
• Tools, Diagnosis and Pattern Differentiation.
• Rules and theory on how to treat children.
• Unique Teishin/Shonishin Techniques/Methods.
• Non-Insertion needle techniques relating to Autonomic Nervous System Disharmony for children and adults.
• Master Nagano’s 4 main types of tonsillitis differentiation-Palatine, Pharyngeal, Tubal, and Lingual.
• Specific treatments and point selections for associated patterns.
• Treatment methods for most commonly treated conditions- respiratory, digestive, developmental and behavioral conditions, abdominal pain, headache, sore throat, ear infection, sinusitis, shoulder tension, asthma.

During this seminar a large number of local volunteer patients (in the 0-12 year age group) were treated by Shimamura, which allowed us to record 30 treatments from a group of 25 patients (some follow-up treatments included), providing many interesting cases. This large number of paediatric cases allows online attendees to be exposed to the many different strategies, theory, diagnosis strategies and treatment methods, and the subtle differences and vast differences in treatments on a case-by-case basis, allowing one to gather valuable skillsets in a short period of time.

There is a unique section in this recorded seminar where Shimamura demonstrates manual Shonishin techniques, and nuances involved in these techniques to all participants on fellow participants, which helps online attendees with troubleshooting the correct manual techniques through observing these demonstrations.

Shimamura also covered a number of Immune points that are highly applicable in practice, and when to use them, in a separately filmed section on Tonsil Weakness differentiation and treatment.

This course comes with 28 pages of course notes in downloadable PDF format.

Who was Master Nagano?

In post-war Japan, Master Acupuncturist Kiyoshi Nagano began a remarkable and fruitful investigation. Despite being blind, Nagano memorized classical Chinese medicine literature and developed a unique and ingenious theoretical and clinical approach that incorporated classical concepts and emergent insights from Western medicine. His ideas and methods did not follow an established group, which brought a certain stigma in Japanese acupuncture circles. Being mentally robust, he was proud of his ‘lone wolf’ status. Over the next half a century – using his extraordinary palpation and pulse diagnosis skills as a guide – he crafted ingenious acupuncture protocols for all types of conditions. He also became a mentor to two of the most important Japanese acupuncture teachers of our time: Master Acupuncturist Kiiko Matsumoto and Tsuyoshi Shimamura. Master Nagano passed away in 2003

Which practitioners and students will benefit by accessing this recorded seminar?

This recorded seminar is recommended for practitioners/students who wish to learn the gentle and extremely valuable theory and practice of Shonishin Paediatric Acupuncture/Therapy, to start applying it in their clinical practice the next day for outstanding results in children’s disorders. This recorded seminar requires no prerequisite studies in Japanese acupuncture, and is quick to learn, yet takes the time to master. The techniques being taught are unique to the skill sets of Mr. Shimamura, and his teacher, Master Nagano, and are not currently available with other teachers.

“Te A Te Hari”  

“Pour passion and heart into your hands.”

This unforgettable command is what Master Nagano told me as I started my three-year apprenticeship with him. I always wonder if I am properly executing his command as I needle myself every morning. One of Master Nagano’s patients told me: “Just having a touch of Sensei’s hands makes me feel better. His hands remind me of my mother.” I still remember his warm hands when I first received his handshake. I cannot do the same acupuncture treatment like Master Nagano. But, I feel the calling to pass his command to other fellow colleagues. I would like to bring in the passion as I diagnose patients with my hands. I pour my heart into every needle to help alleviate the suffering. If I can transmit this message via how I show my treatment style through seminars, I feel comfortable naming my style: Te A Te Hari. Te A Te means “laying a hand”, “treatment”, and “appropriate preparation or allowance”. Hari = Needle. I believe that actual treatment can start by touching a patient. Thus, having healing hands is very important to any practitioner.. Please join me in a conversation of realizing my master’s words.

Tsuyoshi Shimamura, L.Ac. (Japan) 

Tsuyoshi Shimamura obtained licensure as an Acupuncturist and Moxibustionist in Japan in 1995 after completing studies at Meiji Acupuncture and Moxibustion College. Shimamura was fortunate to undertake a live-in apprenticeship with Master Nagano during the final years of Master Nagano’s life, living and working with Master Nagano between 1997 and 2000 as his closest apprentice.

Shimamura not only inherited a vast amount of Nagano’s teachings, techniques, and theories but also gained an important insight into his character. Tsuyoshi Shimamura is a member of the Japan

Acupuncturist Association, and has also published articles and DVDs for Ido-No-Nippon. Since 2006, Shimamura has been teaching seminars on the Acupuncture and diagnostic methods he learned during his time with Master Nagano. Shimamura has also taught a variety of hands-on manual techniques to Shiatsu practitioners, physical therapists, Bone-Setters and cosmetic therapists in Japan.

Mr. Shimamura currently develops what he has learned with Master Nagano personally during their time together, and what he has learned from Master Acupuncturist Kiiko Matsumoto, as in his heart there is no replacement for their teachings, and as a result Mr. Shimamura focuses only on teaching openly and passionately to his students, that which he learned directly from Master Nagano and Kiiko Matsumoto, the most inspirational influences in Shimamura’s life. In recent years, Shimamura has impressed international students with his clarity and depth of understanding, his mindful presence, and his commitment to sharing Master Nagano’s legacy. Tsuyoshi Shimamura runs clinics in Hiroshima and Ooita, Japan, and holds a 1st Degree Black-Belt in Judo.

Seishiro Hokazono L.Ac. – Interpreter 

Born and raised in Japan, and now a citizen of the US, Seishiro graduated from the Southwest Acupuncture College in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and undertook further studies in Meridian-style Acupuncture and Moxibustion with Aizawa Sensei in Tokyo, Japan from 2006-2007. Seishiro then studied modified KSA and Integrated Synergy Therapeutics under Nakano Sensei in 2008 in Las Cruces, New Mexico. From 2008 onwards Seishiro developed very sound knowledge and skills in Kiiko Style Acupuncture. Due to his exceptional linguistic skills in Japanese and English and experience with interpreting specific to acupuncture, Seishiro has been selected by Qiology as interpreter to Mr. Shimamura, to assist English speaking students in learning Master Nagano’s Acupuncture techniques, diagnosis and theory through Mr. Shimamura. Seishiro is in full-time practice in Albany, Oregon, and also holds a 1st Degree Black-Belt in Judo.