Copy of About Us

A man's back is massaged in a beautiful salon

HISTORY

Ownership and Administrative Officer
Hawai’i Massage Academy (HIMAC) is owned by The Aloha Academy of Massage, Inc. Neil Morimoto is the President and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the corporation. He is also the Principal and Chief Administrative Officer of HIMAC. Tatsuko Morimoto is Vice-President and Vice Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the corporation. She is also the Vice-Principal and Treasurer of HIMAC. 
History
The genesis of HIMAC spans three decades to 1974. We started as a massage establishment that was located in the Ala Moana Hotel. At that time, the requirements for licensure was obtained only through apprenticeship programs. In 1983, we chartered this school as a State of Hawai’i, Department of Education licensed vocational school to teach massage therapy. In 2008, we expanded our program of study to include training in Esthetics as a Department of Commerce & Consumer Affairs licensed beauty school. 
Philosophy
"THE GIFT OF CARING”--This is our motto and it is symbolic. As an esthetician or massage therapist, you will administer care to your clients through your hands. An ancient philosopher once said, “It is not wealth, nor ancestry, but honorable conduct and a caring heart that make one great.” 
Mission Statement
To provide quality education and career development in the occupation of massage therapy and esthetics. 
Goals and Objectives
* To prepare the student to pass the State of Hawai’i licensing examination. 
* To prepare the student to qualify for Board Certification and pass the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) examination.
* To prepare the student to be capable of creating a successful career in massage therapy, and esthetics.
A scenic view of Honolulu

OUR HISTORY

The Hawaii Massage Academy and Aloha Academy of Massage, Inc. in Honolulu originally began as a massage salon that eventually became a massage therapy school.

We continued to grow and saw the need in 1983 to provide excellent massage therapy training to eager students, and have graduated more than 4,000 qualified professionals since then!

Why would you consider training at any other academy?
A woman massages the shoulders of a client

FACULTY AND STAFF

Neil Y. Morimoto is our Principal. He is a graduate of the University of Hawaii and has a Master’s of Business Administration degree from Pepperdine University. He is a Vietnam veteran, served in the U.S. Army as a Captain and was awarded three Bronze Stars with one for Valor.
Tatsuko Morimoto is our Vice Principal. She was born in Tokyo, Japan and is now an American Citizen. She learned ancient Chinese and Japanese massage modalities. In Hawaii, she started our massage establishment in 1974, and then chartered this school in 1983.
Akane Handa is our Director of Admissions. She teaches our Akamai massage class and basic academics in Japanese.
Kazumi Malley is a licensed beauty instructor and cosmetologist focusing on instruction in esthetic practical applications. She has years of experience in the spa industry.
Coreenann Ing is a NCBTMB Board Certified massage therapist, Master Reiki Instructor and licensed beauty instructor. She teaches our massage academics, Akamai massage class, advanced classes and esthetics academic course.
Wayne Kaneaiakala teaches our Akamai massage and advanced classes. He is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools and Brigham Young University (Church College) and is a true renaissance man of native Hawaiian ancestry. He is a veteran fireman of the Honolulu Fire Department and taught Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation to firefighters.
Yukiko Franzen teaches our Akamai massage class and basic academics in Japanese. She also teaches our advanced classes.
Amy Fukushima administers our clinical internship program. She has a Bachelor’s of Arts degree from the University of Hawaii.

School Catalog

School Catalog
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