Shoko Takashita

Shoko is a physiotherapist and Pilates teacher whose work combines clinical knowledge with a careful, attentive approach to movement. Her interest in helping people move with greater ease and awareness led her from physiotherapy into the Pilates method, where she found a practice that bridges rehabilitation, strength building, and mindful body practice. After graduating as a physiotherapist from the prestigious Kibi Kokusai University（吉備国際大学）in 2019 in Japan, Shoko worked for eight years in Okayama and Kyoto as a physiotherapist. During this time, she was part of an elite team of healthcare professionals providing rehabilitation services at the Kotokugakuen disability center, the Okayama Konan hospital, and directly at patients’ homes. Shoko worked with a wide range of patients, including children with disabilities, adults recovering from injuries, and people living with long-term neurological or physical conditions such as cancer, cerebrovascular accidents, and Parkinson’s disease. This experience shaped her ability to observe the body closely and to guide movement with precision, patience, and care. Alongside her physiotherapy practice in Kyoto, in 2021, she became certified in Child Body Therapy (International Holistic Therapy Association), deepening her understanding of developmental movement and the needs of younger bodies. In this program, she studied the structure and functions of babies’ bodies, their nervous and lymphatic systems, and the role of their skin in helping them feel safe and supported. She also learned how to massage babies without removing their clothes, as well as how touch and parent–child connection affects babies’ physical and emotional development. Shoko has been applying this knowledge to support postpartum mothers and fathers in nurturing a strong and caring bond with their babies.

In 2023, Shoko completed her PHI Pilates certification in Kyoto and Tokyo, Japan, under Koki Nishioka and Kei Okamoto, both PHI Master Pilates instructors. PHI Pilates focuses on assessing clients’ postures and improving their functional movements based on a combination of medical and rehabilitation science. The biggest advantage of PHI Pilates is that it can be tailored for each client’s individual needs, effectively assisting rehabilitation-focused patients, as well as top athletes seeking to improve their performance. Since earning her PHI Pilates certification, Shoko has continued to refine her skills through both hands-on practice and ongoing education. She has attended a range of Pilates workshops, including those focused on breathwork, pelvic floor exercises for women, and identifying and correcting poor posture. 

Shoko teaches private equipment (reformer, cadillac, chair, and barrel) and mat Pilates, and is specialized in supporting office workers who spend long hours sitting, helping them reduce back pain and stiffness efficiently, pre- and postnatal women looking to improve their core strength and relieve discomfort, and athletes seeking to move more efficiently and perform better through technique-focused Pilates.

Drawing on more than a decade of experience working with diverse bodies, Shoko tailors each session to your needs and goals. Whether you are completely new to movement practice, or looking to deepen your physical training, she will provide you with classes based on physiotherapy knowledge, classical Pilates principles, and neurophysiology, helping you move with increased confidence. Lastly, Shoko also holds a Reiki III certification, which informs her calm, positive, attentive presence as a teacher.