In Tokyo, the writer booked an hourlong appointment after a friend's recommendation to address facial bloat.
The treatment, known as kogao kyousei, involved repeated slapping, punching, deep kneading and occasional blows from a wooden mallet.
The article places the procedure within a wider beauty market focused on depuffing and facial slimming, from jade rollers and microcurrent devices to specialist storefront treatments.
Amid Japan's advanced stem cell therapies, why do risky, painful 'face-slimming' treatments like kogao kyousei remain popular?
With experts warning of premature aging, what fuels the global boom in aggressive facial treatments over proven skincare routines?
How does Japanese beauty culture reconcile the 'small face' ideal with the opposing trend of a 'cute, childish round face'?