SAWADA STYLE moxa

Sawada style Taikyoku Therapy is a form of total body direct Moxabustion that promotes Qi & blood
circulation throughout the whole organism. The purpose of this blog post is to present the main
acupuncture points used in this form of Moxabustion & to observe why these acupuncture points were
particularly chosen by the Master Moxabustionist, Ken Sawada.

In Taikyoku therapy the acupuncture points chosen to administer direct (okyu) Moxabustion on include
the following:

Baihui (DU 20) which is located at the vertex of the head & is referred to as the ‘hundred meeting’. Shen
Zhu (DU 12) which is located on the back and interestingly enough Shen Zhu is considered to be related
to the thymus gland. As such, it is customary in Japanese folk medicine to perform Moxabustion on each
birthday a child has equivalent to the child’s age. For example, when the child turns eight years old he
will receive eight Moxabustion cones at Shen Zhu (Du 12). It is thought that in performing Moxabustion
in this manner the child’s immune system will be strong and disease will find no abode to reside.

Other acupuncture points on the back used in the Taikyoku therapy include Ge Shu (BL 17), Gan Shu (BL
18) which is the back ‘shu’ acupuncture point of the Liver. Pi Shu (BL 20) which relates directly to the
‘earth’ element & is thus responsible for the digestive process as well as the transformation of food
stuffs into a useable form of energy. Shen Shu (BL 23) & the acupuncture point level yet lateral to it, BL
52 Zhi Shi which translates to the ‘residence of the willpower’ & which is directly related to the
energetics of the ‘Kidneys’ & their functional qualities as seen from a Chinese Medical framework. Lastly
but certainly not least on the back, we come to Ciliao (BL 32) which lies over the second sacral foramen
and is in a region of the body that contains an abundance of parasympathetic neurons (Rest & Digest).

Moving on to the abdomen we find the middle guan or Zhong Wan (guan) Ren 12 as well as the ‘Sea of
Qi’ Ren 6 (Qi Hai). The front ‘mu’ acupuncture point of the stomach and the ‘sea of qi’ respectively, are
essential pivotal acupuncture & Moxabustion points used to ameliorate a myriad of disharmonies and
conditions.

On the upper limbs we find direct Moxabustion administered on Quchi (Li 11), which according to
Master Acupuncturist Kiyoshi Nagano is directly related to the immune function of the individual & thus
direct Moxabustion performed on this region can regulate ‘immune’ related conditions. SJ 4 (Yangchi) or
‘Yang pool’ is also used and this acupuncture point has a direct link to ‘yuan Qi’ or original Qi.

On the lower limb we find that acupuncture points used include Zu San Li (ST 36) & Kid 6 (Zhaohai). Both
these acupuncture points are fortifying to their respective organs and I can say that along with Quchi (LI
11) they are both a staple in my own personal self-Moxabustion practice.
Thus above we can see the acupuncture points chosen by Ken Sawada for the direct application of
(okyu) direct Moxabustion in Taikyoku therapy. From an acupuncture point actions/indications
framework we can see and hypothesise why these acupuncture points were chosen for a form of
Moxabustion therapy named ‘whole body’ therapy. However, even from a structural perspective the
regions choses relate to the spine, top of the head & the major joint of the limbs. Thus, engaging these
vital regions with Moxabustion creates movement and flow in said regions were circulation can tend to
stagnate (i.e. joints/articulation). The heat penetration & changes in blood chemistry induced by
Moxabustion mixed with the strategic placement of said cones (okyu) on acupuncture points makes for
a highly effective ‘full body’ therapy.

As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Warm regards,

apanese Moxibustion Techniques - Okyu "Thread Moxa" - TJM Theory

Okyu or "Thread Moxa" is a moxibustion technique used often in Japanese Acupuncture treatments. The
information presented below discusses basic theory behind the technique, guidelines for applying the
technique and examples of clinical use. Some of the techniques listed here require significant amounts
of training to be performed correctly and should only be performed by practitioners who have been
trained properly.

 Research on the Benefits of Moxibustion, by Tohya Kazou, Ph.D (from the November 2002 issue
of NAJOM):

 Brings an inflammatory response to the area

 Chemicals from moxa left over after burning have a positive effect on the immune cells of the
body

 Increases circulation of lymphocytes in the body and helps produce interferons in the body

 Marked increase of the circulation of white blood cells in the body

 Okyu Techniques:

 Apply burn cream, ointment, or other medium

 Roll the moxa to a consistient size and pull it off into a football shape (burns cooler at the
bottom) - variations can cause a 10 centigrade difference in heat.

 Place moxa upright on the skin and light with incense.

 Dispersion: remove ash and burn down to skin each time

 Precautions and Contraindications:

 Explain the procedure

 Communicate about heat with patient

 Caution with patients with neuropathy, skin adhesions in the area, etc.

 No moxa on points where needling is contraindicated - lower cv, lower lumbar, sp 6 in

 Can do moxa on inflammed areas, but you must have good technique

 Caution with direct moxa over large blood vessels or on elderly people with large vessels

 Specific Techniques:

 Dr. Ken Sawada's Whole Body Treatment (Tai Chi Tx, Tai Kyoku Rhoho):

 7 direct moxa at each of the following points, treated bilaterally

 CV 12, CV 6, LI 11, TH 4, ST 36, KD 6

 GV 20, GV 12, UB 17, UB 18, UB 20, UB 23, UB 32, UB 52

 Promotion of a healthy pregnancy:

 Starting at month 5, Okyu SP 6 bilaterally 5 times (every day or as often as possible)

 Increase by 2 okyu per month (9th month, 13 bilaterally)

 Also works with a tiger warmer

 Treatment of food poisoning:

 Useful for phlegm anywhere in the body as well as flu symptoms

 Okyu the extra point "Urianaitei" (on the underside of the foot where center of the pad meets
the second toe (if folder over, like HT 8 location)

 Using the point that is the least sensitive of the two, burn okyu until the patient feels the heat
3-5 times (note: this may take 10-100 or so okyu)

 LI 11 may be used instead as a comparable immune point

 Bunshi Shiroda's Total Body Treatment (Chiryo Kisogaku):

 CV 12 - 100x

 GV 12 or GV 14, LI 11, ST 36 - 3x

 Miscellaneous Treatments from Bunshi Shiroda:

 For the following conditions treat only the reactive points unless symptoms persist, then treat
all

 Hemorrhoid Pain - LU 6, UB 33, GV 2

 Anal Prolapse - UB 32, UB 33, GV 20

 Uterine Bleeding - GB 34, UB 27

 Catching Cold - UB 12, GV 12 (21x)

 Difficult Labor - UB 67, tip of little toe

 Morning Sickness - TH 4, CV 12, CV 14

 Oedema - KD 3, KD 1, ST 44, GV 20

 Skin Tags:

 Tie the base of the skin tag with a string, dental floss, etc.

 Perform 50-100 okyu on the tag

 Leaave the string on and the tag will fall off within a couple days

Sources and More Information

The information on our site is drawn from our own lecture notes and clinical experience. The following
lecture notes were used within this section:

 Iuliano, Diane: New England School of Acupuncture, Extraordinary Vessel Techniques Lecture
Notes

 Kuwahara, Koei: New England School of Acupuncture, Advanced Japanese Techniques Lecture
Notes
Practical Japanese Moxa

 Published on August 1, 2017

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Michael Hook

FollowMichael Hook

Teacher of Toyohari, Meridian Therapy, Moxibustion

Moxibustion in Japan

Moxa as practiced in Japan encompasses an extremely wide variety of uses and methods. Although pole
moxa is sometimes used, the most common method to use is “Okyu” or half rice grain moxa.
Chinetsukyu is another important system, where large balls of fairly coarse moxa are rolled into cones
and applied directly to the skin. There are also an assortment of stick-on moxa types, some of which can
be for home use. Other ways to use moxa include placing moxa sticks into different sized metal tubes.
Once warm, the tubes are then used to rub over the skin in the problem area. Moxa can also be placed
on needles, or used over media such as salt etc as is also done in China.

Skills to use moxa

There are many skills needed to use moxa most effectively. The first one is being able to identify which
form of moxa is the best to use in a particular case. This could be Okyu, Chinetsukyu or indeed a type of
stick on moxa or other. Choosing the most effective moxa type to use depends on 2 main questions:
What is the condition being treated and secondly, what is the state of health of the patient?

Moxa theory

In order to go further into this question it is important to discuss how moxa actually works on the body.
In Japan, the theory covering Qi, Blood and the fluids is simpler than how it is understood in TCM. In part
this is due to the fact that practitioners of moxa and acupuncture in Japan only use acupuncture and
moxa and do not prescribe herbs. The theory for herbs can vary a lot to that for acupuncture. Because
the practice of prescribing herbs and using moxa and acupuncture are kept completely separate, this
has led to practitioners and academics tending to ignore classical texts which largely relate to herbs (for
example the Shan Han Lung). Rather, classical texts which deal solely with the use of acupuncture and
moxibustion have been studied deeply. These include in particular, the Huang Di Nei Jing Suwen and
Ling shu and also the Nan Jing.

Qi and Blood

In light of this, we see the structures and systems of the body being divided in more simple terms into
Yin and Yang. As such Wei qi is Yang and Ying qi is Yin. Qi is Yang and fluids are Yin. And in fact all fluids
of the body come to be regarded under the heading of Blood. Thus we talk broadly of a system of Yin
and Yang and Qi and Blood.

It is said in the classics that Qi moves Blood and Blood in turn nourishes Qi. As well, that Blood moves
inside the meridians while Qi travels along the outside of meridians. Acupuncture and needles work
largely on the Qi whereas moxa mostly affects the Blood. Moxa also adds heat and moves Qi and these
are Yang functions, but it’s most important role is to move and regulate Blood and the Yin.

In order for the body to be healthy and for Qi and Blood to both circulate correctly, it can be said that
both the movement of Qi and the flow of Blood must be regulated. Thus acupuncture and moxa have a
dual role to play in treatment to keep the whole body circulation healthy.

Point selection

The theory around the use of moxa is different to acupuncture in many ways. For one thing, although
moxa influences the flow of Qi in the meridians, because its main target is Blood, so the meridians are
less important in diagnosis and treatment. Also point selection can be very different. Some of the main
points we use for moxibustion are the so called “famous points”. These are either tried and true
empirical points known for a particular effect or points chosen on the meridian which connects with the
condition directly or has a relationship with the systemic dysfunction. Lastly, even the point location for
an acupuncture point can be different when moxa is used. This is again because of the fact that moxa
works so differently on the body to a needle and as a result the point position may differ – sometimes
by quite a lot.

Okyu

Okyu involves the use of highly refined moxa from mugwort (Artemisia Princeps Pampan is commonly
used to make moxa in Japan). In order to make the moxa punk for Okyu, only about 2-3% of the plant is
used. Specifically it is made from the hairs (also called glandular trichomes) on the back of the leaves of
the plant. The resulting material is extraordinarily rich in a large number of trace elements, oils and
minerals. It is also very fine and soft so that it can be rolled into tiny little “cones” shaped like a grain of
rice and about ½ that size. Because it is so tiny, Okyu can be placed on the correct point with great
precision to effect the very best result. Having a tiny base and a relatively long shape the heat from the
moxa goes straight and deep. And because it goes into the Yin, this type of moxa has the most effect on
Blood, sending heat deep down to soften and resolve fixed hardness. Okyu is the most commonly used
form of moxa in Japan. It is quick and powerful and with a relatively small amount of smoke being
produced. When we talk about using moxa on famous points or other empirical points we are usually
referring to okyu.

Chinetsukyu

This form of moxa makes use of a coarser grade of moxa made from leaves and other parts of the
mugwort plant. It can still be rolled and formed into cones, but not as small as Okyu. And because it is
derived from more fibrous material it also burns hotter than Okyu. Chinetsukyu is rolled into a conical
shape with a broad base. Because it is wide and the heat spreads out it has a much more superficial
effect and is much more warming and Yang than Okyu. This type of moxa still moves Blood, but as well it
tonifies and warms Qi.

Traditionally Chinetsukyu has also been rolled using a very coarse moxa punk which burns even hotter.
Rather than to warm and tonifiy, this is used to heat and disperse strongly and to move Blood and Qi. I
won’t be discussing this kind of use of Chinetsukyu here.

Differentiating Okyu and Chinetsukyu

Essentially Okyu is used to effect the movement of Blood. It can clear deep stagnation and it is also most
often used for famous points or empirical points for a wide variety of conditions. Depending on how hot
it is burned it can be very strong and tends to be used on patients in a robust condition. Chinetsukyu on
the other hand is a milder system, particularly used to strengthen, warm and to supplement the flow of
Qi and Blood. It is more suitable for patients in a weaker condition.

Finding the correct point.

Because the amount of stimulation in using Okyu is very small, getting the correct point is extremely
important for the best outcome. Points are chosen in two ways. Firstly by choosing the right “famous
point”, or empirical point based on theory and secondly by palpation. In fact, even if the correct point is
chosen theoretically, unless the point is “alive”, then treatment won’t be effective. The second part of
getting the best result is to apply the right amount of dose to the correct alive point.

Alive points

Ken Sawada (1877- 1938), the father of modern moxibustion practice in Japan once said: “There are
living points and dead points, and so, if you don’t put moxa on living points then there will be no effect.”

(Bunshi Shirota, 鍼灸眞髄 ”The Essence of Acupuncture and Moxibustion”)

It is said that the Toyohari Medical Association coined the term: “Presently alive point”. They also
adhere strongly to the idea that the “alive point” gives the best result and that little is achieved unless
the point is alive.

In the Huang Di Nei Jing Ling Shu (The Yellow Emperors Classic of Internal Medicine- Divine Pivot)
Chapter 1, it says that points are not skin, bone or sinews, but places where Qi moves in and out. So,
although it is convenient to describe acupuncture points in terms of their anatomical location, the most
important task is to find the place where the Qi is moving in and out. This is the presently alive point. In
order to find this point for treatment, we first go to the area described by the anatomical location and
then look in the area for reactive signs in order to locate the alive point.

Reactive signs of the alive point

The alive points are mostly identified by feel, although in some cases we can see where a point needs to
be treated.

The reactive signs to look for include pressure pain and the point may be raised, but at other times the
surface is sunken and we can feel hard knots somewhat deeper under the skin. As we slide the finger
over the skin we may experience a drag, something that stops the finger. For deep knots these may be
felt only when pressed at a certain angle. On the back, changes in shape of the spine, the scapula being
out of line or one side of the hip lower or higher can all identify a problem area. Changes in
temperature, moisture, etc can also identify an alive point. Visually an unusually coloured area or its
opposite side may be an indicator.

Moxibustion in Japan

The practice of moxibustion is controlled by a licensing system in Japan. Although most licensed
moxibustionists are also licensed to practice acupuncture, some practitioners exclusively use moxa in
their practice. Because of traditions such as this, the art of moxibustion has been taken to a whole new
level in Japan and an array of schools with their own styles of practice have developed. One such school
is the Sawada style, based on the teachings of Ken Sawada. Sawada was a martial artist, who was
increasingly attracted to fixing the bodies that were broken by martial arts. As such he shifted his focus
to treatment. Sawada rarely used anything other than moxibustion and he based his practice on his
study of the classics such as the Suwen, Lingshu and the Nanjing. Through his scholarship he developed
a holistic system of root treatment called the “Taikyoku (Taiji) treatment”. This was a moxa treatment to
strengthen the whole body, a “root treatment” based around considerations of Yuan Qi, the Ming Men
and the San Jiao. He emphasised strongly the post-natal Qi of the Spleen\Stomach and the pre-natal Qi
of the Kidney and Ming Men.

Another giant figure in the moxibustion world in Japan was Isaburo Fukaya (1900-1974). He began as a
lawyer, but after contracting TB and being cured by moxibustion and acupuncture he changed to being a
practitioner. His treatments were all based on symptoms rather than a root treatment. He is also
famous for inventing the use of the bamboo tube, a system by which he could administer hot Okyu
burnt down to the skin, but by extinguishing the burning and reducing the discomfort with the bamboo
tube.

Conclusion

For cultural and historical reasons moxibustion in Japan has become a highly sophisticated system of
treatment, able to be applied to a wide range of patients and conditions. It is capable of being used as a
standalone system, but is often applied alongside acupuncture treatment. Using different grades of
moxa from the Mugwort plant, it can be rolled into a large variety of sizes, all of which have a different
application.

About the Author

Michael Hook is a registered acupuncturist with more than 20 years’ practice experience. After being
first exposed to Japanese acupuncture and moxibustion, he travelled to England in 1998 where he met
Dr Stephen Birch who encouraged him to study Toyohari Japanese acupuncture. During a year’s stay in
Japan immediately following, Michael studied under Takai sensei and other senior teachers and began
his training in the unique methods of the Toyohari system. He is a founding member of Toyohari
Australasia, senior teacher and translator and interpreter for seminars both in Australia and Japan.

Over the last 15 years, Michael has presented many workshops and courses on moxibustion, meridian
therapy and the Toyohari system.