Medicine in the Edo period

From the middle of the Edo Period, Rangaku (Dutch studies in Western medicine), grew increasingly popular. Even some traditional Kanpoh-i (Chinese herbalists) actively enlisted the cooperation of Dutch scholars in studying human anatomy as medical practitioners attempted to integrate empirical Western medicine. Thus, this period saw the creation of a distinctly Japanese medical traditional through the skillful blending of traditional Chinese and Western medical traditions.

Acupuncture and moxibustion were introduced from China long ago, dating as far back as 701, but it was not familiar to the people as a form of remedy until the Edo period. Acupuncture became popular with the introduction of the Japanese uchibari and kudabari, and gained the highest status of kengyo from the Tokugawa government. Moxibustion was at first used in comnination with acupuncture, but it began to be used as a health fitness tool and later spread in the Edo period as the burning mugworts were placed directly on the pressure points on the back, arms and legs.

In the early Edo period, internal medicine, surgery and acupuncture emerged. Internal medicine was based on medical study during Chinese medieval gold period (late 13th century ~ late 14th century). In the middle Edo period, there are Kojin people who tried to return to empirical Chinese ancient medicine. Ancient surgeons conducted human dissections using translations of Western medicine books, leading the emergence of the Ran (Dutch) study in the late Edo period. The main branch of Edo medicine was known as  Oriental medicine, and continues as Japan's unique style of medicine today.

In the middle of Edo period, Western anatomy and surgical books became visible to people, the difference between Western and Oriental medicine became clear. Human body dissection began, and Mr Ryosuke Maeno and Mr Genpaku Sugita Translated the Dutch anatomy to publish "Dissolution new book". Dutch studies started with this, and Dutch books such as medicine, astronomy, and military science were translated in various places. "Narutaki Juku" was also held in the suburbs of Nagasaki."

Vaccination was carried out by pouring out the vaccine, which was stored in  a glass container for portability, onto a gkass slab, making an incision in the patient's arm and implanting the vaccine into the cut. As vaccination from the West spread throughout the country in the end of the Tokugawa period, Dutch medicine became the mainstream medicine practiced in Japan, replacing Chinese kampo medicine. This trend continued onto the Meiji period.