About
What is Yoga?
Yoga originated in ancient India. The word ‘yoga’ means to join together, applying initially to the mind and the body, and ultimately to the self and the universe. Yoga’s exercises incorporate stretching, concentration and deep breathing. This approach calms the nervous system while simultaneously boosting circulation and flushing out toxins from the body.
Yoga in Tokyo
Tokyo is a dynamic city with a unique lifestyle. Many people here, both locals, visitors and foreign expatriates, turn to yoga for relaxation, fitness and finding their center.
Tokyo is home to many world-class yoga instructors; both foreign expatriates and Japanese locals – many of whom speak English. The megalopolis is also host to internationally renowned yoga masters from various countries who visit to give workshops and lead teacher training courses. Many foreign visitors to Tokyo, whether they be budget travelers or top class executives, are practitioners of yoga that hope to visit local yoga studios as part of their experience here.
There are many different types of yoga available in Tokyo. Most studios offer classes that can be done by complete beginners – even those who are very stiff and out of shape. A good number of studios offer special classes for kids, pregnant women and seniors. And, of course, there are classes tailor made to challenge even the most flexible and fit among us.
What is “Hello Yoga!”?
Most yoga instruction in Tokyo, and the information about it, is all in Japanese.
Many people are interested in learning yoga in English in Tokyo; whether they be foreigners seeking instruction that they can understand, or Japanese who want to learn English and yoga at the same time.
“Hello Yoga!” is a free information resource about yoga taught in English in Tokyo offered through 3 platforms:
- HelloYoga.com (you’re looking at it)
- The Hello Yoga! Mixi Community (Mixi is Japan’s most popular social networking website)
- The Hello Yoga! FaceBook Group
About HelloYoga.com
You are looking at HelloYoga.com, a blog with the following sections (listed along the top horizontal menu bar):
- Schedule: details of classes, workshops, events, retreats, and teacher training courses
- Directions: directions to all of the venues mentioned in our schedule listings
- Teachers: a directory of qualified yoga teachers, both foreign and Japanese
- FAQ: a database of frequently asked questions
- Karma: a directory of organizations and services which need our support
We also regularly post notices in the following categories (listed along the right-hand column):
- Articles: each month, we publish an article in one or more of the following categories:
- Life in Tokyo: giving lifestyle tips for yoga lovers new to Tokyo
- People: interviews with English-speaking yoga teachers about their experiences in Tokyo
- Teacher Tips: giving tips for yoga teachers new to Tokyo
- Announcements: news, updates, acknowledgments and milestones from the Hello Yoga! community
- Take Action: news on events you can get active in to help the environment or people in need
Who Runs “Hello Yoga!”?
My name is Dylan Robertson, and I am the administrator of Hello Yoga! You are welcome to read my full profile, but here’s the short version:
I have been living in Tokyo since 1997, am fluent in Japanese and have taught yoga here since July 2008. I teach two complementary styles of yoga – Slow Power Yoga and Yin Yoga – a perfect combination for finding balance within.
I originally started this blog in July 2008 to publicize my classes. Over time, my yoga instructor friends asked me to feature information about them and their classes. I noticed there was no central resource on yoga taught in English in Tokyo and sought to serve the Tokyo yoga community by expanding this free resource. I hope you find it useful and will contribute to its growth.
Hello Yoga! is very much a team effort, and I have numerous people who help me with this project. You can see them mentioned in our announcements.
For Yoga Instructors and Yoga Studios
Do you offer yoga in English in Tokyo? Would you like some free PR? Then, try us – it’s 100% free!
- HelloYoga.com (you’re looking at it!) is a great way to reach more people interested in your niche. Please contact us with any information you would like to be featured.
- The Hello Yoga! Mixi Community is another great way to reach Japanese people interested in learning yoga in English. Go ahead and post notices directly – it’s 100% free!
- With the Hello Yoga! FaceBook Group, you can get your message across to the English-speaking yoga community in Tokyo. Here, too, you can post notices directly. It’s 100% free!
Contact
We are grateful for any feedback, so please feel free to contact us.
