Junko Sakurai of International Pilates Education Program Lolita’s Legacy™ Participates in International Pilates Heritage Congress

Pilates Method Japan Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture; Representative Director: Junko Sakurai) participated in the 'International Pilates Heritage Congress 2026' held in Mönchengladbach, Germany, from May 7th to 10th, 2026. At the event, Junko Sakurai served as a demonstrator for all three workshops conducted by Lolita San Miguel—one of only two educators in the world officially certified by Joseph Pilates himself—as well as the largest open mat class of the conference. Additionally, she co-led the 'Lolita's Body Walk' workshop as a member of the 'Committee of the Five.'

About the International Pilates Heritage Congress The Pilates Heritage Congress is a significant international event in the Pilates world, held biennially in Mönchengladbach, Germany, the birthplace of Pilates founder Joseph Pilates. It gathers Pilates instructors from over 45 countries with the goal of passing on and evolving the essence of the Pilates method.

The congress dates back to 2009. Upon visiting Joseph Pilates' birthplace, Lolita San Miguel was shocked to find that many locals did not even know his name, leading her to initiate the conference the following year. Working with the city government, a commemorative monument was installed in his birthplace in 2011. Since then, the congress has grown into an international event attended by approximately 400 people from over 53 countries.

At the 2026 conference, a special ceremony was held to honor the achievements of Joseph Pilates, which included the unveiling of a plate naming the plaza around his former home 'Joseph Pilates Platz.'

Official Participation as One of Six Successors The successor organization of Lolita's Legacy™, the 'Committee of the Five,' expanded to six members during the congress. All six members participated officially, marking a historic moment where those recognized globally as authentic successors of Pilates gathered in one place.

Junko Sakurai, the only person of Asian descent and the only Japanese person to have her name listed in this organization, stood before Pilates instructors from around the world as a member.

Serving as a Demonstrator in All Lolita Workshops The highlight of the congress was Sakurai's participation as a demonstrator in all workshops conducted by Lolita. She also served as a demonstrator representing Lolita’s Legacy in the largest mat class open to all conference participants.

Workshops conducted by Lolita San Miguel: - Friday, May 8: Mat: Building Blocks for Mat - Saturday, May 9: Reformer with Towers: The Reformer and Tower - Saturday, May 9: LOVING OUR MAT (OPEN TO ALL) - Sunday, May 10: Spine Corrector: Lolita's Spine Corrector Program

Workshop conducted by Junko Sakurai: - Sunday, May 10: Lolita's Body Walk

To serve as a demonstrator in Lolita's workshops, one must deeply understand and embody her method. The number of educators recognized for this is extremely limited globally. Those who performed this role at the congress were all members of the 'Committee of the Five,' and Sakurai was the only Asian representative among them.

Lolita San Miguel is one of the only two people to have received direct training from and official certification by Joseph Pilates himself. Being selected as a demonstrator by Lolita is a testament to being recognized for world-class skills in the most authentic lineage of Pilates.