Otonamaki, which directly translates to “adult wrapping”, is a Japanese therapeutic method meant to alleviate posture problems and stiffness and it is gaining traction around the country.
The idea for Otonamaki comes from the practice of Ohinamaki, which sees babies wrapped up in cloth in a similar fashion. This is meant to help with their physical development.
Each session lasts around 20 minutes.
“The reason why Otonamaki was invented was because some people were worried about babies struggling or feeling claustrophobic while being wrapped up,” says Orie Matsuo of Kyoko Proportion, one of several companies that offer Otonamaki to its customers.
“We thought if adults were rolled up like them, they could experience how good it feels.”
And if customer feedback is anything to go by, Otonamaki is certainly proving successful.
“It looks cramped but it doesn’t feel tight at all,” said a 40-year-old customer of Kyoko Proportion. “It’s the opposite of that. Afterwards I felt an improvement in my shoulders and back.”
“It felt so good I almost fell asleep. My neck and lower back were relaxed, ” said another customer. “I want my husband to learn [how to do] it.”
But not everyone is convinced.
“This looks so creepy,” said one user on Twitter. Another compared it to something out of a horror film.
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