Thai, Chinese or Japanese massage: what are the differences?

Asian massage: one word, many traditions

In Paris, the term Asian massage covers a wide range of practices, from medical techniques centuries old to modern sensual styles. Thailand, China and Japan each have their own traditions, rooted in different philosophies and producing very different sensations. Knowing the differences helps you choose the massage that suits you, and understand what a salon actually offers.

Thai massage: Nuad Thai

Origins

Traditional Thai massage, Nuad Thai or Nuad Boran, has been practised in Thailand for centuries. Tradition attributes its foundations to Jivaka Kumar Bhacca, a physician said to have been a contemporary of the Buddha, and it blends Indian, Chinese and local Thai influences. The Wat Pho temple in Bangkok is famous for its massage school. In 2019, UNESCO inscribed Nuad Thai on the list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

Technique

Thai massage works along sen lines, energy pathways running through the body. The practitioner uses palms, thumbs, elbows, forearms, knees and even feet to apply rhythmic pressure, and guides the body into stretches often compared to assisted yoga.

How it feels

Dynamic, deep and energising. Traditionally, it is given on a mat on the floor, with the client fully clothed in loose garments, and without oil.

Chinese massage: tui na and reflexology

Origins

Tui na is one of the pillars of traditional Chinese medicine, alongside acupuncture and herbal medicine. Its name combines two gestures: tui, to push, and na, to grasp. Its roots in Chinese medicine go back many centuries.

Technique

Tui na works on the meridians, the channels through which qi, vital energy, is said to flow. The practitioner kneads, presses, rolls and rubs, often targeting a specific complaint: back pain, stiff neck, fatigue. Foot reflexology, based on the idea that zones of the foot correspond to the rest of the body, is also very common in Chinese salons.

How it feels

Firm, precise and sometimes vigorous. It is closer to a therapeutic session than to a relaxing massage, usually given on a table, clothed or through a thin cloth.

Japanese massage: shiatsu and nuru

Shiatsu

Shiatsu means finger pressure. Inspired by older Japanese massage and by Chinese medicine, it was formalised in Japan in the twentieth century. The practitioner applies steady, perpendicular pressure with thumbs, fingers and palms on specific points, combined with gentle stretches. It is given clothed, traditionally on a futon, without oil. The feeling is calm, grounding and precise.

Nuru

At the other end of the spectrum, nuru is a modern Japanese-inspired sensual massage in which the masseuse glides over the client’s body using a very slippery, seaweed-based gel. It has nothing to do with shiatsu and belongs to the family of body to body massages. We explain it in detail in our guide to nuru massage and its gel. Our salon does not offer it: we prefer the body to body with warm oil.

Comparison table

	Thai (Nuad Thai)	Chinese (tui na)	Japanese (shiatsu)	Body to body / nuru
Origin	Thailand, centuries old	China, ancient roots	Japan, 20th century	Modern, Thailand and Japan
Energy concept	Sen lines	Meridians and qi	Meridians and points	None in particular
Main tools	Palms, thumbs, elbows, knees, feet	Hands, fingers, forearms	Thumbs, fingers, palms	The whole body
Oil or gel	No	Rarely	No	Oil or nuru gel
Clothing	Loose clothes	Clothed or cloth	Clothed	Skin to skin
Setting	Mat on the floor	Table or chair	Futon	Massage table, often a mattress for nuru
Feeling	Dynamic, stretching	Firm, targeted	Calm, precise	Warm, enveloping, sensual
Goal	Balance, flexibility	Therapeutic	Balance, well-being	Relaxation, the senses

Where the body to body massage fits

The body to body massage is a modern style associated with South-East Asia, and Thailand in particular. It shares Thai massage’s idea that the whole body can be a massage tool, but replaces the stretches and dry pressure with oil and a slow, enveloping glide. It is not a medical practice: its purpose is relaxation and the awakening of the senses. Our guide what is body to body massage explains it step by step.

What our salon offers

Our salon in Paris 9th specialises in body to body massage and sensual massages, all given by Thai masseuses trained in traditional Thai massage. That training shows in the warm-up of every session: firm palm and thumb pressure, attention to the sen lines, a real understanding of where tension hides.

We also offer the Thai erotic massage and the soapy massage. We do not offer traditional Chinese tui na, reflexology or Japanese shiatsu, which require specific training. Nor do we offer nuru: for the same glide, we suggest the oil body to body rather than nuru. For an overview, see our page on Asian massage in Paris.

Every session is a professional massage, performed by trained masseuses by the book; the masseuse may stop whenever she sees fit, and an indecent request or inappropriate behaviour means immediate cancellation, without refund.

Which one should you choose?

• You want to stretch and feel energised: a traditional Thai massage.
• You have a specific ache to work on: tui na, with a qualified practitioner.
• You want a calm, precise, grounding session: shiatsu.
• You want warmth, slowness and letting go: a body to body massage.
• You want a fluid, full-body glide: a body to body with warm oil, which we prefer to nuru.

At our salon, every massage costs the same: €100 for 30 minutes, €130 for 45 minutes and €150 for an hour, shower included, every day from 11am to 8pm.