Chulen & Rejuvenation
Sowa Rigpa Forum 2025
1-3 November 2025
Kyoto, Japan
Kyoto 2025: forum, teachings and travel
In November 2025, the Sowa Rigpa Forum gathered in Kyoto for three days exploring Chulen and Tibetan approaches to rejuvenation, vitality and longevity. More than 30 doctors and practitioners from Japan and around the world shared teachings, research and practice. The forum was followed by a Dream Yoga programme with Dr. Nida Chenagtsang and a two-week journey through Japan.
Sowa Rigpa Forum
1–3 November · Kyoto
More than 30 doctors and practitioners from Japan and around the world explored Chulen and Tibetan approaches to rejuvenation, vitality and longevity.
Dream Yoga & Analysis
5–7 November · Kyoto
Dr. Nida Chenagtsang guided three days of Dream Yoga and Dream Analysis from the perspective of Tibetan medicine and the Yuthok Nyingthig, in person and online.
The Two-Week Journey
30 October – 11 November
Participants travelled with Dr Nida and the Sorig Khang Japan team through Kyoto, Nara, Koyasan, Gifu and Ise, joining the forum, Dream Yoga and Dr Nida’s lectures along the way.
Dr. Nida’s lecture at the Japanese Preemptive & Clinical Medicine Conference
Nagoya
Dr. Nida’s lecture at the Funato Clinic
Gifu
Explored sacred sites & Japanese culture
Participants visited some of Japan’s most revered places, from the forest cemetery of Koyasan Okunoin and Kyoto’s Kinkaku-ji and Sanjusangendo to Todai-ji in Nara and the Ise Grand Shrine. The journey also included a traditional tea ceremony and time to rest in the hot springs of Gifu.
30+ doctors and practitioners from Japan and around the world
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![Smiling man with a braided ponytail wearing a red and white garment beside a lily-pad-covered lake at sunset]()
Dr Nida Chenagtsang སྨན་པ་ཉི་ཟླ།
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![Toyomi Morita]()
Toyomi Morita
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![Mazumi Morita]()
Mazumi Morita
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![Chaik Onoi]()
Chaik Onoi
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![Masumi Nakano]()
Masumi Nakano
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![Marian Majchrzycki]()
Marian Majchrzycki
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![Drukmo Gyal]()
Drukmo Gyal
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![Jacqueline Yu]()
Jacqueline Yu
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![Lizel Cabucana Cameron]()
Lizel Cabucana Cameron
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![Olev Poolamets]()
Olev Poolamets
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![Eric Rosenbush]()
Eric Rosenbush
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![Liz Sung]()
Liz Sung
Saturday, 01 November
Sutra Chanting with Keigo Yoneda
Participants joined a unique cultural experience led by Keigo Yoneda, Head Priest of Shingyo-ji Temple in the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji tradition and a Dzogchen practitioner of more than 35 years. The evening featured a live performance of traditional sutra chanting: the rhythmic recitation of sacred Buddhist texts as a form of meditation and spiritual expression.
Noh with Shiori Shinoda
Following the sutra chanting, guests experienced the elegance of Noh, a classical Japanese performing art dating back to the 14th century. Combining dance, music and theatre, Noh is known for its slow, deliberate movements and poetic storytelling. The masked performance was presented by Shiori Shinoda, an artist dedicated to preserving this timeless tradition.
Shakuhachi & Japanese Dance by Matsumoto Family
The Matsumoto family, renowned for their mastery of traditional Japanese arts, performed a fusion of shakuhachi music and Japanese dance rooted in deep spiritual and cultural traditions. The shakuhachi, a bamboo flute with strong ties to Zen Buddhism, is played as a meditative tool as much as an instrument, its breathy, resonant tones evoking mindful breathing and inner stillness. Paired with the family’s graceful, deliberate movements, the performance became a conversation between sound, body and spirit.
Kampo & medicinal cuisine supervised by Dr. Hiroko Funato
Participants enjoyed a beautifully balanced medicinal lunch, designed by Dr. Hiroko Funato, a specialist in Kampo (traditional Japanese medicine) and culinary medicine.
Dr. Funato’s meals reflect the Kampo principle that food is medicine: what we eat forms the foundation of our health. Her signature style features fresh herbs and vegetables harvested from the herbal garden and fields behind the Funato Clinic, where she regularly prepares meals for patients under the theme “Harmony between Heaven, Earth and Medicine.”
Her cuisine emphasises simplicity, allowing the natural energy and flavour of each ingredient to shine. The lunch offered participants an aromatic, nourishing taste of this approach, prepared with care for digestion and balance.
Holistic Wellness: Preventing Cancer by Dr. Takashi Funato
Dr. Takashi Funato, a Japanese physician, cancer survivor and pioneer in holistic medicine, shared insights from decades of experience as a gastrointestinal surgeon, hospice advocate and founder of Reborn Horado, a retreat centre in rural Japan focused on cancer prevention.
After years at the bedsides of terminally ill patients, and after surviving cancer himself, Dr. Funato came to see illness differently: in his words, cancer isn’t telling us to die, it’s telling us to change. His work combines conventional medicine with complementary approaches, emphasising the emotional, spiritual and lifestyle dimensions of healing.
In a moving conversation, he spoke about preventing illness, reconnecting with life’s deeper meaning and cultivating wellness from the inside out.
Holistic Wellness: TCM, food, & wellbeing by Dr. Hiroko Funato
Dr. Hiroko Funato, Kampo medicine specialist and Vice Director of the Funato Clinic, gave an inspiring talk on the role of food in healing, balance and transformation. Drawing on the principles of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) and Kampo (Japanese herbal medicine), she presented a personalised, integrative approach to health rooted in both tradition and modern science.
Her method combines Kampo-based constitution assessment, modern blood test analysis and in-depth dietary interviews to create a full-course therapeutic dining experience called “Okusuri na Gohan – Tenchi Kōyaku” (Healing Meals: Nature’s Fragrant Medicine).
As the founder of VillaCAMPO, a wellness retreat in rural Japan, Dr. Funato helps people reconnect with their natural rhythms through food, lifestyle medicine and seasonal care. Her lecture offered practical insights into using food as a daily support for preventive health and inner balance.
Holistic Strategies for a Healthy Menopause Transition with Dr. Anastazie Holecko
Dr. Anastazie Holecko, a medical doctor, certified functional medicine practitioner and Sowa Rigpa practitioner, shared an integrative approach to navigating menopause with balance, vitality and resilience. Drawing on both Western science and traditional Tibetan medicine, she offered practical strategies to support body, mind and spirit through this natural life transition.
Sunday, 02 November
Male fertility in the perspective of Tibetan art of aging with Dr. Emilio Gallotta
Dr Emilio Gallotta gave a compelling lecture exploring male fertility through the lens of the Tibetan art of ageing. A devoted student of Dr Nida Chenagtsang since 2000, Dr Gallotta is a Sowa Rigpa doctor and Yuthok Nyingthig practitioner. With formal training in economics, physiotherapy, medicine and surgery, he brings a rare integration of Eastern and Western medical knowledge. His talk offered a holistic perspective on male vitality and ageing, rooted in traditional Tibetan medicine and informed by modern science.
The Flower Essence (མེ་ཏོག་བཅུད་ལེན) with Dr. Siddhi Dolma
Dr Siddhi Dolma gave a special lecture on the tradition of Chulen (བཅུད་ལེན), literally “essence extraction”. Rooted in Tibetan medicine, Chulen is a rejuvenation practice traditionally used to support vitality, clarity and longevity. Dr Dolma introduced the foundational philosophy behind Chulen, highlighted its ten principal medicinal ingredients, and explored the traditional uses of its formulations, particularly the flower-based preparations. Participants gained insight into how Chulen can be brought into daily life as a support for physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.
Ayurveda & Tibetan Medicine with Dr. Kazuo Uebaba
Dr Kazuo Uebaba, President of the NPO Japan Ayurveda Association, gave a lecture on holistic health drawing on decades of experience in integrating Eastern and Western medicine. His career has included clinical work as an internal medicine specialist and Director of Roppongi Clinic, as well as research on pulse diagnosis and the development of a healing robot. He has conducted field research on traditional medicine in India, China, Peru and the Islamic world, and his expertise spans Ayurveda, Tibetan medicine and integrative healthcare.
In his lecture, Dr Uebaba explored how Ayurveda and Tibetan medicine can complement modern healthcare, and shared practical insights on how these traditions may support long-term wellbeing.
Energy Medicine & Tibetan Medicine with Dr. Eisei Furuya
Dr. Eisei Furuya, Director of Akasaka Tameike Clinic and a specialist in holistic medicine, gave an in-depth talk on energy medicine and Tibetan healing practices. A board-certified psychosomatic medicine specialist and certified holistic physician, Dr. Furuya integrates mind, body and spirit in his approach to care. Drawing on years of experience in psychosomatic care, forest therapy and phototherapy, he offered insight into how traditional practices and modern medicine can work together to support wellbeing.
The role of traditional therapies in palliative and end-of-Life care: insights from Hilot and Kunye with Lizel Cabucana Cameron, Founder of Sorig Khang Philippines, CAA, LMT
Lizel is the founder of Sorig Khang Philippines, a Sowa Rigpa counsellor, Nejang yoga teacher and holistic wellness practitioner, with nearly two decades of experience in yoga and movement and more than a decade of teaching. She is a certified associate acupuncturist in the Philippines and a licensed massage therapist accredited by the Dubai Health Authority, specialising in Ku Nye and Hilot.
Rooted in her maternal lineage of maaram, Filipino traditional healers, her work bridges the energetic and spiritual dimensions of Hilot and Ku Nye, particularly in mental health, palliative care and end-of-life support. Her focus includes ritual healing and integrating traditional therapies into transitional care. She is pursuing a master’s degree in psychology, researching contemplative, cultural and body-based approaches to holistic mental health.
Thesis presentations on Sowa Rigpa Studies
Sorig Khang Japan has played an important role in sharing Sowa Rigpa, offering in-depth two-year and four-year training programmes. At the Kyoto forum, Sowa Rigpa students and graduates presented their theses and independent research, giving emerging scholars a platform to share their work and engage with the international Sowa Rigpa community. The session celebrated the contributions of the next generation of Sowa Rigpa practitioners and researchers.
Monday, 03 November
Forever young: osteopathic approach to age-related conditions with Dr. Marian Majchrzycki, DO, PT, PhD
Dr. Marian Majchrzycki explored the ageing process through the lens of osteopathy and natural healing. Drawing on decades of clinical experience and academic research, he shared how manual therapy, targeted exercise and external treatments can support the body’s ability to self-regulate and adapt to age-related changes.
With a background bridging Western medical science and traditional Tibetan medicine (Sowa Rigpa), Dr. Majchrzycki combines osteopathic principles, therapeutic movement and Sowa Rigpa approaches to support healthy ageing.
Report on Tibetan Medicine Field Training and Mantra Healing with Dr. Ayaka Moriya
Dr Ayaka Moriya shared her journey into Tibetan medicine through immersive field training and introduced Tibetan mantra healing (སྔགས་བཅོས་ཐབས་). Rooted in tantric practice, mantra healing is an important branch of Sowa Rigpa, traditionally used by Tibetan doctors and yogis to support health, pacify negative influences and strengthen the effect of other treatments. Her lecture explored how mantra healing brings together sound, energy and intention to support each person’s natural capacity for healing.
Tibetan Medicine and Quantum Medicine with Dr. Atsutomo Morishima
A certified cardiovascular surgeon with extensive experience in Western medicine gave a lecture on vibrational therapy and its intersection with Tibetan medicine in the pursuit of holistic healthcare. For over a decade, he has explored connections between modern medical technology and traditional healing.
He introduced bioresonance therapy, an energy-based approach developed in Germany that works with vibrational frequencies, to his practice in Japan, and has used it with many thousands of patients. In his lecture, he shared how he sees vibrational medicine relating to the energetic principles of Sowa Rigpa, and how it informs his approach to healing, balance and preventive care.
Missed Kyoto? Join us in 2027
Join us online for the Third International Sowa Rigpa Forum, 15–17 January 2027: Yoga, Breath & Meditation: Therapeutic Perspectives. With a full forum pass, you’ll also receive access to talks from our past forums, so you can catch up on what you missed in Kyoto.