And this isn’t just for your everyday folks looking for relief after a long day of work. Shirakawa’s clientele reads like a who’s who of Japanese celebrities and athletes. You might’ve seen this unconventional practice popping up on your Instagram feed lately, thanks to big names like actor Masataka Kubota, who recently went viral for sharing photos of himself covered head to toe in needles during one of his sessions. His post was flagged as “sensitive content” on Instagram (can you blame them?), but Kubota described the experience as nothing short of life-changing, claiming it pushed him to his limits—physically, spiritually, and emotionally. His photos weren’t for the faint-hearted, but hey, anything for a bit of soul-cleansing, right?
Kubota isn’t the only famous face to swear by Shirakawa’s needle-packed technique. A month before Kubota’s post, world-renowned table tennis player Ai Fukuhara also took to social media to share her experience, though she jokingly refrained from posting pictures of her face, afraid of giving her followers a scare. Other high-profile patients include actress Mami Kumagai, singer Hiromi Go, and gymnast Ryusei Nishioka, all of whom have experienced Shirakawa’s blend of physical relief and spiritual rejuvenation.
Now, if you’re thinking this might just be another celebrity wellness fad, think again. Yusaku Shirakawa’s sessions come with a hefty price tag—about 200,000 yen per session, which equates to roughly $1,400. That’s quite a bit of cash to shell out to become a human pincushion, but it seems there’s no shortage of willing participants. The results, according to Shirakawa and his patients, speak for themselves. While some leave with physical relief, others claim their spirits feel lighter, their luck seems better, and they shed tears of pure emotional detox. Shirakawa himself even remarks, “Most people who receive my treatment cannot help but cry. These are detoxifying tears.” Not exactly your typical acupuncture side effects.
