Focus>>Bodyworker Junko Sone
Make every day fun with "a moment of courage"! Living authentically with curiosity and a mind that doesn't fear change

Just when she thought she had overcome divorce, bankruptcy, and poverty, she received a sudden cancer diagnosis at 61.

Junko Sone, now 72, gives no hint of such difficult experiences. She enjoys her single life to the fullest as a bodyworker, running her own studio.
Her essay, "71 Years Old, Living in a Housing Complex: Every Morning I Wake Up Happy in My 'Single Life'" (Diamond Inc.), which compiles her active, age-defying lifestyle, has resonated with many women.
Following Part 1, in this second part, we will introduce Ms. Sone's secrets to beauty and health, which she discovered after her battle with cancer.

Building self-confidence through self-care

—From pre-menopause to menopause, as women's bodies change between the ages of 40 and 60, you've experienced difficult events like divorce, bankruptcy, and a battle with cancer. How did you confront the changes in your mind and body?

In my case, I didn't particularly feel any of the typical pre-menopausal symptoms. I was so busy with life that I probably didn't have the luxury of feeling them (laughs). Also, the various ailments that occur during perimenopause and menopause are caused by a sharp decline in female hormones, aren't they? I sometimes wonder if my consistent strength training as a bodyworker might have had an impact.
When people hear "strength training," they often imagine intense, breathless workouts. But what I've done is training that focuses on the unique softness of a woman's body. Just as muscle mass decreases when female hormones decline, the two are related. It's also said that gentle strength training improves circulation and promotes the secretion of female hormones.
Since I incorporated this strength training into my routine from my mid-40s, I haven't lost muscle mass and have avoided menopausal discomfort. And from a psychological perspective, maintaining your physique, no matter your age, builds confidence.

—That's a wonderful way of thinking. At "KNOW YOUR ORIGIN", exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles have been very popular during Instagram Live sessions.

Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles makes it easier to maintain posture and helps prevent urinary incontinence and uterine prolapse. I teach pelvic floor training methods in my urinary incontinence prevention seminars, which, simply put, is about "being able to use a squat toilet without anxiety."
While there are many excellent sanitary products today, in my mother's time, people used cotton wool, and even further back, the only way to stop menstrual flow was with one's own muscle strength. On top of that, toilets were squat-style, so you had to squat. That's why the necessary muscles were trained. There's no need to go that far, but I believe that if you can comfortably perform deep squats, like sitting on a squat toilet, you can train the necessary muscles to a certain extent. 

—That's interesting! What kind of training is it?

Surprisingly, many people can't do it right away. I teach a three-stage approach to get your body in shape and perform deep squats.
The first stage involves interlocking your fingers with your toes, as if shaking hands with your feet. This softens your ankles and prepares the groundwork for a mobile body. The second stage is practicing sitting cross-legged with an upright pelvis to soften the hip joint and ischial muscles. Finally, we do deep squats to strengthen the thigh and leg muscles.
When you overcome physical anxieties, you stop hesitating to do things you want to do due to physical reasons, such as "What if my knees hurt when I'm out?" You gain confidence in yourself.

Eliminate what you dislike for a happy future!

—Ms. Sone, you are also enthusiastic about building your body through diet.

I’ve always been quite interested in food. However, through my experience with illness, I realized I was overthinking and putting in unnecessary effort. So, basically, I just try to cook as much as possible myself and focus on maintaining a healthy gut microbiome. I also recommend finding the best number of meals for yourself. When eating out, I enjoy it fully and then adjust later, which helps prevent stress from accumulating.
From a gut microbiome perspective, I eat brown rice instead of bread. For those who find brown rice hard on their stomach, mixing in grains or glutinous barley can provide dietary fiber. If you cook a batch and freeze it as small rice balls, it's convenient for busy times.
Soy sauce koji is also easy to use. It’s simple to make, and just drizzling it over boiled or grilled ingredients makes for a delicious dish.

—"KNOW YOUR ORIGIN" aims to support women in building their minds and bodies to live authentically. Please share a message for all the hard-working women out there.

For example, even if you feel miserable or embarrassed, don't just hang your head. Instead, look for what you "can do" or where you "can succeed." The important thing is "what you do from there." By marketing yourself and striving to improve towards your goals, a more enjoyable future awaits than if you simply remain dejected.
Ideally, I plan to stay active for another ten years, but I want my children to say, "Mom always seemed so happy" after I'm gone. My mother was wealthy, but she never seemed happy. That's why I want to leave behind an image of joy.
To do that, I have to genuinely enjoy myself. So, I’ve eliminated things I dislike. I cut ties with relationships I don't need and stopped going to places I didn't feel like going to. I believe if something doesn't excite me, I shouldn't do it; it's a waste of time.
However, it's difficult to actually take action. But there's no need to continue enduring unnecessary hardships. You just need a "moment of courage" to overcome your anxieties. If it means being freed from suffering that might otherwise continue indefinitely, wouldn't you take that step? Joy awaits you on the other side.

(Photos by Noriko Kawase)

Profile

Junko Sone

Born in Osaka Prefecture in 1952. Body Meister. She has overcome a tumultuous life including divorce, zero savings, and a battle with cancer. She enjoys her daily life now without worrying about small things, engaging in cooking, handicrafts, sewing, DIY, and computers, all without spending much money.

Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studio.sone/

Studio Official Website: https://www.studio-sone.com

By Junko Sone
"71 Years Old, Living in a Housing Complex: Every Morning I Wake Up Happy in My 'Single Life'"
Published by Diamond Inc.