- CEO at Okinawa Watsu Center.
- WABA certified Watsu Senior Instructor (2008~)
- WABA certified Watsu Practitioner (2006~)
- WABA certified Waterdance Practitioner (2016~)
- WABA ESAC（Education Standards Advisory Committee) member
- WABA training hours (as of February 2020), 4701 hours.
- Taiwan Watsu Center (Taiwan) Executive Instructor
- Wellbridge Spa Academy (China) Executive Instructor
- Sukkasart Institute (Thailand) Specialty Instructor
- One & Only Resorts (Maldives) Master & Trainer
- Research Agent, Aquatic Therapy in Wellness Tourism at University of the Ryukyus
- Managing Director, Okinawa Retreat Center for Fukushima Kids “Kumi-no-Sato”
- Welljourn Japan Tourism Director
1992 – 1997 Hospitality
Human resources for ANA Hotel Enterprises at the hotel chain headquarter in Tokyo. Have handled recruiting, payroll and welfare, training, evaluation, and union negotiations.
1997 – 2015 Education
Satellite school manager (1997 – 2004) and education program director (2004 – 2008) at Seisa Highschool, which is for the students with learning difficulties, mental disorders, and other social problems. 3000 students nation wide. Was a school manager of one of the satellite schools with 260 students and 12 teaching staffs. Became education program director in the principal’s office, designing educational programs for students and communication training for teaching staffs.
From 2008 to 2015, was managing director of Okinawa Support Station for Youth, a government funded project to help NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) youth with counseling and social work services.
1997 – 2002 Therapy
Program director for Water Planet USA (Florida, USA). Operating wild dolphin encounter programs during 6 months in the summer. Collaborating with counselors, PTs, MTs, and other healthcare providers and daycare centers, have produced the program for educational and therapeutic purposes for mentally, physically and socially challenged children.
2000 – Present Watsu
Came across with this aquatic bodywork through the dolphin encounter program. Decided to study it from Minakshi, one of the founder’s first disciples. Became Watsu Practitioner in 2006, continued studying with the founder Harold Dull, and world-renowned instructors like Mary Theri Thomas and Peggy Schoedinger, was certified as Watsu Instructor in 2008. Also studied with Arjana, co-founder of Water Dance, and became Water Dance Practitioner in 2016.
Founded in 2009 Okinawa Watsu Center as Japan’s only WABA training institute.
Visiting practitioner for Hoshinoya Taketomi Island (since 2015), Thalassa Shima (since 2015), and Amanemu (since 2016)
Publication on AsiaSpa
AsiaSpa magazine featured Toru Ogasawara in its May edition 2013. The thorough interviewed article describes his career very well.
See AsiaSpa magazine’s Spa Healer featuring Toru Ogasawara in May-June edition 2013. →
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