Introduction to Japanese Acupuncture and Moxibustion Treatment Tools Japan Tokyo Seino Acupuncture and Orthopedics Clinic Asako Murata ・Toshimune Namba・ Masaki Yamada・Mitsunori Seino Introduction In Japan, acupuncture and moxibustion treatments have been performed since around 410 AD, a period of over 1600 years. The acupuncture and moxibustion treatments carried out in Japan are very different from those used in China. I will describe some of the tools used in Japanese acupuncture and moxibustion treatments. Main text The main feature of the needles used in Japanese acupuncture is their fine diameter. Moreover, a tool called a “guide tube” has been devised to alleviate pain during needle puncture. Tools developed for the treatment of children and physically weak patients are also contributing to advances in treatment methods. In addition, the moxa used in moxibustion treatment is manufactured by a uniquely Japanese technique. This enables the development of techniques that can be used to treat a wide variety of diseases. The Process of Making Moxa Moxa has several grades. The premium moxa can be produced from magwort leaves, but we can get only three percent out of the total weight. We put mugwort leaves in a drying room, and let them dry on eighty to ninety degrees’ heat for four to five hours.