A massage chair is adapted to give a massage to a user using a massaging element attached to a massaging unit. The massage chair comprises a body-shape-information acquisition section for acquiring body-shape information of the user based on loads imposed on the massaging element from respective regions of the user, a shoulder-position detection section for detecting a shoulder position of the user based on the body-shape information, and a shoulder-position identification section. The shoulder-position identification section is operable to thrust the massaging element in a direction for a target protrusion distance at the detected shoulder position while measuring a load imposed on the massaging element. Then, the shoulder-position identification section is operable, based on the measured load, to determine whether the detected shoulder position is a true shoulder position. Further, when the detected shoulder position is determined to be mismatched with the true shoulder position, the shoulder-position identification section is operable to vertically move the massaging unit while re-measuring a load imposed on the massaging element, so as to identify the true shoulder position based on the re-measured load.
