Sitting on the floor: seiza, zabuton and a happier lower back
Seiza, cross-legged, legs to one side: how to sit on the floor in Japan without wrecking your back, knees or dignity when you stand up.
Writer
Tom Ashworth
Tom worked as a sports-massage therapist in Yorkshire before moving to Kitakyushu. He writes about stiff shoulders, backs, desks and floor sitting, in plain words and without selling you a gadget.
Articles by Tom
Desk posture without the gadgets
You do not need an expensive chair to work from home in comfort. A stack of books, a cushion and a timer will get you most of the way.
Katakori: why stiff shoulders are Japan's signature complaint
Stiff shoulders are one of the most common complaints in Japan. What katakori is, why it builds up, what helps, and when it needs a doctor.