What is the sound bath that saved Hiko from the depths of despair after he was seriously injured in a traffic accident?

This is the first part of the story of how Hiko recovered from a shocking accident, the physical and emotional pain it caused, and how she used "sound bath," a method of stress management gaining popularity in the West in our rapidly changing society, to bounce back.

After a traffic accident left her unable to walk or speak, she fell into severe depression. Sound bath saved her.

Since childhood, Hiko had been close to music, learning piano and even joining bands. However, she says she was more interested in the impact music has on the heart than in performing on stage. In 2005, she moved to New York after getting married. At the NYU music therapy clinic, she shed tears of感動 as she witnessed moments where people's brains, bodies, and hearts reacted to music. Then, tragedy suddenly struck Hiko.

One day in November 2012, "I was cycling down a steep hill at considerable speed when I crashed head-on into a car door that suddenly opened." It was a major accident that left her flying through the air and hitting the ground face-first, hovering between life and death. Her mouth was severely injured, with broken teeth tearing her mouth, and she was unable to walk or speak, plunging into a severe state of depression.

"Initially, I tried various healing therapies just to save myself, but the sound bath I encountered eventually led me to perform it myself, and I even became active as a sound therapist. I believe I am living each day utilizing my musical talents, experiences, and knowledge."

From almost giving up on the idea of making a living from yoga or music, she became a sound therapist.

Wanting to learn more about the healing effects of music, Hiko enrolled in the Sound and Music Institute at the New York Open Center, where she systematically studied sound healing from various perspectives. Although she was already working as a yoga instructor in Manhattan and Brooklyn yoga studios, Hiko began incorporating elements of sound bath into her classes. Her unique classes quickly became very popular, and her classes were booked solid.

Fifteen years ago in Japan, she never thought she could make a living from yoga or music, and the option of making a career out of yoga simply didn't exist. However, after moving to New York, her perspective changed. "The positive individualism and respect for individuals in New York made me feel like I could choose anything! I could live authentically, rather than being told it was impossible."

Hiko, who began her independent activities, offers popular sessions primarily through private lessons to world-renowned artists, musicians, actors, and many New Yorkers. In addition to hosting sound bath events at popular yoga studios in Manhattan and Brooklyn, she has expanded her activities to include appearances at meditation events attended by thousands, morning meditation events at NY MoMA, rock festivals, and art events.

"In New York, yoga, meditation, and healing are very accessible, and the way money and time are spent on them feels a little different from Japan. That's why private lessons are very popular.
I believe that getting requests from incredibly famous people and having the experience of going to their amazing homes for sessions is something that could only happen in New York."

Returning to Japan from New York, believing that Japan lags behind in the concept of mental care and relaxation, which is highly valued in New York.

After living in NY for 14 years, she returned to Japan in February 2019. "I went to the US because I disliked Japan, but because I lived overseas, I was able to have various experiences and learned different values, which was lucky. As I got older, I felt a stronger desire to give back to the society that raised me, to do something."
Just as many people train at gyms, they attend meditation studios in N.Y., and naturally use healing apps. As the symbol of wealth shifts from consumption to experience, maintaining a healthy mind and body has become essential.
"For a year before returning, I coordinated with Japanese companies for mindfulness and fitness research. I finally decided to return, thinking there might be a place for me in Japan."

What impact will Hiko's sound baths and meditation have on the mind and life after her return to Japan? We'll tell you in the next installment, the second part.

HIKO KONAMI

Hiko Konami began playing the piano at age 4, and since then, meditation and music have always been central to her life. She moved to the US in 2005, studied music at the Lucy Moses School of Music in NY, and incorporated the Dalcroze Eurhythmics method. After that, she completed 200 hours of RYT teacher training at Jai YOGA Arts and 100 hours of yoga functional anatomy at YOGA216, then began teaching independently at studios in Brooklyn and Manhattan, primarily focusing on private instruction. She completed the "Sound and Music Institute" at the New York Open Center, where she studied sound therapy from various perspectives, including music theory, music therapy, ethnomusicology, shamanism, and scientific approaches to the effects of sound vibrations on the body. After more than 10 years of working as a sound therapist and yoga instructor in NY, she moved her base of operations to Japan in February 2019.