Daiwa Massage Chair Legacy Review 2024

Every year, massage chairs seem to get bigger, better, and more feature-rich. Keeping pace with the pack is the Daiwa massage chair Legacy. But with a price tag of $8,000, you might be wondering…

Is the Daiwa Legacy massage chair really worth the money?

To answer that question along with any others you might have about this high-end chair, this article takes a thorough look at the Daiwa Legacy massage chair and everything it offers. Plus, we show you how it compares to the similar but slightly lower-priced US Jaclean USJ 9000 massage chair.

Daiwa Legacy vs US Jaclean USJ 9000 COMPARISON CHART	Daiwa Legacy	US Jaclean USJ 9000
Massage Track Style	L-Track	S-Track
Body Scan	✓	✓
Rocking Rotation Technology	✓	✗
Inversion Therapy​	✗	✓
Zero Gravity	✓	✓
Full Body Air Massage	✓	✓
Hip Twist and Swing	✗	✓
Foot Massage Rollers	✓	✓
Extendable Legrest	✓	✓
Heat Therapy	✓	✓
Bluetooth Music System	✓	✗
USB Music System	✗	✓
Handheld LCD Remote	✓	✗
Control Panel Remote	✗	✓
Number of Automatic Massage Programs	6	4
Number of Massage Techniques	5	6
	Daiwa Legacy	US Jaclean USJ 9000

Features of the Daiwa Legacy Massage Chair

L-Track Roller Massage

When you’re shopping for massage chairs, one of the most important features to look at is a chair’s massage track style. Most massage chairs you’ll find will have one of two primary massage track styles — S-Tracks and L-Tracks.

So what’s the difference?

An S-Track is the most common variety and extends throughout the backrest of the chair. It’s called an “S-track” because of its distinct S-shape which mirrors the curves of the human spine.

L-Tracks, on the other hand, extend throughout the backrest and continue into the seat of the chair. This additional range offers roller massage not only for the muscles of the back, but for the muscles of the lower body as well — the hips, buttocks, and thighs.

The Daiwa Legacy has one of the longest L-Tracks on the market measuring 49 inches. This extensive range provides roller massage coverage from the uppermost point on the neck, all throughout the back, and deep into the seat to massage the back of the legs.

Mounted on the chair’s L-Track is a four-head massage roller mechanism which provides the primary massage functions of the massage chair. The massage rollers of the Daiwa Legacy perform several different massage techniques offering a wide range of therapeutic massage actions — we’ll cover those in more detail later on.

3D Body Scanning

Another key element of the massage roller functions of the Daiwa Legacy is a 3D body scanning system.

Here’s how it works:

Before a massage program begins, the 3D body scan system runs to systematically map the size and shape of your body. It assesses the height of your shoulders and takes general measurements of your body which are then used to adjust the location of the massage rollers throughout the massage program.

This gives each individual user a massage experience that is tailored to their unique body dimensions to ensure that the massage rollers touch the correct locations in order to produce the most beneficial massage actions.

Rocking Rotation Technology

One of the most defining features of the Daiwa massage chair Legacy is Rocking Rotation technology. Essentially, this technology turns the massage chair into an automatic rocking chair to create a soothing, peaceful rocking sensation.

Zero Gravity Recline

If you aren’t using the Rocking Rotation feature of the chair, the Daiwa Legacy features two-stage Zero Gravity reclining which places your body in the optimal position to relax completely.

In both stages of Zero Gravity, the backrest and seat are held at a 30-degree angle which helps shift the body’s center of gravity to the hip area.

When reclined, the 30-degree angle brings the legs slightly higher than the heart producing a cradle-like feeling. In the second stage Zero Gravity position, the backrest is reclined more deeply than the first stage.

The Zero Gravity reclining function can be enjoyed during any of the automatic or manual mode massage programs. Simply press the “Zero” button on the remote and the Daiwa chair will recline automatically into position.

Full Body Airbag Massage

These days, no massage chair is complete without a full body air massage system. And with 48 airbags strategically located throughout the chair, the Daiwa Legacy offers one of the more comprehensive air massage systems on the market.

Practically every area of the body can receive airbag compression massage while sitting in the Daiwa Legacy.

Here’s what you can expect:

Triple Row Reflexology Foot Rollers

Along with the airbags in the footrest of the chair, the Daiwa Zero Gravity massage chair features triple row reflexology rollers that massage the soles of the feet. Many chairs have foot rollers such as these, but the Daiwa Legacy stands out with the addition of a few extra features that make a big difference — ankle grips and foot pads.

The ankle grips in the footrest hold the feet firmly in place to ensure that contact is maintained between the soles of the feet and the rollers. There are also airbags in the footwells that apply additional downward pressure to the feet to deliver a more intense foot roller massage.

There is one problem you might encounter with the foot roller massage of the Daiwa Legacy — the foot massage might feel too intense. Luckily, Daiwa anticipated this issue and included special foot pads that can be placed over the foot rollers to reduce the intensity of the foot rollers.

Extendable Leg Rest

To allow users of all heights to enjoy a massage without feeling cramped, the Daiwa Legacy features an extendable legrest. Extending an additional 5.5 inches, the legrest moves out by simply pressing the feet firmly into the foot wells. Once adjusted to the proper length, the legrest stays in place throughout the massage.

While the extendable legrest of the Daiwa Legacy is functional and gets the job done, it’s surprising to us that the chair doesn’t have an automatic or powered legrest extension. For $8,000, you’d expect the chair to have all the most advanced components… What’s the deal?

It’s true that this is only a minor detail, but when you’re spending multiple thousands of dollars on a massage chair, it’s perfectly acceptable to expect a lot out of your purchase. If the Daiwa Legacy did have an automatic legrest extension it would definitely score higher in our overall rating.

Built-In Heat Therapy

One area the Daiwa Legacy massage chair isn’t lacking is heat therapy. With built-in heating pads in two key therapeutic locations — the lower backrest and seat — you can enjoy the relaxation-inducing qualities of heat during any massage program on the chair.

Bluetooth Music System

Taking the overall massage experience to a higher level of enjoyment, the Daiwa Legacy massage chair features a built-in music system complete with Bluetooth technology.

High-quality compact speakers are located in the headrest of the chair to create a full-immersion surround-sound experience. Bluetooth technology allows you to connect your Bluetooth-compatible device — iPhone, iPad, Android — to the chair wirelessly. Then, all your music can be streamed through the chair using your favorite app.

Thanks to Bluetooth, you don’t have to fuss with any cables or USB drives to listen to music. Simply connect your smartphone or MP3 player and you’re all set.

Handheld LCD Remote

Aside from the music functions of the chair, every massage program and setting is controlled using a handheld LCD remote control.

The LCD screen of the remote is where you’ll find a series of menus that allow you to navigate through the various massage programs and settings to make your selections. After you’ve activated a massage program, the LCD screen displays a body diagram that shows the massage locations on the body. There are also visual displays of the massage roller speed and width, along with airbag intensity levels.

The intuitive layout and menu structure of the remote makes controlling the Daiwa Legacy incredibly easy. Every adjustment you might need to make is right at your fingertips ready to suit your needs.

Automatic Massage Programs of the Daiwa Massage Chair 9100 Legacy

The easiest way to take advantage of the many features of the Daiwa massage chair Legacy is by using one of the chair’s automatic programs. Each program uses a specific combination of roller massage and air massage to deliver a unique full body massage experience.

Some Daiwa massage chair reviews state that the chair has a total of 18 automatic massage programs, but this isn’t true. In reality, the chair has only six automatic massage programs. However, each program offers three different time settings — 10, 20, and 30 minutes — which if you count each massage in its different time options, you end up with 18 programs.

The six automatic massage programs of the Daiwa Legacy​ are:

To enjoy one of the automatic programs, select the “Auto” button on the remote which brings up the menu of auto programs you can choose from. Select the program you want and the chair will run the body scanning system and begin the program for the default duration of 20 minutes. The duration of the massage can be changed through the “Settings” menu on the remote.

Color Variants of Daiwa Legacy Massage Chair

Massage Techniques and Manual Mode Options of the Daiwa Legacy Massage Chair

While the automatic programs offer several convenient options for massage, if you want to have more control over your massage, the chair’s manual mode controls offer a high level of customization.

Let’s walk through the various options available in manual mode…

Choose a Massage Technique

Using the four-head massage rollers and L-Track, the Daiwa Legacy offers five unique massage techniques.

They are:

To choose a massage technique, press the “Menu” button on the remote then select the “Manual” item from the list of options. Selecting the “Mode” item from the menu opens a sub-menu which allows you to choose a massage technique. After you make your selection, your manual mode massage will begin and you’ll be able to make further customizations to the action of the rollers.

Select Massage Area

After a massage technique has been selected, you can then choose where the rollers perform the technique on your body.

There are three massage area options:

Adjust Massage Roller Width and Speed

At any point during a manual mode massage, you can change any of the settings including technique and area. You also have control of other parameters of the massage, namely roller width and speed.

There are three width options available — narrow, medium, and wide. Adjusting the width of the rollers allows you to target different areas on your back with a greater degree of control.

There are six speed options available. Changing the speed of the rollers isn’t the same as adjusting the intensity (which you can’t do since the chair doesn’t have 3D rollers ) but does play a large role in how vigorous the massage feels.

Add Airbag Massage

After you’ve gone through the process of setting up the roller massage for your manual program, you can then add in airbag massage. The first step is to choose the body areas in which you want to enjoy air massage.

There are four options:

After you’ve selected the airbag massage areas, you can choose how powerful you want it to be. There are five force levels to choose from.

It’s important to note that making an airbag strength adjustment applies equally to all the air massage zones. In other words, you can’t change the strength of only one zone, say, the arms and hands.

Add Foot Roller Massage and Heat

At any point during a manual mode massage you have the option to add foot roller massage and heat therapy. These features are activated through the “Manual” menu on the remote.

When you select foot roller massage, there are three speed options available. With heat therapy, however, you can only turn it on or off and it takes around five minutes for the heating pads to warm up fully.

Thanks to the clean layout of the remote’s menus, making these selections and adjustments is incredibly easy and only takes a few seconds.

Set Time​r

Finally, after all other manual mode settings have been made, you can select the choose the duration of the massage.

There are three time options — 10, 20, or 30 minutes.

How Does it Compare? Daiwa Legacy 9100 vs. US Jaclean USJ 9000

If you’ve been researching the Daiwa Legacy massage chair, there’s a good chance you’ve encountered another popular model made by the same company — the US Jaclean USJ 9000.

While at first glance it seems that these massage chairs are made by different companies — Daiwa and US Jaclean — they’re actually both made by Daiwa. The company US Jaclean simply sells Daiwa massage chairs under their broader umbrella.

It’s true that there’s a price difference of around $1,000 between these two chairs with the Daiwa Legacy being the more expensive of the two. And while the two chairs are similar in many regards, there are several differences that you must consider to ensure you’re choosing the best massage chair for you.

To help you make sense of it all, here’s a quick rundown on the key differences between the two chairs.

​Differences

L-Track vs. S-Track

As mentioned, the Daiwa Legacy has a 49-inch L-Track that delivers roller massage throughout the back and seat. The USJ 9000, however, has an S-Track that only allows the massage rollers to contact the muscles of the back down to the tailbone.

If you struggle with tight thighs or sciatic nerve pain, the extended massage coverage offered by the Daiwa Legacy will be very beneficial.

Rocking Rotation Technology vs. Inversion Therapy

Both the Daiwa Legacy and the USJ 9000 have special reclining features that set the chairs apart from the competition — Rocking Rotation for the Daiwa Legacy, and inversion therapy for the USJ 9000.

Both these features are very beneficial, and ideally, each chair would have both — so it’s a toss up. The Rocking Rotation technology of the Daiwa Legacy is helpful for inducing relaxation, and the inversion therapy of the USJ 9000 has numerous therapeutic benefits including spinal decompression and increased blood flow to the brain.

Seat Twisting Massage

While both massage chairs feature comprehensive full body air massage systems, the USJ 9000 has more airbags throughout the seat portion of the chair than the Daiwa Legacy. These extra airbags in the seat of the USJ 9000 are utilized during many of the chair’s automatic massage programs by adding a seat twist and hip swing to the massage.

Although a seemingly minor feature, the seat twisting function of the USJ 9000 is beneficial for anyone who struggles with tight hips or lower back. During the twist, the muscles of the hips and lower back receive a gentle stretch that brings much-needed relief to the area.

Bluetooth Music System vs. USB Music System

One of the most significant differences between the two chairs comes down to music systems. And with Bluetooth connectivity that allows for wireless music playing, the Daiwa Legacy massage chair is the clear winner in this department.

With the US Jaclean USJ 9000, you have to manually upload MP3 files onto a USB thumb drive and insert it into the back of the chair — not at all convenient. But with Daiwa Legacy, you can simply connect your smartphone or Bluetooth-enabled MP3 player and enjoy your favorite music at your fingertips.

If enjoying music during your massage chair session is important to you, go with the Daiwa Legacy. Some Daiwa Legacy massage chair reviews may disagree, but this factor alone could easily justify the higher price of the chair.

Which is the Better ​Chair?

When deciding between the Daiwa Legacy and the USJ 9000 massage chairs, beyond price, your choice will come down to three primary factors — L-Track vs. S-Track, Rocking Rotation vs. inversion therapy, and Bluetooth vs. USB music systems.

If it weren’t for the inversion therapy offered on the USJ 9000, the Daiwa Legacy would be the clear winner. But with so many therapeutic benefits associated with inversion therapy, it’s hard to dismiss the USJ 9000. However, the extended massage range of the Daiwa Legacy’s L-Track certainly is appealing and Bluetooth music doesn’t hurt either.

So which is the best? If we had to choose, we’d say the Daiwa Legacy massage chair is probably the overall better choice, but that might not hold true for everyone. Decide for yourself.

Final Thoughts on the Daiwa Massage Chair Legacy

No matter how you look at it, spending thousands of dollars on a massage chair is a big deal.

The question is… Is the Daiwa massage chair Legacy a smart choice?

After looking at this massage chair from practically every angle, we feel that if you do buy the Daiwa Legacy massage chair, there’s a good chance you’ll be very happy with your purchase. It’s hard to go wrong with features like an L-Track, full body air massage, foot rollers, and a Bluetooth music system.

However, it’s no secret that $8,000 is a lot of money to spend on a massage chair, and with that size of budget, you pretty much have your choice of the lot. To ensure that you end up with the absolute massage chair for you, we recommend taking your time and exploring other high-end massage chair options.

The USJ 9000 is a great choice if you’re looking for a chair similar to the Daiwa massage chair Legacy but with different features. But within the high-end pricing tier, you also have access to exceptional massage chairs such as the Osaki Japan Premium, Inada Dreamwave, or the Ogawa Smart 3D. Take your time throughout the process and we hope you find the very best massage chair for you.

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Official Manufacturer Support

Sources and Official Brand Websites

• Daiwa Massage Chair, Official Brand Website.
• Massage Therapy’s Beneficial Effects, Mon Reseau Plu.
• Why Massage Is Good For You?, VCMBC.
• 38 Benefits of Full Body Massage You Still Don’t Know, Dr. Health Benefits.