Shiatsu and acupressure: the distinction
Shiatsu is a Japanese bodywork tradition with its own training lineages and whole-session approaches. Acupressure is a broader description of applying pressure to selected points and appears in several traditions. Ask for the actual session sequence rather than equating shared point terminology.
Choosing between Shiatsu and acupressure
These terms overlap without being interchangeable. A practitioner describing shiatsu should be able to explain their training and the structure of their practice; someone offering acupressure should identify where it fits within the appointment. Neither name tells you whether work is clothed, table-based, gentle or sustained. If you mainly want brief pressure around the hands, say so rather than booking a whole-session tradition on that assumption. Ask: “What makes your shiatsu appointment different from your point-pressure add-on?”
What this changes for your booking
A point-based description can obscure the rest of the appointment. Ask whether pressure is the central activity or a short element within a broader session. That determines whether the service matches someone seeking a sustained whole-session experience or only a small addition.
Sources & further reading
Sources support the factual background. Practical planning examples are editorial guidance; they do not establish a provider’s availability.