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Shizuko Yamamoto Papers

Call Number

MSS.235

Date

1965-2010, inclusive

Creator

Yamamoto, Shizuko, 1924-
Snyder, Kezia (Role: Donor)

Extent

33 Linear Feet
in 26 record cartons, 7 card boxes, 2 manuscript boxes, 1 flat box, and 1 flat file folder.

Extent

47 VHS

Extent

22 audiocassettes

Extent

2 CDs

Extent

2 DVDs

Language of Materials

Materials primarily in English, with some materials in Japanese.

Abstract

The collection consists of materials Shizuko Yamamoto created and gathered throughout her career as a shiatsu practitioner and macrobiotic specialist. Materials include research files, notebooks, conference and workshop packets, photographs, correspondence, recipes, clippings, books, magazines, pamphlets, patient files, audio and video recordings. The collection primarily consists of Yamamoto's books and research files pertaining to shiatsu, macrobiotics, yoga, and alternative, non-Western healing methods. The materials date from 1965 to 2010.

Biographical Note

Shizuko Yamamoto is a well-known shiatsu practitioner and macrobiotic consultant. In her native country of Japan, Yamamoto studied alternative and non-Western healing methods including shiatsu, seitai, yoga, and macrobiotics. After living in Tokyo for 40 years she moved to New York in order to share her knowledge of and promote macrobiotic and shiatsu practices. During her time in the United States, Yamamoto worked as a macrobiotic chef for Gloria Swanson and several macrobiotic restaurants. She provided shiatsu treatments in combination with macrobiotic diet recommendations and guidance to clients suffering from various ailments. Yamamoto is the founder of the International Macrobiotic Shiatsu Society, and served as president of the Macrobiotic Center of New York from 1970 to 1990. She also taught shiatsu and macrobiotic seminars across the United States and Europe. Yamamoto is the author of several books, including Barefoot Shiatsu,The Shiatsu Handbook, andWhole Health Shiatsu.

Arrangement

This collection has been organized into four series: Series I: Research Files; Series II: Books and Magazines; Series III: Correspondence and Photographs; Series IV: Patient Files.

The contents of each series have not been physically arranged by an archivist and the materials are arranged in the order in which they were received from the donor.

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of materials Yamamoto created and gathered throughout her career as a shiatsu practitioner and macrobiotic specialist. The collection primarily consists of Yamamoto's research files, books, and magazines pertaining to shiatsu, macrobiotics, yoga, and alternative, non-Western healing methods. A small portion of the research files contain commercial and non-commercial audiocassette tapes, CDs, DVDs, and VHS tapes mostly relating to prominent figures in the macrobiotic and alternative medicine community. To a smaller extent the collection contains correspondence and photographs from friends, family, and clients. The collection also contains patient files documenting Yamamoto's consultations and treatments for patients with various ailments.

Collection materials include research files, notebooks, conference and workshop packets, photographs, correspondence, recipes, clippings, books, magazines, pamphlets, patient files, audio and video recordings. Some of the materials are in Japanese. The materials date from 1965 to 2010.

Donors

Snyder, Kezia

Conditions Governing Access

Series IV: Patient Files contain sensitive data, and researchers should contact fales.library@nyu.edu for more information. The remainder of the collection is open without restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright (or related rights to publicity and privacy) for materials in this collection, created by Shizuko Yamamoto was not transferred to New York University. Permission to use materials must be secured from the copyright holder. Please contact fales.library@nyu.edu

Preferred Citation

Identification of item, date; Shizuko Yamamoto Papers; MSS 235; box number; folder number; Fales Library and Special Collections, New York University.

Location of Materials

Materials are stored offsite and advance notice is required for use. Please contact fales.library@nyu.edu at least two business days prior to your research visit to coordinate access.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated by Kezia Snyder in 2009; an additional accession was donated in 2011. The accession numbers associated with these gifts are 2009.235 and 2011.235.

Audiovisual Access Policies and Procedures

Audiovisual materials have not been preserved and may not be available to researchers. Materials not yet digitized will need to have access copies made before they can be used. To request an access copy, or if you are unsure if an item has been digitized, please contact fales.library@nyu.edu with the collection name, collection number, and a description of the item(s) requested. A staff member will respond to you with further information.

Collection processed by

Jasmine Larkin

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2024-02-06 14:24:15 -0500.
Using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language: Finding aid written in English

Processing Information

The collection was arranged into series based on the original order of the materials as maintained by Shizuko Yamamoto. Materials were placed in archival folders and boxes. Original folder titles were retained when available. In most cases, where folder titles were missing, the archivist's interpretation is enclosed in square brackets. Some materials were shifted between boxes to correct over- or understuffing, but in all cases the original order of the materials was maintained.

Repository

Fales Library and Special Collections
Fales Library and Special Collections
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
2nd Floor
New York, NY 10012