7 Best Japanese Massage Chairs to Consider (Review for 2023)

There are 2 countries that are known for superior quality of their chairs. One of those countries is Japan. Japan is no doubt the country that leading the massage chair industry innovation.

FUN FACT: Mechanical massage chairs started to be developed in the 1950s. The first ever massage chair that is electric, was invented in Japan before World War II. Since its inception, Japan has led the way in the development of massage chairs, combining advanced technology, precise engineering, and respect for the art.

There are ONLY a Few chairs that are made in Japan. Most brands consider other countries such as China and Taiwan due to cost of labor. I’ve spoken to many industry experts and according to them, there are only few chairs are made in Japan and out of those, only a few models worth considering. One of this models (and the best in our reviews) is OHCO M.8.

Japanese massage chairs reflect the culture’s emphasis on mental well-being as well as physical health. As well as being renowned for their profound effect on the mind and body, Japanese massage chairs are also known for their aesthetic beauty, giving users the best of both worlds in one massage chair.

Best Japanese Massage Chairs Review 2023:

OHCO M.8 – Best Medical Chair

Ken Okuyama and Shiatsu Master Okabayashi Sensei have created the latest version of OHCO M.8. With the OHCO’s angled elegance, Ken created peacefulness within exquisite engineering, as in his design of the shinkansen bullet trains. Design, for Ken, must be holistic. Here, the highest standard of excellence is just the beginning of Japanese engineering’s Ethos.

M series Japanese massage chairs are the first massage chairs to offer easy entry and exit from the arms. With the 4D massage chair, you get perfectly choreographed motion from head to glute, full body heat, foot rollers, and 6 independent compression cells for your arms, wrists, and hands, all combining in 100s of ways.

Most Notable Features:

Multi-Intensity Massage: You’ll enjoy the multi-intensity controls and the option to pause and resume the massage as you wish. Chair targets 6 massage zones because every area of your body requires it.
High-Tech Remote Control: You’ll love the easy-to-use remote control on the OHCO. It has a similar interface to modern smartphones, so you never have to repeat commands or wait for it to respond.
Noise Reduction: When your surroundings are noisy, it’s challenging to relax. Even harder if it’s your chair making all the noise. Enjoy the noise reduction feature on this unit so you can relax in peace while being stretched, massaged, and heated.
Full Body Air Massage: Featuring strategically placed air cells, it provides a full-body massage for your feet, calves, hips, outer thighs, glutes, arms, hands, neck, and shoulders. This feature reflects the focus on relaxation and recovery that is part of the massage experience.
Japanese Design and Craftsmanship: In terms of Japanese engineering and craftsmanship, Ken Okuyama’s massage chair design meets and exceeds the highest standards. In addition to being a high-performance chair that can improve your mental and physical health, it is also a beautiful addition to your office or home décor.
Arms of Embrace: The chair is made up of a number of high-impact features that set it apart from other Japanese massage chairs, including its 12 air cells that provide over 479,000,000 massage patterns.

Your senses will be awakened by the meditative movements that mimic those of a shiatsu master, melting tension and awakening your senses. Experience the unexpected. A thoughtfully designed meditation,it takes you deep into relaxation and renewal. This chair is the most advanced massage chair as of right now.

Read our OHCO m.8 massage chair review here

Osaki OS-4D JP Pro Premium

Designed, engineered, and manufactured in Japan, the 4D Pro JP Premium massage chair from Osaki is a high-end massage chair. In fact, Fuji Medical was involved in many early innovations and technologies in the industry. Fuji Medical has been in the business since 1954.

Osaki is a respected company that always delivers reliable massage recliners for every type of customer. The OS-4D Pro JP Premium is equipped with the KIWAMI MECHA technology, providing ideal and personalized massage for a variety of body types.

Most Notable Features:

29 Types of Kneading Technique: The massage machine is equipped with 4 different modes of movement to give you a variety in your sessions. The kneading, tapping, and up/down basic movements will help release tight muscles while the various other program provides more intense pressure on certain areas for prolonged periods if needed.
Air Magic Massage: With a high-speed pressing and releasing action, the airbag offers you a comfortable way to relax. The whole body is held in place while receiving this treatment so it feels like nothing else
Natural Fit Function: Two steps of spring slide designed to fit every human body size.
10 Preset Program: Five basic courses and five stronger KIWAMI MECHA courses. Each course becomes KIWAMI when KIWAMI mode is pressed.

There are very few massage chairs that are designed with rollers and airbags working in harmony with one another. The good news is that this chair is one of them.

Katana 700

The Katana 700 is a full-featured, full-body massage chair that is at an affordable price. Start your day fresh! End your day in peace. The shiatsu massage chair has been carefully designed to relieve you from stress and strain on a daily basis. With Katana’s daily full-body massage, you will be able to rediscover comfort, support your health, and enjoy the joy of getting away from it all.

Most Notable Features:

Shiatsu Sensei Massage Mechanism: The movement is specifically designed to provide soothing shiatsu massage for the neck and shoulders, the lower back, the glutes, and the hamstrings.
Penetrating Infrared Heat: You’ll sink into Katana’s massage even more with the soothing heat delivered to your lower back as Katana’s massage helps loosen muscles and encourage blood flow.
Auto Shoulder Detection Function: Customizes the massage according to your unique back profile by automatically detecting the position of your shoulders.

With Katana 700’s squeezing and rolling movements, the Katana 700 mobilizes the soles of your feet, providing reflexology movements that melt tension and stress.

Synca JP1000 4D – Best S-Track with Body Scan

With Synca Wellness’ made-in-Japan JP Series massage chairs, you’ll get the most advanced back massage in the industry. In contrast to other brands of massage chairs, the JP1000 by Synca Wellness features Synca Wellness’s industry-leading robotic massage technology, providing more precise movements, a deeper deep tissue massage, and a more accurate replication of a massage therapist’s hand movements.

With components made by Hitachi and upholstering by the company that manufactures Nissan seats, the JP1000 is manufactured outside of Tokyo by the company that invented massage chairs in 1954. Synca’s JP series massage chairs feature the highest percentage of made-in-Japan components in any brand on the market. A body scan feature also ensures that whoever sits in the chair receives a massage optimized to their individual body type with the Synca JP series.

Most Notable Features:

Advanced 4D Massage Technology: A 4D mechanism enables the delivery of multiple Shiatsu techniques learned in Japanese Shiatsu schools. 4D is a superior technique execution process that uses rhythmic vertical, width, and depth motions just as comfortable as real human hands. By selecting any of the manual or auto techniques that you need, you can create your own custom massage course to relieve stiffness in specific different regions and save them for future use with one button click.
21 Auto Courses: With 21 different Auto-courses that have been expertly crafted by our engineers in Japan, Synca Wellness JP1000 is fully equipped to meet all of your therapeutic needs. The 81 unique massage techniques included four different deluxe 30-minute courses and 17 different 16-minute body part-specific courses. The program offers 6 different body part massages, 3 types of deep core kneading techniques, and 3 types of body stretching.
Double Infrared Heater: These dual heaters work to stimulate blood flow and bring blood to the surface of the skin, whereas massage rollers can stimulate the tissue to increase circulation. They also help loosen stiff muscles, allowing for better massage results.
12 Stages of Strength Adjustment: You have complete control over your massage experience. 12 intensity adjustments, 4-speed adjustments, 3 massage roller width adjustments, and 5 intensity adjustments for the airbags that can be set independently for each region.

With the Synca JP series, you will receive the most advanced body scanning technology in the world, ensuring you get the perfect back massage for your body type, no matter where you sit. A seamless execution of complex 4D shiatsu master massage techniques is delivered with the JP1000’s intuitive touchscreen controller, leaving you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated after each session.

With the Synca Wellness JP series massage chairs, you’re getting more than a massage chair.

Panasonic MA73

Panasonic’s proprietary RealPro Ultra 4D mechanism powers the MA73, which has been designed, engineered, and built to provide a lifelike luxury massage experience at home.

In addition to offering a professional massage experience, the Panasonic MA73 has hideaway leg and arm massage units that are less intrusive in your living room, bedroom, or den. This new MA73 is an upgrade from its predecessor, the MA70, which offers dual-zone arm massages, ceramic foot reflexology heaters, and an increased number of automatic sessions.

Most Notable Features:

Real Pro ULTRA 4D Massage System: With whisper-quiet high performance, the Real Pro Ultra 4D Human Intelligence mechanism goes beyond seamlessly moving in 3D space and authentically delivering a wide range of massage styles. Just like a human massage therapist, it adjusts speed and intensity in response to your body’s unique needs at the moment. This allows the MA73 to switch between different massage styles, reach above the shoulders, and soothe every part of your back.
Junetsu Ultra Kneading: With Junetsu Ultra Kneading, tight, spiral movements loosen tight muscles quickly and effectively. Using Junetsu Ultra Kneading, targeted areas are stimulated by an increase in blood flow and improved pliability of muscle fibers. As well as improving mobility, range of motion, and comfort, Junetsu Ultra Kneading relaxes the neck and shoulders. Panasonic massage chairs use proprietary techniques to accomplish this.
Professional Stretching Techniques: Its impressive suite of stretching movements is delivered by combining Real Pro Ultra functions with full-body air cell coverage. The massage chair’s powerfully therapeutic movements (found in many of its programmed sessions) mobilize the spine, promote relaxation, and increase flexibility in the lower back, middle back, and neck. As a morning rejuvenation session, we offer stretching techniques that are perfect for removing sleepiness and stiffness after a workout.

There are hidden leg rests and arm massage units on this Panasonic model massage chair. In addition to providing a professional massage experience, the Panasonic MA73 boasts a stable footrest.

With improved real-time roller pressure detection, you can tailor the experience to your needs based on precision body scanning technology. During the expertly choreographed automatic massage sessions, heated rollers, ultra-kneading, and full-body air cell coverage work in concert to provide an extremely structured and precise massage.

JPMedics Kumo 4D

With its advanced L-Track and 4D massage roller, the JPMedics Kumo is a well-designed Japanese massage chair that offers zero gravity reclining and reflexology foot rollers to enhance your massage experience.

The Kumo massage chair’s simplified interface is inspired by a traditional Japanese design approach of adding what you need and removing what you don’t. The 7-inch touchscreen control panel can be switched between English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese with a tap.

12 automatic massage programs and SOD customizable options make it easy to create a customized massage. You can save up to three customized massages by specifying your muscle tension areas, such as the spine and waist, as well as which massage technique you prefer.

Most Notable Features:

4D Heated Rollers: The Jpmedics Kumo is a categorical improvement in conventional massage chairs. The 4D thermo rollers protrude 3 inches deep and travel 1.5 inches apart, giving you a deep tissue, heated, spine-focused, human-like massage. Heat is dispersed from the massage rollers themselves to simulate the sensation of warm hands massaging your body. It is the first of its kind to offer such deep tissue, heated, spine-focused, human-like massages.
Next Level Of Full Body Massage: Many massage chair claim full body massage, however, the Jpmedic Kumo’s enhanced 44-inch L-track gives wider coverage and reaches more points. Invigorating neck, shoulder, mid-back, and lower-back massage is available via the L-track coverage. Leg and foot massage is facilitated within the “footrest” portion of the chair, which comes with sole massage rollers and airbags for compression.
Air Massage: You will be calm, content, and happy by inflating and deflating 64 strategically located air bags throughout the massage chair. Compression helps the body physically and mentally relax.

A traditional massage chair takes up a lot of space, especially when it’s fully reclined. The Jpmedics Kumo fits well in any room and on any surface. The Kumo’s base slides forward when reclining, saving space in your home. When fully reclined, most chairs require about two and a half feet of space behind the backrest. If you are in any given position, this Japanese massage chair requires only 5 inches of space behind the backrest.

American vs. Chinese vs. Japanese Made Massage Chairs

It always believed that Japanese massage chairs were the best quality massage chairs available since I have worked in the massage chair industry. The massage chair has been around for more than 50 years since it was invented in Japan. Due to lower production costs, massage chair manufacturing has only recently been moved to China.

Although Japanese massage chairs are still regularly produced, most are now manufactured in mainland China. It is estimated that Japanese chairs will last you about 15 years. Chairs made in China typically have a high failure rate, some putting it at 2-5%, and they only last about 10 years. It is therefore beneficial to purchase a Japanese-made massage chair, but there are also American-made chairs available. Several awards for the Luraco American-made chairs have been won, including the most recent 2019 Top Medical Massage Chair Award from Aesthetic Everything.

When choosing a chair to buy, most people want to choose one that is of the highest quality they can afford. This is going to depend on the massage chair itself and the brand, such as Osaki or Human Touch, Titan and Ohco ( which was previously known as Dreamwave), are great brands. Each brand has its own unique features. Knowing what type of massage chair you are looking for will allow you to choose the perfect balance between cost, value, and quality based on your budget and needs.

Questions and Answers

Is Daiwa Massage Chair Made in Japan?

The DAIWA chairs are manufactured and built in warehouses in China and imported and sold in the U.S. They are designed and manufactured by Japanese and U.S. designers. So, technically they are not Japanese massage chair models.

Is Osaki a Japanese Brand?

A great Chinese brand is Osaki, followed by Titan and Human Touch. Ohco, formerly Dreamwave, is a Japanese brand. They all offer unique benefits.

Where are Kyota Massage Chairs Made?

Kyota massage chairs are designed and built in Asia, where massage is well understood, and they are also customized to provide a truly easy and relaxing massage experience every time.

Where are Panasonic massage chairs made?

The Panasonic and OHCO M. Series models made in Japan are the market leaders for massage chairs in Japan, the US, and around the world right now.

Does Japan Make The Best Massage Chairs?

As a result of Japan’s preference for quality over mass production, it is seen as the industry standard by many people. According to the Santander Trade Portal, Japanese consumers behave in this way. In the massage chair industry as well, manufacturers that prioritize quality would stand out more than those that focus on profit.

Japanese massage chairs may be familiar to you. In general, these chairs sell better because consumers rely more on their quality and performance. However, that’s not necessarily true. Other countries may manufacture quality massage chairs that also provide a superior experience. Just because Japanese massage chairs are typically regarded as being of high quality doesn’t mean they are the best.

Where is Synca Massage Chair Made?

Synca Massage Chairs are proudly made in Japan, a country renowned for its exceptional craftsmanship and technological advancements. Japanese manufacturing standards have long been associated with top-quality products that are reliable and built to last. Synca, as a company, places great emphasis on precision and attention to detail, ensuring that each massage chair is crafted with the utmost care and expertise.

By manufacturing their massage chairs in Japan, Synca benefits from the wealth of knowledge and experience accumulated by Japanese manufacturers over the years. This enables them to incorporate cutting-edge technologies and innovative features into their designs, resulting in massage chairs that offer a truly satisfying and therapeutic experience.

When it comes to massage chairs, Japanese manufacturers are known for their commitment to excellence, pushing the boundaries of engineering and design. By producing their chairs in Japan, Synca can tap into this rich tradition, ensuring that their products not only look aesthetically appealing but also provide effective and reliable performance.

Furthermore, manufacturing in Japan guarantees that Synca adheres to stringent quality control measures and upholds the highest safety standards. This commitment to quality ensures that customers can trust in the durability, functionality, and safety of their Synca Massage Chairs.

In summary, Synca Massage Chairs are crafted in Japan, benefiting from the country’s long-standing reputation for exceptional craftsmanship, technological advancements, and unwavering commitment to quality. By choosing a Synca, customers can enjoy the assurance of owning a well-crafted and reliable product that provides a truly luxurious and therapeutic massage experience.

What is the Difference Between Synca JP 1000 and JP1100?

The main difference between the Synca JP 1000 and JP1100 massage chairs lies in the specific features and technologies they offer. While both models share some similarities, there are distinct variations that set them apart.

The Synca JP 1000 is equipped with advanced features such as 3D massage technology, which allows for a more customizable and immersive massage experience. It utilizes rollers that can move in multiple directions, providing a deeper and more targeted massage.

On the other hand, the Synca JP1100 offers additional features such as body scanning technology. This feature enables the chair to analyze the user’s body shape and automatically adjust the massage settings accordingly, ensuring a personalized and optimized massage experience.

Another notable difference is the number of available massage programs and techniques. The JP 1000 typically offers a wide range of preset massage programs, including various massage techniques such as kneading, tapping, and rolling. The JP1100 may provide an expanded selection of massage programs and techniques, allowing for a more diverse and tailored massage session.

Additionally, the design and aesthetics of the two models may vary. The JP1100, for instance, might feature a more modern and sleek appearance, with attention given to ergonomic considerations and user comfort.

It’s important to note that the specific differences between the Synca JP 1000 and JP1100 models may vary based on the manufacturer’s updates and product releases. Therefore, it is advisable to refer to the official documentation or consult with a knowledgeable representative to obtain accurate and up-to-date information regarding the features and specifications of each model.

In summary, the Synca JP 1000 and JP1100 massage chairs differ in terms of features such as 3D massage technology, body scanning, available massage programs, and design aesthetics. These variations aim to provide users with a customized, efficient, and comfortable massage experience based on their individual preferences and needs.

Conclusion

Among the many real-world examples of Japanese quality are Toyota, Honda, and Nissan cars. They are built to provide excellent value for your money and long-lasting performance. The Japanese maintain an exceptional level of quality assurance on their products, and it is not uncommon for any of these vehicles to go over 300,000 miles.

In terms of massage chairs, Japan is renowned for designing and creating high-quality products. A Japanese chair, however, is more expensive than a typical massage chair imported from another country.

A CONCLUSION can be made that Japan makes the best massage chairs. It is true that products  made in Japan are generally of higher quality with more advanced tech, and more durable. The quality of a massage chair depends on its brand and model, however, and if it meets your needs.