Gunners Sign
Gunners Sign

CONTRIBUTED BY SUZIE SMITH

I’ll admit it, I’m a bit of a massage junkie; but after arriving on island I was a bit disappointed with the local shops. Now don’t get me wrong, all the places I’ve been to are fantastic if you were fortunate enough to have inherited the family wealth from your Great Aunt Mildred. All I wanted was a straightforward deep muscle massage with no bells and whistles and I found it in the strangest of places…

My husband booked a massage for me at Gunner’s Gym for my birthday. He’d already heard my grievances about how costly some of the other spas had been and knew how much I wanted to find a good place to get a regular massage. I was bit reluctant at first, I mean how ambient can a gym be?

Gunners Front
Gunners Front

Surprisingly, I was very impressed. We checked in at the front desk and the lady had us pay before I went in the massage room. The room, though small, was very relaxing. Tranquil music played in the softly lit space with the smells you would expect from a high-end spa. My massage therapist, Shoku, had me sign in then asked about where I would like her to focus on during the massage and how much pressure I would like. I let her know my preferences and then she left to allow me to prepare myself.

The massage that ensued was brilliant! Not only did Shoko massage out all those troublesome knots in my mid-back, she also used hot towels to relax my muscles and really enhance the experience. She even hit my favorite spots (hands, gluts, and scalp) that most massage therapists seem to leave out. When it was over I was in a state of bliss, I didn’t even want to get off of the table. Too bad they don’t have an option to nap afterwards.

Shoko was amazing and I highly recommend her, but I also cannot get over that I got an entire hour massage for $30! By far the cheapest I’ve seen on island. Massages are offered at most all MCCS gym for the same price. They range from Deep Tissue and Swedish to Pre/Postnatal. In my opinion, skip the 8000 yen boutique parlor and head on over to your closest Marine base for the best massage on island!

Payment:  Massages can be paid for by cash or credit card. They are available on camps Foster, Courtney, Futenma, and Kinser most days of the week with an appointment.

Website:  MCCS

To make an appointment with Shoko please call 645-3141.

9 COMMENTS

  1. The massage therapist, Yukari Keye, at Futenma is also AMAZING. Yukari is an experienced therapist who offers aroma massage, deep tissue/sports massage, and prenatal massage. She is extremely personable and makes you feel right at ease. I took my mother in law to her for her first massage ever and Yukari attended her wonderfully. She is available everyday except Sunday so if you are looking to treat yourself or a loved don’t hesitate to book with Yukari!

  2. So, for those of us who have never had a massage before and whose body is taking a horrendous beating with a return to running after having a baby, what does everyone recommend? I have absolutely no idea what I should even consider getting done and quite frankly a bit terrified since I’ve been told the massages can really hurt.

  3. I highly recommend the massages at Courtney. I feel very bad that I don’t recall the massage therapist name at this moment.
    I have been there twice in the last month, my husband, and my high school daughter have all gotten a deep tissue massage to relive our over active bodies and we all leave there feeling rejuvenated. $30 bucks and hour $60 for two!!! What!!! Its unheard of!!!

  4. I’ve heard good things about the massages at the gyms too, but had no idea the price is so low! And had to laugh at your comment about the nap; I say the same thing after every massage! It’d be great if they let you pay a little extra to just chill for a bit afterwards:)

  5. I have recommended Shoko to everyone. Probably to my own detriment…grr! She’s awesome, and when my hamstrings/glutes were wrecked from soccer (I’m just too old, I suppose) she actually climbed up and used her feet/body weight — I was a bit skeptical until I felt the muscles giving in and letting go — AWESOME. Risener has some great therapists too, don’t forget them — but it’s $15 more/hr. Not sure why the discrepancy; I suppose it’s just easier than driving to foster if you live on kadena. I like that Foster doesn’t make you pay on booking. It’s not such a big deal now that Risener will take your credit card info on the phone, but before when you had to go in and pay at the desk when you booked, it was a PITA.