KAZU Clinic (Nakagami, Okinawa)

In April 2022, Mr. Kazuhito Shinokari opened "KAZU Clinic" on the second floor of Medical Plaza Nishihara Heart, a medical complex.

Even after opening the clinic, I was able to ask him detailed questions about his background, including his current physical therapy equipment, as well as the busy schedule he faced at Heart Life Hospital and the Sports Arthroscopy Center every Thursday during his off days as a part-time doctor.

Dr. Nishigaki: My father, who was a doctor, influenced me to become a doctor. I was fascinated by the way my father looked after others and I decided to study medicine at the University of Ryukyus. I was admitted to the Department of Orthopedics because I had an injury in my knee during my university days. The specialist explanation of the surgeon who operated on me was very interesting and very inspiring. When I started working at the Department of Orthopedics at the University of Ryukyus five years later, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Hokkaido University Graduate School. Looking back now, I think this study abroad was a very important turning point in my life. Thanks to my time in Hokkaido, I was able to deepen my knowledge of knee surgery and expand my network of connections. I am truly grateful to my family who supported me during my time studying abroad. After obtaining my doctorate, I returned to the University of Ryukyus and accumulated experience as a knee surgeon until February 2017. From that time onwards, I started working at Heart Life Hospital. I love knee surgery (laugh), and I always try to take the initiative to visit other hospitals to learn from the experience. I want to take knee surgery in Okinawa to the national level, so I am always encouraging my younger colleagues at the University of Ryukyus to pass on that essence.

This spacious and well-appointed rehabilitation room has one treatment table per therapist. It is equipped with free space for training and a stretch machine that is the first of its kind in Okinawa Prefecture, among other features designed to accommodate the rehabilitation of sports athletes.

We asked him in detail about the preparations for opening a clinic amidst the busy daily schedule.

Dr. Nishigaki: Regarding the opening of the clinic, I decided to do so after being invited to participate in a project for a medical complex. During my time as a staff physician, I considered how to best enhance the rehabilitation of post-surgery patients within the constraints of time, so I was determined to create a rehabilitation room that would be spacious enough to ensure satisfactory rehabilitation. To prepare for opening, I went through the process of redesigning the plans several times with the design firm, and I am grateful to the senior doctors who came to visit me for guidance. I believe that by following the advice they provided, I was able to open the orthopedic clinic of my dreams, which features efficient in-patient layout and a system where I am involved in negotiations as well as the commissioning of contractors.


The MRI room has been equipped with the latest orthopedic-specific open MRI system, which is the first to be introduced in Okinawa Prefecture. This means that patients no longer have to travel to external facilities for testing, which leads to earlier diagnosis and treatment. The examination room is fully utilized with three rooms every day, and we are working to shorten waiting times. Our clinic hours are set at 6:30 p.m., but we are receiving feedback from students returning from after-school activities that it is convenient for them to come to the clinic, so we feel that it was a good decision to set the time at this time to take into account the convenience of our patients.

Upon asking about the background of the clinic’s opening, I was struck by the fact that the interior of the KAZU Clinic is a highly sophisticated and efficient space. In order to realize the ideal clinic, Mr. Nagayoshi has worked tirelessly to create layout plans and select equipment, even going as far as negotiating with vendors himself. I can only admire his dedication.

At the rehabilitation room at KAZU Clinic, we have installed a large number of equipment. We asked them why they chose our products among the many physical therapy equipment available.

Mr. Nishinoki: The rehabilitation equipment we introduced this time was carefully selected over a long period of time. We also considered it with the eyes of our physical therapy staff, and together we selected the equipment that would truly be useful. Initially, we had not planned to introduce physical therapy equipment, but we decided to do so after seeing the lineup proposed by Japan Medics. The ability to entrust all the equipment needed for the rehabilitation room to a single company was also a deciding factor.


We spoke with Dr. Misuzu Uji, Head of the Rehabilitation Department and Physical Therapist, who actually uses the equipment in the field, about its usage and how to use it.

Mr. Uji: I visited various clinics during the equipment selection process to ask my senior physiotherapists for advice and guidance. Dr. Nakagami initially decided to introduce the "Inlect RPW Lite" and "UltraSon RE-3000", which had been recognized by other physiotherapists at HeartLife Hospital. Considering the regionality that many elderly people suffer from chronic symptoms such as lower back pain and shoulder pain, I chose to introduce the "Asteo F", which is expected to have pain-suppressing effects. "HVMC Delta" was selected because I was initially worried about whether I could use it properly, but after actually using it, I found that the operation was easy and now I use it extensively for EMS and for patients with acute conditions such as MC (microcurrent). All of these devices are proving to be effective and I am once again realizing the usefulness of physical therapy equipment.

It is an honor to receive such kind words as a manufacturer. We will continue to improve and develop better products in the future.

Finally, I asked Mr. Nakagami about his thoughts on the KAZU Clinic and the staff members.

As a manager, I am responsible for providing facilities and spaces that allow staff to feel motivated and create a working environment that is easy to work in. In addition, I convey to staff that they should have the mindset and skills to be professional and work hard. As a physician, I am in a position of leadership, but without the cooperation of physical therapists, nurses, the medical department, rehabilitation assistants, and laboratory technicians, we cannot provide the ideal medical care to our patients. I believe that working closely with the staff to efficiently progress rehabilitation is essential for ensuring patient satisfaction and an early return to daily life.

In terms of collaboration, in the future we hope to be able to hold medical lectures with the doctors who are also practicing within Medical Plaza Ichihara Heart as a contribution to the community. The second floor is for orthopedics, the third for plastic surgery and aesthetic surgery, and the fourth for ear, nose, and throat surgery and head and neck surgery. We are actually classmates from Ryukyu University, so this is a rare combination of medical specialties, so I think we could come up with some interesting stories. As for the future of KAZU Clinic, our goal is to flexibly incorporate the best of our facilities and expertise, and to make it the ideal “well-rounded clinic.” We also believe that the cheerful atmosphere of our staff is one of the attractions of our clinic.

We aim to create a cozy space that allows patients to feel like they want to come back to see us again, and to become a community-oriented, beloved, and vibrant clinic.

Mr. Nishigaki also conducts re-examination sessions in the rehabilitation room every 40 minutes, approaching each patient with a professional attitude and attempting to identify even minor issues by conducting brief discussions with the physical therapists. Together with the staff, they are working tirelessly every day to realize the ideal medical care.