Otona Maki, or “adult wrapping,” is a Japanese therapeutic method of correcting posture and alleviating body stiffness by wrapping the human body in a large piece of cloth that emulates the comfortable feel of a mother’s womb.

Known for their long work hours, many Japanese people develop posture problems and body stiffness. For a long time, getting massages and stretching have been the most popular ways of dealing with these issues, but now someone claims to have come up with a better solution.

Otona Maki is not a mainstream practice in Japan, but after recently being featured on a popular TV program, more and more people are talking about it and giving it a try.

The idea behind this bizarre-looking therapy is to tightly wrap the human body (in various poses) in a large piece of breathable cloth for about 15 - 20 minutes per session. Babies are often wrapped the same way to correct minor physical defects and give them a feeling of security. Otona maki aims to do the same for adults.

According to Yayoi Katayama of Japanese blog Vienna-Juku, there are real benefits to practicing adult wrapping. Babies and young children have very flexible spines, but as we grow up, most of us lose that flexibility. After going through several sessions with your body fixed in a certain position for a short period of time, you can regain that natural flexibility and improve posture.

Yayoi calls the practice a way to reset your body, and claims that after taking a session she also felt relaxed and rejuvenated.

But despite Japan’s appetite for the bizarre, otona maki seems a bit too weird even for them. According to Kotaku, there is a lot of skepticism regarding the practice, at least on Japanese social media, with people comparing it to a mummification technique, or making references to Japanese horror films.

Otona Maki was developed by Professor Nobuko Watanabe, known for creating the Toco Chan maternity belt, a very popular product in Japan. A 30-minute adult wrapping session costs 3240 yen (US$28), while 50 minutes inside the cloth womb costs 6480 yen.

日本人是出了名的工作狂，长时间工作导致许多民众姿势不良以及身体僵硬。长期以来，按摩和拉伸都是缓解病症的不二之选，不过现在有人称找到了更好的解决办法。

成人裹布法在日本并非主流，但日前经某热门电视节目报道后，引来了民众的热议和尝试。

这一看似奇葩的理疗方法是用一块巨大的透气布（以各种姿势）将人体紧紧包裹，每次15-20分钟。人们用同样的方法包裹婴儿以矫正轻微身体缺陷并营造安全感。裹布法如法炮制，以期给成年人带来同样效果。

日本博客网站Vienna-Juku上的一名博主Yayoi Katayama说，这个疗法确实有效果。婴幼儿的脊椎十分柔韧，但随着我们慢慢长大，大部分人都丧失了这种灵活性。当有过几次短时间内以固定姿势被包裹起来的体验后，你就能找回那种天生的柔韧性，形体也得到矫正。Yayoi将这种疗法称作“重启身体”的一种方式，声称在体验了一次治疗之后，自己感到全身放松，恢复了活力。

即便日本是个品味奇特的国家，成人裹布法在很多人眼里也稍显奇葩。

日本知名游戏网站Kotaku称，对于这种疗法有不少质疑，至少在社交媒体上人们将其比作制作木乃伊或是日本恐怖片。

成人裹布法由Nobuko Watanabe教授开创，在日本非常流行的Toco Chan孕妇骨盆矫正带正是出自他手。30分钟一次的成人裹布疗程售价为3240日元（28美元），50分钟一次的布子宫体验疗程收费6380日元。

(Chinadaily.com.cn)

    Words to Learn 相关词汇

    【缓解】huǎnjiě alleviate to make easier to endure, lessen, mitigate

    【怀疑态度】huáiyí tàidù skepticism skeptical attitude or temper, doubt