[Introduction] Heating of the skin by moxa needle depends on the amount of radiated-light absorbed during combustion. In this paper, the absorption characteristics of radiated-light were revealed in each skin layer. [Method] A moxa ball (1 g, 10 mm-radius) was attached to a needle (50 mm-long, 0.25 mm-diameter), and K-type thermocouples were used to measure the temperatures (top, center, bottom, side) inside the moxa ball and temperature-increase on the cypress board directly below the moxa ball (board-temperature). The smoke-loss time taken for the moxa to stop smoking was also measured. The distances between the moxa ball and the cypress board were 30, 40, and 50 mm. Four types of ignition positions (upper, lower, upper & lower, and left & right) of the moxa ball were employed. Measurement was carried out for five trials. The significance level was 5%.[Results] The maximum values of the board-temperature equivalent to the skin temperature were not significantly different with respect to the ignition positions. The correlation coefficient of 0.82 was the highest for each time when the board-temperature and bottom-temperature were the highest. The amount of radiation calculated from the bottom-temperature was the highest in right & left-ignition, but there was no significant difference in ignition positions. Thirty seconds after smoke-loss, the cumulative radiation-amount was as high as 77% of total radiation-amount in lower-ignition, therefore, the time for smoke-loss became a guide for when to finish the treatment.By the absorption characteristics of water based on human skin, the absorption-amount of radiated-light was calculated. When bottom-temperature increased from 500°C to 700°C, the absorption-amount increased 1.3 times in the dermis and 4.1 times in the subcutaneous tissue. In the deepest part of the skin, it was expected that the higher the bottom-temperature, the higher the heating effect would be. Due to the existence of temperature sensitive nerves in the epidermis, lower thermal sensation was expected in lower-ignition and strong thermal sensation was expected in right & left-ignition based on the absorption characteristics of the skin. The highest thermal-effectiveness was expected in both types of ignition. [Conclusion] Board-temperature had an excellent correlation with bottom-temperature. In the deepest part of the skin, a higher heating effect was expected at higher bottom-temperatures. In lower-ignition, the smoke-loss became a guide to when to finish the treatment, and the thermal sensation was lower, but the highest thermal-effectiveness was expected.

[Objective] In Chinetsukyu, a burning moxa cone is removed when the patient begins to feel heat or warmth. As a standard for removing moxa, the burned ratio was used, but the range of the ratio is wide from 70% to 90%, and the temperature is considered to be different. 　In this study, in order to remove the moxa at the target temperature, the relationship between the temperature and the combustion height is clarified by using moxa with different shapes and hardness.[Method] The moxa cones had a conical shape with bottom diameters of 20 mm and 10 mm. The height and density were changed. The temperature at the center of the bottom of the moxa was measured using a K-type thermocouple. The target value of the rising temperature (ΔT ) to feel warmth was set to 15℃. The burning time is the period from ignition to 15℃, and the heating time is the period from 1℃ to 15℃. The combustion height is the distance from the bottom of the moxa to the combustion area.[Results] As the moxa height increased, the burning rate and burning and heating times all increased. As the moxa density increased, the burning rate decreased, and the burning and heating times increased. The combustion height for ΔT =15℃ was less dependent on moxa height and density and became half the bottom diameter. In order to investigate the relationship between the combustion height and the moxa shape in detail, the rising temperature was formulated. If the moxa was high or density was low, the combustion height for ΔT =15℃ was higher than half the bottom diameter. If the moxa was high or density was high, the amount of heat per second of radiant light decreased.[Conclusion] In order to remove moxa at ΔT =15℃ as the target warmth, the height of the moxa and density of the moxa dependencies on the combustion height were small. As the standard to remove the burning moxa at ΔT =15℃, the combustion height of half the bottom diameter could be used. If the moxa height is high or density is low, the moxa should be removed slightly before the target height. It is considered that the smaller or softer the cone, the larger the amount of heat per second, and the better the heating characteristics.