Mai Inagaki
Somatic Practice Instructor
Mai is a movement practitioner at YODA with a background in qigong and sound therapy. Born to a Japanese father and Syrian mother and now based in Tsukuba, she brings a cross-cultural perspective and a thoughtful, exploratory approach to practice. Since beginning her training in 2022, Mai has studied movement as both physical and energetic, seeing martial arts and qigong as complementary tools shaped by intention. Her classes invite students to explore alignment, awareness, and connection, encouraging steady growth through curiosity and attentive practice.
ごあいさつ
Hello, my name is Mai. I was born to a Japanese father and a Syrian mother, now living in Tsukuba. I feel really lucky to be part of Yoda Studio, working alongside an inspiring team here in international Tsukuba City. It’s a joy to be in this kind of environment and community.
I started martial arts in 2022 with no big expectations — it was just a way to move my body. I was actually more interested in qigong for its healing side only to realise they are two sides of the same coin. Neither is better than the other but it's all about orientation and intention. Training in both helped me see that things aren’t purely “good” or “bad” — they’re tools.
This is the approach I try to study movement through; asking how is this aligning with my goals. Sometimes practice calls for action; sometimes it asks us to pause and listen.
Through this practice, I began exploring the body not just as something physical and mechanical, but also as something energetic — electrical, magnetic, alive. The more we connect with the physical body, the more sensitive we become to that energetic side. I start to notice how I affect others and vice versa.
I’m deeply grateful to my teachers who continue to guide me. I used to be the student who couldn’t wait to finish school. I studied theatre production at university and enjoyed it, but something felt slightly off, often feeling like running and chasing things just because that’s what I'm supposed to do. Like falling only to catch my next step rather than feeling like I can change direction any time I wanted. And that’s the feeling of alignment I'm currently working towards. This practice has given me a fresh appreciation for learning and growing, like peeling an onion… many, many layers.
My hope is to facilitate lessons that help you connect your own dots and peel your onions. And if you’re curious, ask me about tuning forks.
Thank you and hope to meet with you soon!
— Mai