Prompted by Her Own Illness

FujiwaraI heard rumors about someone with amazing "god hands" and really wanted to talk to her. Please tell us about your current work, to understand why you're called the "god hand."

Interior of ABSOLU HERBEEN salon

HayanoMy current activities can be broadly divided into three areas. First is the salon 'ABSOLU HERBEEN,' which I operate in Tokyo and Nagoya. Second is magazine features and writing, which have increased recently. And third is spa production. I'm currently busy preparing for a spa that will open in Okinawa around next autumn.

FujiwaraYour profile says you were a pharmacist at the Kitasato Institute?

HayanoI was at a research institute for Oriental medicine.

FujiwaraWhat prompted you to pursue pharmacy?

HayanoI suffered from bronchial asthma from seven months old until I was 14, and I experienced three life-threatening situations. While undergoing various treatments, my asthma was cured through a combination of Western medicine, Oriental medicine, and alternative therapies. That experience led me to want to be involved in healthcare.

FujiwaraIn a way, it's thanks to your illness that your current path opened up.

HayanoPerhaps so. The Kitasato Institute for Oriental Medicine is one of only three institutions in Japan recognized by the World Health Organization. When I was there, it was an incredible era with leading figures in the Oriental medicine field gathered. Consequently, the standards were very high. If you couldn't deduce the right medicine just by looking at a patient's face, you couldn't even sit at the counter, and I was rigorously trained as a pharmacist.
Furthermore, the experience of learning that combining various therapies in a balanced way could yield greater effects, which I gained from my asthma, was also very useful. Even when treating a single illness, I always kept in mind the significance of diagnosing it from multiple Oriental medicine perspectives while working at the institute.

What Are "Alternative Therapies" That Bring Happiness?

FujiwaraWhat led you to study in England after that?

HayanoI noticed that applying lipstick to my grandmother, who had dementia, would sometimes temporarily improve her condition. Witnessing this firsthand made me realize the power of external beauty. I also learned that for patients with atopic dermatitis, for example, changes in their external appearance could alter their way of life. This led me to want to explore the path of beauty, where the external and internal are interconnected.
I wanted to study beauty, particularly alternative therapies. Since alternative therapies were incorporated into hospitals in the UK and could be obtained as national qualifications, I decided to study abroad there.

FujiwaraI see. Forgive my ignorance, but what exactly do "alternative therapies" refer to?

HayanoBroadly speaking, they include practices like Qigong, traditional medicine such as Ayurveda, folk remedies, and dietary therapy. Reflexology and massage are also included.
My most memorable experience during my studies abroad was massaging a patient at their bedside while a pastor was praying as they neared death. For some reason, the patient began to cry. Although the patient passed away a few days later, the bereaved family told me, "My mother said thank you to Mikiko." Apparently, the massage allowed her to accept her life up to that point.

FujiwaraShe was able to affirm her life. Massage is truly remarkable...

HayanoMy friend also gave her mother a lymphatic drainage (MDL) massage with gratitude shortly after she passed away, and her mother looked beautiful even without makeup. The power of touch is truly mystical.

FujiwaraIn my profession, I've touched many people, and I feel that the energy of the other person and my own energy are exchanged through the skin.

HayanoI've massaged over 10,000 people, and I can often tell about someone's life just by looking at their face. When I touch their body, I feel as if their experiences are entering me through various channels like nerves, muscles, and the brain.

Profile of Mikiko Hayano
http://www.eggtimes.jp/people/s_hayano.html

Salon ABSOLU HERBEEN
http://absoluherbeen.com/