Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is basically a new kind of therapy where the body is treated to 100 percent oxygen at higher than normal air pressure. There are a lot of benefits like anti-aging, relaxation, healing etc. David Beckham brought this new kind of therapy to Japan with him during the world cup a few years ago and since then a bunch of salons have opened up. I wrote about the box that they have at my Golds Gym but I’m too embarrassed to try that one. Instead went to Yokohama this afternoon and visited the Air Press Salon. Basically, it costs about 6,000yen for 1 hour in the O2 capsules, after that 10 minutes in a high tech massage chair. Since it was my first time it only cost 3,000yen. The place was tackier than I expected. Black lights with Christian Lassen dolphins on the wall and Enya playing in the background (Barf) Seemed like some cheap Love Hotel in Gotanda I’ve been to.

The guy gave a ten minute explanation of the therapy and then we got into the capsules. It’s more spacious than it looks from the outside as you can see from the picture below. The air pressure slowly increases and your ears are constantly popping. This may seem ironic but at first I found it a bit difficult to breathe, the air seemed damp and heavy but you get used to it. After a while it gets a bit boring, I should have brought a book or my iPOD. Before I knew it I had fallen asleep and was awakened many minutes later by the sound of the air being released from the capsule. For a brief moment, while I awoke from a dreamlike state and was unzipped from the capsule it felt like I was being reborn and exiting a womb. A freaky and euphoric feeling that quickly disappeared as I looked up at those glow-in-the-dark dolphins. Afterwards, I felt very alert and refreshed. I would recommend this kind of therapy if you are feeling run down and stressed out but if you are in tip-top condition I doubt if you would feel any different.