Divisions · Facial
Facial
Face, neck and décolleté — the division where fine pressure and hygiene decide the result. Lymphatic drainage, gua sha, pressure-point work and oil treatments all belong here.
- Dates
- 2027-05-26 – 2027-05-27
- Venue
- Yoyogi National Gymnasium, Second Gymnasium
What judges look for
The face is the thinnest tissue on the body. Precision is judged, not strength.
- Fineness of pressure — reaching the layer below without dragging the skin
- Symmetry — the same count, the same pressure, the same speed on both sides
- Hygiene — hands, linen, tools. What you do before you touch is being watched
- Work around the eyes — following the bone, never pressing on the globe
- The result — colour, puffiness and left-right balance after the session
How judging works, at a glance
Entry
Each person may enter up to two categories
Competition
Consultation, then a 30-minute treatment. Up to 15 at a time; fellow competitors take turns as recipients
Scoring
Judges score the 8 criteria, each out of 10
Totalling
The scores of the judges who gave the highest and the lowest are excluded; the rest are totalled and averaged
Placings
Placings are decided per category. Ties are broken in a set order
Who this division is for
Estheticians and spa therapists who work on faces. The competition is hands only — no devices. If you normally combine machines with manual work, you compete with the manual part.
Techniques competed in this division
From our world massage encyclopedia — the techniques that belong to this division. No school or lineage is prescribed; enter with the work you already do.
Japan
Facial Massage and Kobido
フェイシャルマッサージと古美道古美道（こびどう）
Kobido is a name and system associated with Japanese facial manual work, including descriptions of quick finger movements and kneading. It is not a synonym for all facial massage; lineage accounts and use of the name require individual verification.
Face · Head · Lymph
Traditional massageBeauty massageView →India
Indian Head Massage
インディアンヘッドマッサージचंपी (Champi)
A name connected with head care in India and seated practices developed in Britain and elsewhere. Work may include the scalp, neck and shoulders. Household champi and taught systems such as Champissage should be explored without assuming they are identical.
Head · Pressure · Face
Traditional massageModern bodyworkView →Denmark
Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD)
リンパドレナージュ（マニュアル・リンパ・ドレナージュ）Manuelle Lymphdrainage
Manual lymphatic drainage uses light movements of the skin and is taught in systems including the Vodder method. Clinical decisions should be distinguished from use of similar names on beauty menus. Suitability for a medical condition requires assessment by a qualified clinician.
Lymph
Clinical massageView →France
Aromatherapy Massage
アロマテラピーマッサージMassage aromathérapique
Massage combining manual techniques with preparations such as appropriately diluted essential oils. Training includes effleurage (gliding) and petrissage (kneading). Techniques and scent choices vary, with the recipient’s preferences respected.
Oil · Herbal · Lymph
Spa treatmentModern bodyworkView →
Past winners
Therapists who placed in this division at previous championships.
Asia Massage Championship 2024
Face Massage Division
- 1太田 良江Anrire
- 2萱場 久美子オリエンタルボーテHIROO
- 3真下 恵mind and
Frequently asked questions
- Can I bring my own products or devices?
- Products — cleanser, oil, cream — yes. Devices, no. This division is judged on hands alone.
- Will I know the model's skin type in advance?
- There is a short consultation on the day. Reading the skin in limited time and deciding what to do is part of the event.
Enter this division
33,000 yen (tax included) per entry. You can enter up to two divisions; each entry is charged separately.
Entries open at 19:00 JST (10:00 UTC) on Tuesday 27 October 2026 and close at 23:59 JST (14:59 UTC) on Monday 15 March 2027.
Enter the championship