Implementing "Ruikatsu" (Tear-Based Stress Relief) Training for Nurses as Corporate Welfare (Shiga & Aomori Prefectures)

Eishi Yoshida, a certified Tear Therapist known as "Namida-sensei" (Tear Teacher), who conducts "Ruikatsu" (tear-based stress relief) lectures for corporations, municipalities, schools, medical institutions, and welfare facilities, will hold training titled "Relieving Stress Through Tears: Applying Ruikatsu to Daily Life" for nurses. The sessions are scheduled for June 13, hosted by the Shiga Nursing Association, and July 18, hosted by the Aomori Nursing Association.

▼ Official Website: https://www.tearsteacher.com

■ Training Overview

[Shiga Prefecture]
Date/Time: Saturday, June 13, 2026, 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Venue: Shiga Nursing Training Center (2-11-51 Oji, Kusatsu City, Shiga Prefecture)
Host: Shiga Nursing Association, 6th District Branch

[Aomori Prefecture]
Date/Time: Saturday, July 18, 2026, 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Venue: Link Station Hall Aomori, 4th Floor, Middle Conference Room (1-4-1 Tsutsumi-machi, Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture)
Host: Aomori Nursing Association

■ Nursing Stress Situation
While nurses are widely perceived as having high-stress jobs, how mentally exhausting is it compared to other professions? According to Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare data regarding industrial accident compensation for mental disorders (FY2021), the medical industry ranks second in the number of claims for mental disorders across all industries. Within professional categories, "public health nurses, midwives, and nurses" have the fourth-highest number of claims, highlighting how stressful the occupation is compared to others. Specific stressors cited include work-related tension (e.g., life-critical duties), team medical care challenges (e.g., lack of physician understanding), labor environment issues (e.g., time pressure, high workload, overtime, irregular shifts), and challenges involving patients and their families (e.g., unreasonable demands or intimidation). While long working hours are often identified as the primary cause of fatigue, nursing roles are uniquely subject to a variety of these complex factors. In recent years, companies have begun adopting stress management strategies for employees, and "Ruikatsu" is considered an effective method for this.

■ About "Ruikatsu" (Tear Activity)
Ruikatsu is an activity aimed at balancing the mind and body and relieving stress by consciously shedding tears, even for just 2–3 minutes.
Many people have experienced feeling refreshed after crying heavily or feeling relieved after a good cry. Why does shedding tears lead to such a sense of clarity?
When people feel stress, the sympathetic nervous system—part of the autonomic nervous system—becomes active. This sympathetic nervous system puts the body into "battle mode," leading to a state of extreme tension. To resolve this tension, it is necessary to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, the "rest mode." In other words, relaxation is essentially the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system.
"Sleep" is the simplest method to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, as it reduces stress triggered by the sympathetic nervous system and recovers physical energy. However, people who suffer from sleep deprivation or difficulty in falling into deep sleep often keep their sympathetic nervous system active, leading to excessive stress. This traps them in a cycle: Stress builds up -> Cannot sleep -> Stress builds up even more. In such cases, shedding "tears" is a method that can activate the parasympathetic nervous system and help people feel calm and refreshed.
Note that "reflex tears" (to protect the cornea when cutting onions) or "basal tears" (to keep eyes lubricated) have no effect. Effective stress relief comes from "emotional tears" caused by sadness or inspiration, said to be tears only humans can shed.

Key Benefits:
- Ruikatsu switches the body to a parasympathetic-dominant state, leading to a relaxed brain.
- Reduces stress hormone "cortisol" levels.
- POMS psychological tests indicate that crying reduces mental confusion, anger, and hostility.
- Shedding even a single tear results in stress-relieved state that lasts for one week.

■ Finding Your Own "Crying Trigger" to Reset Daily Stress
The training features hands-on Ruikatsu experience. Although many people are resistant to crying in public, medical evidence-based explanations help remove these mental blocks. Participants then explore their own "crying triggers" (such as parental love or marital love) to reset their daily stress.