Development and Future Trends of Traditional Kampo Medicine in Japan

Abstract

Abstract. Traditional Kampo medicine is based on traditional Chinese medicine, which spread to Japan via the Korean Peninsula in the 5th century. The practice of Kampo developed gradually under the influence of local Japanese culture and prospered until the Meiji Restoration. Kampo appeared in schools successively, such as the School of Later Developments, the School of Classic Methods, the School of Textual Research, and the Integrated School. However, the practice of Kampo gradually declined after the Meiji Restoration. Today, through the continuous efforts of knowledgeable Japanese Kampo practitioners, the practice of Kampo has entered a new era as an indispensable aspect of contemporary Japanese medicine.