A Survey Report on Ikki-Ryo : A Moxibustion Clinic Affiliated with the Uchihara Training Camp (1938-1945) for the Japanese Youth Volunteer Brigade for Reclamation of Manchuria and Mongolia

Ikki-Ryo was a moxibustion clinic established as part of a national project facility that belonged to the Uchihara Training Camp (1938-1945) for the Japanese Youth Volunteer Brigade for Reclamation of Manchuria and Mongolia. Since such a case is extremely rare in the modern medical history of Japan, this article summarizes the information on Ikki-Ryo obtained through documents collection and analysis, interviews, and fieldwork investigation. Ikki-Ryo was proposed by acupuncturists Bunshi Shirota and Kyohei Tanaka, and was established under the directorship of Kanji Kato. It played a role in the clinical practice and training of moxibustion techniques. The data suggests that Ikki-Ryo provided advantageous clinical effects in the promotion of good health and in the treatment of some diseases (e.g. enuresis, suspected tuberculosis) for the trainees, while it is indicated that this clinic had a certain geographical, organizational, and emotional distance from other medical or healthcare departments at the camp. Although the role of moxibustion has changed throughout history, the concept and activities of Ikki-Ryo are still thought-provoking from the perspective of the diversity, versatility, complementarity, and sustainability of healthcare tools.