breathing with missoku: the undiscovered zen secret of japanese culture

The interest in all things Japan, as well as the increasing effort to center both physical and mental health as a core value of any flourishing society, leads to the nexus explored in this book, Missoku, a unique breathing method that has been handed down through Japanese Zen tradition. Missoku is a form of breathing in which the pelvis is tilted and the abdomen is in an expanded state. It’s proven to be effective in sports, martial arts, dance, theatre, and playing musical instruments. The benefits to overall health and stamina are bountiful. One incentive includes an increase in respiration capacity, which in turn stimulates the brain, balances autonomic nerves, and improves immune defenses.

Akikazu Nakamura is a shakuhachi performer, composer and educator. He has performed in over 40 countries across multiple genres including traditional Japanese music, jazz and classical. He lives in Tokyo, Japan.