Acupuncture Inner West

What Is Japanese Acupuncture and How Is It Different?

I have been practising acupuncture for 19 years. I completed a Bachelor of Health Science (Traditional Chinese Medicine) at UTS before spending six years studying acupuncture in Japan.

I was lucky enough to be treated by a Japanese acupuncturist in Sydney who had spent a few months in Tokyo with my teacher, Edward Obaidey Sensei. He suggested I go to Japan to study. That decision changed the way I practise acupuncture.
I practise a style of Japanese acupuncture known as Meridian Therapy, also called Traditional Japanese Medicine (TJM), and continue to study under teachers connected to this tradition, especially Edward Obaidey Sensei and Ikeda Masakazu Sensei.

A Brief History of Japanese Acupuncture

Acupuncture is believed to have originated in China more than 2,500 years ago, before eventually spreading throughout East Asia, including Japan. Over time, Japanese practitioners adapted and refined the techniques, while remaining closely connected to the classical Chinese medical texts that are over 2,000 years old.
During the Meiji Restoration period (1868–1912), Japan underwent dramatic social and political change. Traditional practices and institutions were often viewed as outdated as the country modernised. Acupuncture practitioners were pushed underground. During this time, blind practitioners were among the only groups permitted to practise.

Meridian Therapy survived this period and re-emerged publicly during the 1930s. Although it remains a minority style in Japan, it is respected in the West.
China also underwent significant changes during the 1950s. Traditional medical practices were standardised and modernised into what became known as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). As a result, Japanese acupuncture and TCM evolved along different paths despite sharing the same classical roots.

What Makes Japanese Acupuncture Different?

When people think about Japanese acupuncture, they usually think of techniques such as finer needles, gentler treatment, more palpation, pulse diagnosis, abdominal diagnosis (hara diagnosis), and the use of moxibustion (moxa) heat therapy.

The Importance of the Constitution

Meridian Therapy focuses on identifying the constitutional pattern that may be contributing to a person’s symptoms rather than simply treating symptoms.
Rather than simply asking, “What symptom does this person have?”, the question becomes, “Why has this symptom developed in this person?”
Two patients may both have headaches, back pain, anxiety or digestive complaints, but the underlying reason those symptoms developed may be completely different.
If you would like to learn more about the Constitution, I have written a separate article on the topic here.

What Japan Taught Me

When I studied at UTS, much of the teaching focused on treating symptoms and conditions. For example, if somebody had a sore back, there might be a set of points commonly used for back pain. Some practitioners refer to this approach as “cookbook acupuncture”.

I found that Japanese acupuncture placed much greater emphasis on developing the skills needed to identify and treat the constitution.
This was one of the main reasons I stayed in Japan for six years. The focus was not simply on what symptoms a patient had, but also on understanding why those symptoms had developed.

Moxa and Japanese Acupuncture

Moxa is a form of heat therapy made from the herb Artemisia vulgaris. Japanese practitioners use moxa extensively, and it forms an important part of my own clinical practice. In fact, I use some form of moxa on every patient.
My interest in moxa extends beyond clinical practice. I am currently completing a PhD related to moxibustion and analytical chemistry.

Learn More

For patients, this often means fewer needles, gentler treatment and a greater focus on understanding the individual. If you would like to learn more about your constitution, moxibustion or Japanese acupuncture, and treatment at Ilan’s Acupuncture Clinic in Marrickville, you can explore the other articles on my website or contact me directly.

What’s that smell in the clinic?

Recently, a few patients have been in this position… they’ve booked their treatment at Ilan’s Acupuncture in Marrickville, and they’ve been looking forward to it all week. They head over to the clinic, escaping the hustle and bustle of the outside world, and there it is. It’s subtle, but they can smell it, and it seems kind of familiar to some. They take a seat, and think they know what it is – someone is smoking funny stuff!

They see the acupuncturist, Ilan, and the smell seems to follow him around. He introduces himself, and they follow him into the treatment room. Everything seems normal, he makes a few jokes about the burning of Moxibustion, or Moxa, which causes the ‘funny smell’ in the room, sometimes getting a laugh, and other times just raised eyebrows.

The smell comes from Moxibustion, a traditional heat therapy commonly used in Japanese and Chinese acupuncture.

What Is Moxibustion (Moxa)?

Moxibustion is the therapeutic practice of burning Moxa, a tinder made from the dried leaves of Artemisia vulgaris, commonly known as mugwort. The dried leaves of the plant are processed into a soft, wool-like material which is then carefully burned on or near the body during treatment.

Why Is Moxa Used in Acupuncture?

The history of this heat therapy can be traced back for thousands of years, to people living in cold climates who used burning Moxa to warm up painful areas. Traditionally, it has been used for a wide range of conditions including pain, fatigue, digestive weakness and women’s health.

So, despite what some patients jokingly suspect when they first walk into the clinic, Ilan is not smoking funny substances before your treatment. It’s just Moxa and it’s all in the name of healing. After a while, many patients start associating the smell with relaxation and feeling better!