Otonamaki…Japanese therapeutic method of wrapping themselves up in cloth

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. Otonamaki was first invented by famous Japanese midwife Nobuko Watanabe, who also invented a popular maternity belt used commonly in Japan. The massage is offered mainly to women, some of whom come to see it as an alternative to massage or physical therapy. The company first introduced the practice in 2015, and so far, some 70 people have experienced Otonamaki with them. But it might take a while for the practice to catch on, it's certainly not mainstream yet.