[Hanbang]
Out of the blue, have you ever heard of "Hanbang" (Korean traditional medicine)? Those interested in Kampo (Japanese traditional medicine) or who watch Korean historical dramas might have heard the term. Also known as "Korean Medicine," Hanbang is a traditional form of medicine that developed based on ancient Chinese medicine, adapting over time to Korea's natural environment, climate, and the constitution of its people.
In Japan, "Kampo" originated when ancient Chinese medicine was introduced along with Buddhism, bringing medical techniques and crude drugs that gradually evolved to suit the Japanese constitution. The medical practices that had been carried out in Japan up to that point came to be called "Kampo" during the Edo period to distinguish them from "Rangaku," the Western medicine introduced from the Netherlands. Similarly, Hanbang is Korea's traditional medicine, developed on the Korean Peninsula from traditional Chinese medicine. Since they share the same roots, they have many similarities, such as the concept of "Yakushoku Dogen" (medicine and food share the same origin)—the idea that what we eat and the medicine we take come from the same source—making it feel very familiar. Rather than viewing patients uniformly, it preaches that different treatment methods are required for each individual based on their constitution, the state of their internal organs, mental state, personality, and dietary habits. One of the characteristics of Hanbang is the diagnosis using the "Sasang Constitution" (Four Constitutions), which categorizes a person's constitution into four types through pulse diagnosis and medical interviews: "Tae-yang," "So-yang," "Tae-eum," and "So-eum."
What made me feel the biggest difference is that in Korea, Hanbang is still very much a part of daily life today. In Japan, since the Meiji period, "Kampo doctors" ceased to be recognized as medical doctors with the influx of Western medicine, and there has been a tendency to view Eastern medicine as a folk remedy. In contrast, since the Hanbang doctor system was legally established in Korea in 1951, both "modern (Western) medicine" and "Hanbang medicine" coexist, and it is common for people to choose (or combine) either treatment method depending on their symptoms. A Hanbang doctor holds a national qualification independent of Western medical doctors within the Korean medical system. They study for six years at a specialized university, and by passing the national examination, they are recognized as Hanbang doctors and can open a specialized medical institution called a "Hanyiwon" (Hanbang clinic).
Furthermore, there are facilities called "Sanhujoriwon" (postpartum care centers) where women generally spend a few weeks after giving birth to care for their bodies and recover using Hanbang. In traditional Korean tea houses, Ssanghwa-cha (Ssanghwa tea), which is similar to Japan's Kakkonto, is a staple, and crude drugs are readily available at supermarkets and markets on a daily basis. The more I hear about it, the more charming it sounds. If it were me, I would definitely use a postpartum care center, visit a regular Hanbang clinic for daily ailments, and combine it with Western medicine in case of an emergency! I couldn't help but let my imagination run wild.
While I have written down many envious thoughts, both Hanbang and Kampo primarily promote "Mibyou care" (pre-illness care). This means noticing physical disorders at a stage before becoming ill and preventing illness before it happens! Ingredients like Chinese yam (Sanyaku), Job's tears (Yokuinin), jujube (Taiso), and cinnamon (Keihi) are available as food items even in our country, Japan, despite being raw materials for Kampo medicine. To get through the upcoming hot summer, let us thoroughly nurture our body and mind through proper diet, mental well-being, and exercise (breathing) in a way that suits each of us, whether by grating a little Chinese yam onto the daily dinner table or lightly roasting and sprinkling sesame seeds.
Matsuyama Tokojo's Atatamenabe L
https://www.shokunin.com/en/matsuyama/
Ichiyougama's Mortar
https://www.shokunin.com/en/ichiyou/suribachi.html
Ichiyougama's Spice Mill
https://www.shokunin.com/en/ichiyou/spice.html
Yamatada Katoen's JUJU mortier Suribachi
https://www.shokunin.com/en/yamatada/suribachi.html
Tsujiwa Kanaami's Sesame Roaster
https://www.shokunin.com/en/tsujiwa/gomairi.html
Showroom Information
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/
References
https://nihon-hanbang.or.jp/about/
https://megurie.net/magazine/21-03/
https://www.kaze-travel.co.jp/kr-sp-11.html
