It can be uncomfortable to lie down on a full stomach; it may be a good idea not to eat too heavy foodstuffs on the day of the treatment, and not to eat (much) from about an hour in advance. Furthermore, considering that visual inspection of the tongue is an important diagnostic tool in Chinese medicine, I kindly ask you not to consume coffee, licorice, oranges, or other foodstuffs that temporarily alter the color of the tongue, right before the treatment session. I also ask you to please not scrape your tongue when brushing your teeth.

Please bring along two towels to the consultation: one large beach or hammam towel, and one smaller towel for your head to rest on. Also bring a pair of clean socks to wear during the treatment. Shiatsu is a clothes-on massage, so put on comfy clothes, like yoga clothing or sportswear, preferably without a belt, large buttons or zippers, et cetera. Ladies, if you feel comfortable about it, you may prefer not to wear a bra or to wear a sports bra, to avoid lying on the fastener or underwires. If you get cold easily, it is a good idea to bring and extra pair of warm socks and a sweater.