[Moxibustion]
Is it time for you to get tired of summer? Have you ever heard of "moxibustion"? I am sure you have heard it before. "Okyu wo sueru" means 'to place moxa firmly.' In the Edo period (1603-1867), moxibustion had a role not only as a treatment but also as a punishment and was integrated into daily life in the sense that it taught lessons along with pain at home and in the educational field.
Moxibustion, which was introduced to Japan at the same time as the arrival of Buddhism, started as "手当て (teate)," or applying heat to a painful spot by placing one's hand on it. In the Edo period (1603-1867), moxa spread to the rest of the world with the expansion of trade, and even today, moxa is called "moxa" all over the world because of its raw material. Moxibustion supported Japanese medicine for about 1,000 years until the Meiji era, when Western medicine was introduced. Today, scientific elucidation of the mechanisms of Oriental medicine, such as acupuncture and moxibustion, and Chinese herbal medicine, is advancing, and there are high expectations in the world of Western medicine that incorporating moxa in the "pre-symptomatic" stage before serious illness occurs, will help maintain good health.
The ingredient of "moxa" is mugwort, a Japanese herb with which the Japanese are very familiar. Mugwort is good for eating, drinking, smelling, and burning. It is well known in Japan for its nourishing, gynecological, and skin beautifying effects, but it is also loved as the "queen of herbs" in Europe, where it is used to ward off evil spirits and in ceremonies, and the Korean mugwort steam is also famous. We Japanese, who live in a hot and humid environment and eat a diet rich in water, have a body that is humid on the outside and moist on the inside, and our skin is thinner than that of people living on dry continents, making us more susceptible to the effects of cold. Therefore, it is said that moxibustion, which can warm the body slowly with small stimulation, is suitable for the Japanese people's constitution.
To my surprise, the moxa used for moxibustion is the shiny white fluff on the underside of a mugwort leaf. The mugwort is dried, and crushed, and the leaves and stems are removed repeatedly, and only 1/200th of the mugwort is used. The one with a large amount of fluff is said to have a milder heat and is easier for beginners to use. Mugwort contains essential oil, so it is easy to ignite and has less heat.
If you love moxa as you listen to the story, you can find a variety of moxa at the Sennenkyu showroom near the Ginza showroom. Of course, you can get advice on the moxibustion that is right for you, and the latest fireless and scented moxa are also available. We live at the age of 100! Today, we feel it is important to take care of ourselves while we are still unwell. First of all, let's relieve the fatigue of the hot summer.
Ginza Showroom
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/ginza.html
Sennenkyu Showroom Ginza
https://www.sennenq.co.jp/company/ginza.html
References
https://www.sennenq.co.jp
https://www.starbucks-kenpo.or.jp/my_wellness/mindset/list16.php
https://www.459.ac.jp/heal/15991/
https://ja.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%A2%A8%E4%BF%97%E4%B8%89%E5%8D%81%E4%BA%8C%E7%9B%B8
