Establishment of the Yufai Association
In 2012, Chiho Kaji, the founder of the Yufai Association, encountered the traditional Thai herbal thermal care for women called “Yufai” after giving birth in Chiang Mai. Deeply impressed by its effectiveness, she felt strongly that this amazing treatment should be introduced to Japan. On April 1, 2013, she officially announced the establishment of the Yufai Association at a gathering of Thai massage therapists.
The Yufai treatment she received postpartum in 2012 was filled with rich herbs that gently warmed her entire body. With its pleasant fragrance and relaxing treatments, combined with herbal teas and dietary therapy, she continued the process for a full month. By the end of the Yufai program, her body weight had decreased by over 20 kg, yet her skin had become smooth and radiant, with no wrinkles, no blemishes, and even her stretch marks had disappeared. Symptoms of postpartum depression also vanished, and she was able to produce abundant breast milk. In short, she became more beautiful than before childbirth.
Seeing these results, her friends began asking, “What is Yufai?” In response, she developed the Yufai-style Self-Care curriculum to share the excellence of Yufai with others.
Yufai-style Self-Care
Building upon the techniques of fresh Thai herbs and deep traditional practices, she developed a version of Yufai that could be recreated in Japan using locally available materials. When this Yufai-style Self-Care was offered to Japanese participants, even non-postpartum women reported improvements in various health concerns such as irregular menstruation, uterine conditions, fertility, and menopausal symptoms, due to the detoxifying effects of the generous herbal use.
As a result, the program expanded beyond postpartum recovery to be recognized as an excellent form of care for all women. Based in Azumino, Nagano, she began offering workshops nationwide, mainly through word-of-mouth referrals. As of 2020, over 300 workshops have been held across Japan.
A Growing Interest in Deeper Learning
As more therapists gained firsthand experience and recognized the excellence of Yufai through practicing on their own clients, many began expressing the desire to offer full treatments themselves. In response to this demand, the Yufai Association launched programs to train therapists who can perform full Yufai treatments.
Some also wished to work together with the Yufai Association to promote this practice, which led to the development of advisor certification programs that enable graduates to lead introductory workshops and spread awareness.
For those who wished to deepen their knowledge further, the association also began organizing study abroad tours to Chiang Mai, Thailand, to learn Yufai in its original cultural and medical context.
Our Foundation in Chiang Mai-Style Yufai
The foundation of our practice lies in the Chiang Mai style of Yufai. This tradition is rooted in the belief that “the herbs you need are all growing around your home,” leading to a rich variety of herbs and diverse methods of application unique to the region.
While the Thai government has officially standardized the concept and methods of Yufai, its origins lie in folk medicine, which has been adapted in each region and social class to suit local needs. These traditional practices are still actively passed down and practiced today.
One of our teachers in Chiang Mai taught us:
“True health is when the body, mind, and beauty are all in good condition.
Yufai warms the body by enhancing blood circulation with herbs and heat, calms the mind through pleasant aromas, and beautifies the skin by making it smooth and vibrant.”
In Japan, the concept of “beauty as part of health” is not yet widely accepted, but for women, it is a profoundly important idea.
Incorporation as a General Incorporated Association in May 2019
Responding to increasing nationwide demand, the Yufai Association was officially incorporated as a general incorporated association in May 2019.
As of 2025, the association has organized over 500 official workshops in 41 of Japan’s 47 prefectures. More than 90 certified instructors are qualified to teach Yufai, and there are 16 accredited schools across the country. The total number of participants has exceeded 3,000, and continues to grow steadily.
Yufai is now beginning to be adopted not only in private practices but also in maternity clinics and obstetrics and gynecology departments as a form of women’s care that utilizes herbal and thermal effects, alongside other traditional therapies such as aromatherapy and relaxation techniques.
Additionally, Yuriko Tatsuno, a licensed midwife and acupuncturist, and Director of the Institute for Applied Traditional Medicine, has joined the Yufai Association as an advisor. Under her guidance, the association is reconstructing traditional Yufai in a way that can be safely and effectively incorporated into Japanese medical and wellness settings.
In order to integrate cutting-edge women’s health techniques into traditional care—and conversely, to bring traditional wisdom into modern women’s health—the Femiyu Method Association has established a training course where students can master Yufai’s herbal thermal therapy as part of their therapist development program.
First Japanese Organization to Be Recognized for Promoting Thai Traditional Wisdom
In June 2019, the Yufai Association was honored for its efforts in promoting Yufai by receiving the top prize in the Thai Wisdom category at the Chiang Mai Spa Awards 2019, an official award ceremony hosted by Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health, the government body responsible for the health of the Thai people.
This was the first time a Japanese organization had ever received this prestigious award, marking a historic achievement. At the award ceremony, the association also received words of encouragement from the Ambassador of Japan stationed in Chiang Mai.
Serving as a Judge in the World Thai Massage Championship
In 2022, Thai massage (Nuad Thai) was officially inscribed on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. To commemorate this, the Nuad Thai World Championship 2022 was held, gathering Thai massage therapists from around the world to compete.
Chiho Kaji served as a judge in the Japanese preliminary round, which was highly praised for its success. As a result of this recognition, she was also appointed as a judge in the Swiss round, where second- and third-place winners from around the world competed.
In 2023, she continued to contribute by serving as a judge and event host in both the Japanese preliminaries and finals, working to raise the global status and recognition of Thai massage both within Japan and internationally.
Promoting Herbal Saunas for Everyone―Not Just for Women
In 2023, Chiho Kaji teamed up with Ms. Manami Nagatomi, who opened Japan’s first Thai herbal sauna specialty store, NIMU SAUNA, in Kumamoto. Together, they launched the **Herbal Sauna Association** to promote herbal saunas more broadly across Japan. They also collaborated in the management of **7forio**, a herbal sauna specialty store in Kitahorie, Osaka. Regular experience events are now held to present Yufai―herbal thermal therapy―in ways that are easy to incorporate into daily life.
Victory at the 2024 AMC Asia Massage Championship – Stretching Category
On **June 5, 2024**, Chiho Kaji presented **ZERO Thai**, a technique developed by the Yufai Association, at the Asia Massage Championship’s stretching category and won the **championship**.
ZERO Thai is based on Yufai’s philosophy of “pleasant and pain-free stretching with mutual support.” The method is designed to place minimal strain on both the therapist and the client:
– **Thumb strain is virtually zero**, even for women with less physical strength.
– **Knee and lower back strain is nearly zero** when standing or kneeling.
– **Arm strength to lift clients is mostly unnecessary**.
Additionally, the technique does **not require standing on the massage table**. Kaji, as the creator of the method, explained that she avoided using the table due to her own larger-than-average physique and the concern of causing discomfort to clients regarding safety.
Winning in a category that had many participants from the chiropractic industry with a Yufai-based flow grounded in traditional Thai medicine clearly demonstrated the value of Thai massage, especially to those unfamiliar with it. Kaji aims to continue pioneering and spreading its excellence.
About the Founder and Director – Chiho Kaji
While staying in Thailand, Chiho Kaji discovered she was pregnant. This led her to learn about “Yufai,” a traditional postpartum care method rooted in Thai medicine. Determined to experience its effects firsthand, she gave birth in Chiang Mai and underwent a month-long intensive Yufai treatment. Convinced by its benefits, she developed the “Yufai-style Self-Care” program based on her experience. With the powerful detoxification and uterine support achieved through the abundant use of herbs, she was inspired to share Yufai with all women, not just postpartum mothers. In April 2013, she established the Yufai Association. To promote its practices, she travels nationwide, conducting lectures and training both practitioners and instructors who can perform and teach Yufai.
During summers, she moved to coastal areas for surfing, and in winters to snow-covered mountains for snowboarding, all while working as a freelance IT web creator. In 2005, she encountered Thai massage at the main campus of Wat Po in Bangkok. After returning to Japan and gaining experience at a renowned Thai massage salon, she became independent. In May 2006, she launched her mobile Thai massage business, “Nonsharan,” and regularly operated booths at outdoor festivals. In May 2011, she co-founded ITM Azumino, a Thai massage school, as a Thai government-certified instructor, and began hosting regular study groups.
Her official activities as the Yufai Association began in 2013. In March 2019, she relocated from Azumino to Matsumoto, Nagano, a city easily accessible from Tokyo, Nagoya, Kansai, Fukuoka, and Sapporo. In May of the same year, she legally incorporated the Yufai Association. In June, the association received the top prize in the Thai Wisdom category at the “Chiang Mai Spa Awards 2019,” hosted by Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health. This marked the first time a Japanese organization received this honor. She was also personally congratulated by the Japanese ambassador stationed in Chiang Mai.
In 2022, she established the Herbal Sauna Association and began holding regular experience-based workshops to make Yufai’s herbal thermal therapy more accessible for daily life. That same year, she served as a judge for the Thai Massage World Championship 2022, which was organized in celebration of Nuad Thai’s registration as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. She judged the Japanese and Swiss preliminaries. In 2023, she joined the organizing team and contributed as a judge, interpreter, MC, and booklet producer in both the Japanese preliminary and final rounds. In 2024, she won the Stretching Category at the AMC Asia Massage Championship and is now working to spread her gentle and therapist-friendly “ZERO Thai Stretch” technique to the next stage.
She has studied traditional Thai massage and herbal practices at numerous prestigious institutions: Wat Po Main Campus, Thai Herbal Massage School (formerly DOI NUM SUB Training Center), Mahidol University Faculty of Medicine’s Traditional Medicine Clinic, ITM Chiang Mai, Wandee Ancient Thai Massage School, Ong’s Thai Massage Training, Andrea Private Lesson, RSM International School, Spa Mantra, Sunshine Massage School, Loikroh Traditional Thai Massage Yoga, Lanna Thai Massage School, Lar’s Massage Room, Timmy Thai Massage Training Center, Sujitra Visopa School, Thai Traditional Medical Services Society, CCA Massage School, Pichest School, Jid Spa Treatment, Supin Luechaisit, Sawat Wanasri (Chiangmai Hospital), PJem, and Hattamaneekorn Spa Academy in Krabi.
In Japan, she studied Chi Nei Tsang under Master Mantak Chia, Thai Vedic elements with Sebastian Bruno, Thippaya cloth massage with Tui (2nd place at the World Championship), and Dancing Thai Massage with Master Chang (Suwit Sritrairasri Steeve) in Switzerland. Since 2013, she has led translation and explanation tours for the ITM Chiang Mai and Spa Mantra Yufai courses. In 2014, she interpreted herbal ball workshops in Shinjuku, and in 2023 supported workshops with Master Chang in Osaka and Matsumoto. She also interpreted for Ray, Kea, Dan, and Sacol at WANTS Japan WS. Since March 2020, she has hosted seasonal Wutai workshops in Matsumoto led by Masaoki Ohara, the Japanese delegate of Laurent.
She completed a beginner Thai language course at Chiang Mai University and is comfortable with everyday conversation. Spring to fall is spent promoting Yufai and teaching technique-based workshops in Japan. In winter, she returns to Chiang Mai to continue her research and training in Thai and English.
As of 2025, Yufai Association’s workshops have been held in 41 of Japan’s 47 prefectures, with over 3,000 participants. More than 90 instructors are qualified to teach. Yufai is increasingly being adopted in maternity clinics and OB-GYN facilities as a form of herbal and thermal care, alongside aromatherapy and relaxation techniques.
Collaborating with the Institute for Applied Traditional Medicine and guided by midwife-acupuncturist Yuriko Tatsuno, Kaji is working to reconstruct Yufai in a safe and accessible form for use in Japan. Since 2020, she has also studied the Indian roots of Thai Buddhism and traditional medicine under acclaimed scholar Takeshi Ito, integrating insights from Marma, Jamu, Ayurveda, and Chuphon traditions into Yufai as a holistic women’s care approach.
Course Style: Her lectures emphasize the theoretical basis behind each treatment and focus on gentle techniques that prioritize body balance and weight distribution for therapists.
Hometown: Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture
Motto: “With momentum and passion, anything can be achieved.”