Osaka is the largest city in western Japan. People gather from all over to shop at the many department stores in the area around Osaka Station, the central hub of the city. THAI RELAXATION SALON SORA is conveniently located just a minute's walk away from Osaka Station.

Exploring Osaka and nearby Kyoto is an unforgettable experience, but trekking around for days as you take in the sights will probably leave you worse for wear. Take some time to freshen up once you make it back to Osaka Station with a unique massage you can only experience in Japan. You’ll also get a taste of authentic Japanese hospitality.

The hallmark of THAI RELAXATION SALON SORA lies in its 'Custom Relaxation' approach, which masterfully blends traditional massage techniques from around the world with innovative, original methods. This unique fusion creates a tailored relaxation experience unlike any other.

The foundation of everything they do is the time-honored traditional Thai massage, which is a recognized UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. In addition to the Thai technique of slowly stretching muscles, they incorporate elements of Hawaiian Lomi Lomi, yoga, bodywork, conventional stretching and more. These techniques are modulated for each guest based on their health, concerns, and personal preferences. An expert will put together the ideal plan for you, so no need to worry about which massage to choose when you make the reservation.

Deep tissue massage is a specialty of SORA’s and shouldn’t be missed. As the name implies, in a deep tissue massage concentrated pressure is applied to reach deeper layers of muscle and eliminate stiffness at its source. Massage therapists perfect their unique styles over years of experience, and each person's body has different pains in different places. Recognizing this, SORA’s tailor-made approach to treatments honors the individuality of both the practitioner and guest.

The serenity of each private room at SORA encourages guests to relax in body and soul. If you’ve had a Thai massage before, you’ll know that they’re typically administered in a room filled with other customers separated only by partitions, which hardly inspires tranquillity.

But at SORA, you’ll be given a private room with a soundproof door. Your personal conversations with your massage therapist won't be overheard, and outside distractions won’t disrupt your peace. This privacy lets you immerse completely in the sensations of the massage and achieve greater relaxation.

Surrounded by decor collected from all over Asia in a room with subtle lighting, you'll be transported to a peaceful seaside resort. After a hectic day of sightseeing in Osaka or Kyoto, you can finally take a well-earned break.

Our model gave the experience a try and will share her candid reactions. She said, "It's a short walk from Osaka Station, and their sign makes it easy to find them. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of experience I'll have."

After entering the store, the treatment begins with a thorough explanation of their services and a consultation to find the perfect massage for you. Their offerings include not only traditional Thai massages, but also Thai oil (Hawaiian Lomi Lomi) treatments, eyestrain massages, and foot reflexology treatments. You can choose three options for 90 minutes and four options for 120 minutes, with the number of options changing depending on the time.

To find out exactly what you need, the massage therapist not only asks about current aches, but lifestyle habits, such as exercise and stretching, as well as your day-to-day life. It’s obvious that the massage therapist genuinely wants to alleviate long-term fatigue.

After being guided to a private room and changing into spa clothes, you'll take a foot bath to warm up your body. Soaking your feet in the hot water will make your whole body warm and toasty. The massage therapists are very friendly and eager to learn more about you and your trip to Japan, so you can enjoy a nice chat while they stimulate pressure points on your feet.

SORA offers a plentiful assortment of options, and we’ll explain a few of them here.

First is the Thai massage, the foundation of SORA, which they have innovated by combining conventional Thai techniques with yoga, bodywork, relaxation, and other forms of stretching. Not only that, they also adapt their techniques for every client to target what’s bothering them the most.

For this treatment, you'll begin by lying down on a mat. The massage therapist will gently guide you through breathing exercises. For our model, the massage therapist began the treatment by massaging with her feet, which is her specialty. She explained, "Doing these easy stretches at first helps us align our breathing."

Our model's main complaint was chronic stiffness in her shoulders, so she requested a massage targeting that problem in particular. However, the massage therapist also worked at her lower back and pelvic area. Apparently, though the shoulders exhibit the most obvious symptoms, fatigue can also build up in other areas without us noticing. As the massage therapist alleviated stiffness throughout the body, the model unconsciously let out a huge sigh of relief.

In line with the traditional style of Thai massage, the therapist doesn't pull harshly on the client's body, but rather uses their own body weight to apply pressure and carefully help them stretch out their muscles. You can rely on their strength – we learned that a female massage therapist can hold up a man of over 100 kg with just her legs. Client and practitioner move and breathe in unison, sharing a tranquil rhythm that leaves them both rejuvenated.

Next, they stretch the shoulder area. "Stretching together and breathing in unison, you feel so comfortable with them and go totally lax. The way she was lifting and pushing with her feet is totally different from a regular massage, but it feels incredible! My whole body feels lighter!" the model said, impressed.

The Thai oil massage is an original treatment created by SORA, and is a fusion of the Hawaiian Lomi Lomi technique and traditional Thai massage. They locate areas where fatigue has built up and apply pressure using Thai deep-tissue massage techniques.

Another name for this Thai oil technique is a “scapula oil stretch,” because the main focus is on the muscles around the scapula in the upper back. That area is especially prone to stiffness which can even cause problems with your internal organs. It’s common for people to try simple stretches to ease shoulder pain, but there’s only so much good you can do on your own. Instead, let the experts at SORA work out all that tension for you with this impactful massage.

The eyestrain massage uses a hot eye mask to warm the eye area while pressure points on the face are gently stimulated. The treatment focuses on the eye area but extends to the shoulders, neck, and top of the back to relieve fatigue all across the upper body.

Lying on your back as expert fingers rub across your face and shoulders, the pleasant ache of the massage may even lull you to sleep. If we’re being honest, most of us spend a good chunk of our day staring at a computer or smartphone. It’s no wonder that eyestrain can become dire without us even realizing it.

Foot reflexology is a treatment option that focuses on the legs, from the soles of the feet all the way up to the calves and thighs. Because the legs are located so far from the heart, waste tends to stagnate there, meaning it’s easy for them to swell or feel heavy. Most people don’t perform regular leg stretches, so this oil massage is a great chance to revitalize blood flow in this vital area.

In the massage, the practitioner presses right on sensitive points on the soles of the feet, which has a ripple effect on the rest of the body, inside and out. Walking all day or trapped on an airplane for hours, travel can take a heavy toll on the body in no time. Luckily, this leg massage is the perfect antidote for leg pain common in travelers.

After the massage is over, you can sip on tea as you slowly come back down to Earth. Gazing out at the Osaka cityscape, you’ll find you’ve reached a rare oasis of peace amid your otherwise hectic travel.

We asked the model how she felt after completing the entire treatment.
"I feel very refreshed. The massage therapist and I moved in unison, which helped me stretch much more than when I stretch alone. My body feels lighter, like I'm floating."

The massage therapist added, "Whenever I stretch with a client, I feel refreshed too. Because both the massage therapist and the client are enjoying the process together, it makes it so much more relaxing."

"I thought only my shoulders ached, but actually my back and legs were tired too, and in a lot of pain," our model said. The massage therapist explained, "At SORA, we look for problem areas that might not be obvious to the client but are causing pain nonetheless."

To wrap things up, a message from the massage therapist to visitors to Japan. "When you're traveling, you'll build up tension throughout your body across the day, and resting at your hotel or at a hot spring might not be enough. A massage that also includes stretching will both relieve stiffness and relax you, so any fatigue that may have built up during your trip will be gone!"

THAI RELAXATION SALON SORA has four branches, including the Umeda branch in Osaka introduced here. If you are traveling in Tokyo or elsewhere in the Kanto region, we recommend the Shibuya branch, only a two-minute walk from JR Shibuya Station. As with the Umeda location, you can receive a customized massage in a completely private room. Retreat to your own personal paradise in the middle of the frenetic city.

THAI RELAXATION SALON SORA have been alleviating stiffness and fatigue for countless guests using their unique twist on the traditional Thai massage, which is said to be the best in the world. Their locations are easy to access in major cities, so if you find a quick moment of free time during your travels, you don’t need to go far to find serenity and melt away your aches and pains.