Fukushin, or abdominal diagnosis, is one of the characteristics of the Kampo medical examination. During the Edo period, “Fukushokiran (腹証奇覧)” became popular due to its explanations of illustrations of abdominal diagnosis and findings, focusing on the prescriptions in “Shanghanlun (傷寒論)” and “Jinguiyaolue (金匱要略).” In this study, we examined various existing editions of “Fukushokiran” and highlighted the differences in abdominal diagnosis illustrations and findings among them. According to the year indicated at the beginning and end of the volume, “Fukushokiran” is divided into pre-Kyowa and Bunka editions. Although the currently facsimile edition is based on the Bunka edition, significant differences were observed in abdominal diagnosis illustrations and other findings, which were revised from the pre-Kyowa edition. “Fukushokiran” has two parts including the first and second parts; however, differences between the pre-Kyowa and Bunka editions are particularly noticeable in the second part. Inaba Bunrei, the author of “Fukushokiran,” died in Bunka 2 (1805) ; therefore, it is unlikely that he was involved in the revision of the Bunka edition. Instead, it is assumed that the views of Wakuta Shukuko, a disciple of Bunrei, are reflected in the Bunka edition.

In recent years, internationalization of East Asian traditional medicine is progressing, as evidenced by the inclusion of a chapter on traditional medicine in the 11th revision of the WHO’s International Classification, and the standardization of East Asian traditional medicine in ISO which has been promoted mainly in China. It is also important for Kampo medicine, to disseminate information overseas. In these streams, both the Editing Committee for Dictionary (Jun, 2016-Jun, 2020) and the Editing Committee for Kampo Medicine literature (Jun, 2020-Jun, 2023) were able to publish “The Dictionary of Kampo Medicine―Basic terms” in 2020 and “Complete Kampo Medicine (Japanese version)” in 2022. In publishing the “Complete Kampo Medicine,” it was useful to quote the underlying description of the “Introduction to Kampo (Japanese version)” published in 2002 by our Association and the “Textbook of Japanese Traditional Medicine” published in 2012 created in the team with a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. The next steps for this committee are to expand and revise the “Dictionary of Kampo Medicine” and to translate “Complete Kampo Medicine” into English. We believe that by publishing these textbooks, we will be able to more powerfully prevailing Kampo medicine to the world.

Tongue diagnosis in Kampo medicine is considered to be a diagnostic method that can provide information about a patient's constitution and medical condition. We have identified the following problems in tongue diagnosis: the influence of external environmental factors such as light source, room temperature, and dryness, as well as subjective factors that depend on the knowledge and experience of medical doctors. To overcome these problems and to support Kampo diagnosis, we developed the Tongue Image Analyzing System (TIAS). Regarding color, objective numerical values L*a*b* were measured and standardization and objectification were promoted. We introduce some of the progress that has been made over the past 15 years since the development of TIAS.

To clarify the educational effect of the acupuncture and moxibustion practical training for a short time, we conducted a questionnaire survey of 112 fifth-year medical students gathering clinical experience for one hour of acupuncture and moxibustion practical training, including the therapeutic experience before and after the practical training. In 8 items out of 10, the percentage of “positively yes” responses after the practical training were significantly higher than before the practical training. The items that showed a large difference (range of change) in the percentage of “positively yes” responses before and after the practical training were “Do you think it is scientific? (+ 47.4% after the practical training),” “What is your general image? (+ 39.3%),” and “Do you want to use acupuncture and moxibustion in the future? (+ 39.3%).” Securing more opportunities to learn traditional medicine is desirable; however, the problem of limited time and personnel requires improvement. This survey showed a beneficial educational effect in a short time signifying the importance of implementing acupuncture and moxibustion practical training. Additionally, the possibility of expecting similar effects in other medical students and overall students in the medical field can also be expected.

The Japan Society for Oriental Medicine (JSOM) has made various efforts against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to build evidence. JSOM has launched an academic society-led clinical research project on COVID-19 based on the concept and characteristics of Kampo medicine, including (1) prevention of disease by activating the immune system to regulate body conditions (pre-symptomatic stage of illness), (2) symptom alleviation in the mild and moderate stage and prevention of aggravation (acute to subacute stage of illness), and (3) early recovery and improvement of prolonged symptoms (late stage of illness). Since the declaration of the pandemic, the special working group has conducted the following activities : enlightening academic members, lobbying other academic societies, preparing research protocols, establishing research groups, conducting ethical reviews, responding to the research disclosure system, preparing protocol papers and review articles as the basis for the research, reporting research progress, soliciting case reports, warning against Chinese medicine use, requesting for research support funding, and revising the JSOM website. We also discuss the interpretation of COVID-19 from the perspective of Kampo medicine and the direction of the selection of Kampo formulas in this report.

There are few reports on the effects for children using the diagnostic method of Kampo medicine (called sho : pattern diagnosis). Therefore, we investigated the effects of combination therapy with Kampo medicines prescribed by specialists in this ancient form of medicine to children who were refractory to modern medicine. This was a retrospective observational study of 98 children (pre-school children (PS ; n = 21), elementary school students (ES ; n = 37) and junior high school students (JS ; n = 40)) younger than 16 years old at the first visit to our department of Chiba University hospital between April 2007 and April 2017. We collected the following information from their medical records : background, chief complaint, referral source, and efficacy of Kampo medicines. We evaluated efficacy for Kampo medicine as follows : Higher improvement (HI) (symptoms improved by 2/3 or more) ; Improvement (I) (symptoms improved by 1/3-2/3) ; Mild improvement (MI) (symptoms improved by 1/3 or less) ; constant ; aggravated ; and unknown or first visit only. Positive response (HI, I, and MI) due to Kampo medicines was observed in 76% (75/98) of patients. No aggravations were observed. The chief complaint by age was skin diseases in PS, digestive diseases in ES, and cardiovascular diseases in JS. Pediatrics was the primary referral in all ages, while 30% of JS were referred from psychiatry. Kampo medicine was significantly more effective for those in PS and ES compared to those in JS (p = 0.025). Combined use of Kampo medicine and modern medicine therapy is useful for children refractory to modern medicine.

The usage of Kampo medicine has been expanding in hospitals and pharmacies, and the systematic education on Kampo medicines and their components is urgently needed. Although the efficacies of Kampo formulations are approved at the national level, those of the composing crude drugs are not approved individually except for some cases. Consequently, the efficacy description of individual crude drug in textbooks differs much depending on the authors. To clarify this situation, we suggested the standardized description of the efficacy of crude drugs used in ethical Kampo formulation using terms of modern Western medicine in the previous study. In this study, we reviewed the descriptions of efficacies using the terms of Kampo medicine in the books published in Japan from the 17 century to the present to explore the possibility of standardizing the crude drug efficacies using the terms of Kampo medicine. The proposal for standardized description of the efficacy of crude drugs was based on the high frequency of appearance of the terms in successive books.

In response to the increasing numbers of patients with long-term effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), we started using Kampo (traditional Japanese) medicine for some outpatients. We analyzed the patients' characteristics and the treatments used in each case. Our subjects were 9 patients who visited our clinic between May and September 2021. All subjects provided their written informed consent and were followed for several months. Decoctions or extract formulations were prescribed for treatment based on pattern identification, and general guidance related to lifestyle habits based on traditional thought was also provided. Fatigue, lifestyle of intemperance (due to excessive amounts of cold foods and drinks), and mental/physical stress were present in each patient. Some patients also felt strong anxiety about the lack of any established Western medical treatment and insufficient follow-up systems for patients with long-term effects of COVID-19 (long COVID). Tonic formulas and formulas of involving Bupleuri radix were often used. All 9 patients showed a tendency to improve their symptoms within 4 or 5 weeks of treatment. Our impression is that the prompt effect of Kampo medicine was achieved by combining the use of Kampo medicines with instructions to stop eating excessive amounts of cold foods and/or drinks. Further study is needed in the future. For long COVID, no Western medical treatment has yet been established. On the other hand, in our experience with these patients, Kampo medicine based on the concept of mind-body unity was useful.

In this article, we focus on Japanese traditional (Kampo) medicine for the 1889 “Russian flu (Osome cold)”. The influenza pandemic arrived in Japan in 1890 (Meiji 23), and returned in waves over the next several years. The Kampo medicine at that time is described in “Ryukokanbo Setsu (Influenza Editorial)” by Sohaku Asada and “Tenkojikikanbo Zeisetsu (Epidemic Disorder Editorial)” by Masaharu Okada, in “Wakan Irin Shinshi (New Journal of Japanese-Chinese traditional medicine)”. There are prescriptions in “Shang Han Lun (Treatise on Cold Damage Diseases)” for both daiseiryuto and keishinieppito, as well as for formulas of Gosei School, such as gekito, saikogedokuto, shoyosankato, kyushikososan, wageto, jusshinto and kososan. As candidates to cause this pandemic, both the novel influenzavirus-H3 and the novel coronavirus-OC43 are considered. In contrast to Western medicine, which must deal with each virus, Kampo medicine was as effective for the Russian flu, as it was for the Spanish flu.

At the 71st Annual Meeting of the Japan Society for Oriental Medicine held in August 2021, we conducted a special program, “Pre-graduation and post-graduation Kampo medical education for the next generation,” focusing on Kampo medical education. We summarize and report a mock lecture on standard Kampo medicine conducted jointly with the Japan Council for Kampo Medical Education (JCKME) for the purpose of faculty development. The lecture contents were based on the “Basic Curriculum for Pre-Graduate Education in Kampo Medicine 2016” established by the JCKME, and the common model slides prepared by the JCKME were used. The lectures were pre-recorded for 240 minutes on the “History of Kampo medicine,” “basic theory of Kampo medicine,” “physical examination of Kampo medicine,” “composition and effects of typical Kampo medicines, effects and side effects of typical herbal medicines,” “usefulness of Kampo and clinical cases that were effective,” and “overview of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment,” and were delivered from seven days before to seven days after the annual meeting. This was the first nationwide educational activity for the general meeting of the society. These lectures were viewed 1,017 times nationwide, by medical students, educators, and members of the society.