Hi, I'm 5 months pregnant and feel excellent. But I never was much of a jogger or a swimmer or anything else for that matter, and now I feel that I owe it to myself and my future baby. There's a yoga class for pregnant women in Yoyogi-Uehara area (Yoga Study House, 3466-1216), but I'm also interested in specialized swimming and aerobics. I know a special swimming class in Aoyama, but it's very expensive and only Japanese spoken. Could you suggest classes like that in English, at reasonable prices?
Greatly appreciate

Hello, I am in the process of moving to Tokyo and I am also interested in pre-natal yoga. I have been doing it here in the States and would love to continue in Tokyo - could you give me more info.
Thank you!

Hi Roxana,
Yoga abounds over here! I practiced at my local sports center, but there's more organized places. Here's some contacts:

International Yoga Center - (03)5397-2741 Classes in English.

Rajay has prenatal classes:
The Yoga Circle
Azabu Kumin Center, Minato-ku, Tokyo, tel:(03) 3582-3505

Japan Maternity Yoga Association (03)3979-4688 (Japanese only)

Good luck! Karen

hello everybody!
I m 13 weeks pregnant and I m so suprised to see that there is nothing for prenatal swimming class here in tokyo!
I found yoga sure!but the best I think is swimming for blood circulation......so if someone could help me !!!!
I m desesperate!

thank you!
julie , french mother to be

Hi Julie, There is a maternity swim class near Ikebukuro in Japanese on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 11 am to 12 pm. I think it is about Y10,000 for a pack of four tickets (four times) but it has to be used up in one month. The number is 03-3986-2233. I am going to check it out maybe on this Friday or Saturday if you want to go together.

Also in Tokyo there is maternity swimming at the Kodomo no Shiro (children`s castle) in Aoyama, closest station is Omotosando. 03-3797-5667 (Japanese only)

And in Chiyoda-ku, Kojimachi 03-3234-1180
Erin

Note from Admin: Children's Castle does have a website with an English section on it. http://www.kodomono-shiro.or.jp/english/index.html

Taiyo Sports Centre near Komazawa Koen has maternity swimming classes and maternity aerobics. Homepage is in Japanese. http://www.taiyosports.co.jp/mata_menba.html

But you can swim at most public pools just for exercise during pregnancy, you do not need to limit yourself to special maternity swimming classes.

hello,
Regarding maternity swimming, 8 minutes walk from NAKANO station on Chuo line (a few minutes from Shinjuku), there's the TAC (Tokyo Athletic Club) and they offer maternity swimming class almost every day. Class and registration is all in Japanese though. I joined for 3 times a week and went until I was almost ready to give birth, in summer that was the best thing I could do.
Contact: 03-3384-2131, Nakano-ku, Nakano 2-14-16.
Hope this helps, Cheers!

Hello,

I'd like to get my wife a prenatal massage as an anniversary gift. Does anyone know of a place in the Chofu area that they'd recommend? Near Shinjuku station would work as well.

Thank you very much.

For Pregnant Moms in the Tokyo area,
Maternity Yoga classes in English are
available at Furla Yoga in Aoyama.

Furla Yoga opened in September in the
Furla Shop, just beside Omotesando
Crossing. For more information, please
visit our website at: www.furla.co.jp/yoga

Furla Yoga studio has an intimate
atmosphere, experienced instructors, and
small classes. We look forward to having
you in class! (Regular yoga classes are
also available!)

Shizen Yoga Studio also offers Maternity
Yoga classes in Kichijoji (western Tokyo).
Please visit our website at
www.shizenyoga.com

Hi,

We're moving to the Mitaka area and don't know of any good sports clubs/gyms etc. Can anyone recommend any? Also, maternity swimming or yoga classes in the area would be great. Japanese not a problem, in fact, preferred. Thanks!

Chris and Hanako

Hi,

We're moving to the Mitaka area and don't know of any good sports clubs/gyms etc. Can anyone recommend any? Also, maternity swimming or yoga classes in the area would be great. Japanese not a problem, in fact, preferred. Thanks!

Chris and Hanako

To add more info on maternity exercise classes, here is the one I go to. Classes are conducted in Japanese language.

Toa Central Gym (Shimokitazawa)
Phone: 03-3467-0388
Address: 1-46-5 Kitazawa, Setagaya, Tokyo
Classes: Wed. & Sat. 10:30-12:30
Cost: Yen 10500/ 8 classes

in case you're aching....

The best massage I got in Tokyo was when
I was pregnant. It was by Kimura Sensei, a
Shiatsu teacher and practitioner. One
session costs 5000 yen (pretty reasonable
by Tokyo standards) and is FANTASTIC.
After the first one, I felt sick for a day (I
think he released the toxins in my system)
but after that I felt much much better. DO
it once a week if you can afford it and if
you have the time. If you ask him to make
a house call, it cost twice as much. He
gives a small discount for a 5 session
pass. He also speaks perfect English and is
a very kind man. His tiny studio is one
stop out of Shinjuku on the Keio line, at
Sasazuka. His website: http://
www.shiatsu-k.com/english.htm.

enjoy!

The lady who massaged me throughout my pregnancy is now back in Tokyo and offering mobile massages in Tokyo. I tried a few different massage places in Tokyo, and in my opinion, she was definitely the best! She's very sensitive to the needs of pregnant women and now that I have the baby, I have a massage while I play peekaboo through the hole in the massage table or have reflexology while the baby sleeps on my chest.
Here are her details:
Zoe Kijima
Tel: 090 30632007
Prices:(All home visits)
Oil massage
1 hr: 8000
90 mins hours: 12000
2 hrs 16000

Shiatsu
30 mins: 3000
1 hr: 6000
90 mins: 9000

Reflexology
30 mins: 3000
1hr: 6000

Catherine thanks a lot!
I was just looking for a good massage therapist that is experienced in working with pregnant women in Tokyo! I’m so stressed right now at work... I’m really glad that my husband push me to take one last weekend =) I had experience with Japanese way of massage before my pregnancy�Eall I got was lots of pain for two days after the course. So I was really afraid to try it again espesially now�EHowever with Zoe that was really good and an enormous help for me now! She's *excellent*! Thanks again.