Introduction of “Acupuncture, Moxibustion, and Anma Museum”（「鍼灸あん摩博物館」のご紹介）
Sumida City Authorized Small Museum（墨田区認定・小さな博物館）
Greetings（ご挨拶）
The “Acupuncture, Moxibustion, and Anma Museum” is a museum that exhibits historical materials on traditional medicine such as acupuncture, moxibustion, Anma, and Chinese medicine, and is one of the Sumida Small Museums authorized by Sumida City. Vital energy called “Ki” flows through our bodies. The museum has collected materials and tools that tell the history of traditional medicine in Japan, such as meridian diagrams depicting the pathways and acupuncture point mannequin that shows the acupuncture points that regulate Ki. We display them in an easy-to-understand manner. Oriental medicine has been deeply involved not only in the health of Japanese people but also in their lifestyle and culture, and acupuncture, moxibustion, and Anma treatments, along with Chinese medicine, have taken root in the lives of ordinary people. Please take a look at the depth and fascination of the history of acupuncture, moxibustion, and Anma treatment, which was introduced from China in ancient times and developed uniquely in Japan during the Edo period (1603-1868).
Hirokatsu Oura, Director of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Anma Museum
Project Description（事業説明）
The Sugiyama Waichi Memorial Hall was established on April 24, 2016 on the grounds of Ejima Sugiyama Shrine, the site of a shrine dedicated to Waichi Sugiyama. This site was also the location of the Sugiyama Style Acupuncture Treatment School, the base for the teaching and transmission of Sugiyama Style acupuncture and Anma techniques in the Edo period. This museum was established on the second floor of the Sugiyama Waichi Memorial Hall for the purpose of disseminating the achievements of Waichi Sugiyama to future generations and preserving, collecting, exhibiting, and publicizing materials that explore the roots of acupuncture, moxibustion, and Anma massage in Japan. Therefore, as acupuncture, moxibustion, and Anma is a health care industry with ties to Sumida Ward, the museum has been recognized and subsidized as a “small museum” by Sumida Ward. The exhibits include old documents that convey Sugiyama Style Anma techniques (“Sugiyama Ryu Sambu Sho” (Three books of the Sugiyama Style), “Sugiyama Shin Den Ryu” (“Sugiyama Style True Tradition”), etc.) and old documents from the mid-Edo period when Waichi Sugiyama studied (“Shinkyu Daiwabun”, “Meido-kyu-kyo”, “Su Wen”, “Spritual Pivot”, “NanJing”, “Senkinpou”, “Ruikyo”, etc.). The exhibition also includes documents published and produced during the Edo period, acupuncture point mannequin, diagrams of meridians, and acupuncture tools. Also there are various documents related to acupuncture, moxibustion, and massage from the Meiji, Taisho, and Showa periods. Please take a look at these historical artifacts along with the handwriting hanging scroll of “Daibenzaiten” by the 5th Shogun Tsunayoshi, who patronized Waichi Sugiyama, which is displayed in the front of the museum.
To all readers（ご覧の皆様へ）
Waichi Sugiyama was the founder of “KANSHIN method” in the early Edo period, a method of inserting needles into tubes, which is one of the most distinctive features of Japanese acupuncture and moxibustion. He was also a blind man who established the world’s first school and system of acupuncture and moxibustion for the visually impaired so that they could make a living and contribute to society by practicing acupuncture, moxibustion, and Anma. During the Edo period (1603-1868), Japanese culture and society developed greatly and laid the foundation for today’s society. Medical care is no different. In this context, Waichi Sugiyama played an extremely important role and can be considered one of Japan’s great figures. Today, acupuncture, moxibustion, and Anma have become a healthcare industry that supports the health of people not only in Japan, China, and Korea, but throughout the world. And the acupuncture method using tubes has spread throughout the world. We are proud of having our roots here in Japan, and we hope to pass them on to future generations. We hope that children and everyone who wishes to experience history and culture, as well as those involved in acupuncture, moxibustion, Anma massage, and the visually impaired, would visit the museum.
Our Activities（活動内容）
The Museum is dedicated to the preservation of Waichi Sugiyama’s works and documents, and to the collection, preservation, and exhibition of materials related to Japanese acupuncture, moxibustion, and Anma in general. The exhibition rooms are open to the public from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except on closed day (Fridays) and during the New Year’s holidays. The museum has been collecting, organizing, restoring, and exhibiting various artifacts related to acupuncture, moxibustion, and Anma, as well as introducing the exhibits on panels, translating them into English for foreign visitors, and creating audio versions for the visually impaired. In addition, we have duplicated the Kengyo attire. People involved in acupuncture and moxibustion have donated valuable acupuncture tools from the Showa period (1926-1989), relics belonging to Katsunosuke Yagishita, who was the model for meridian therapy, the acupuncture point mannequin, diagrams of meridians and acupuncture points, and literature, which are displayed as needed. Although the profession of acupuncture, moxibustion, and Anma was common and familiar to the general public, it lacked social recognition and there has been a lack of materials on the subject. We will continue to make efforts to collect such materials, and we would appreciate the provision of such materials and information from all parties concerned.
In closing（最後に）
Many of you might have the experience of being healed by Anma massage treatment when you were tired. Many of you might have been helped by acupuncture and moxibustion when medical treatment did not improve your pain or discomfort. Today, acupuncture, moxibustion, and Anma massage are considered an alternative to modern medicine and are also considered important as part of integrative medicine worldwide. Originated in China, Oriental medicine has taken root in the culture and climate of Japan while developing a unique medical system. In writing the “Sambu Sho” (Three books of the Sugiyama Style), Waichi Sugiyama wrote: “A dragon moistens the world with a drop of water, and a man makes a small stone fire into a large fire. This book is short, but when a person obtains it, he or she will be able to spread it throughout the world.” In his treatment, he always gave treatment regardless of rank, saying, “Play it by ear, medicine is a matter of will”. In his heart, there is the belief in Enoshima Benzaiten, which saved him from despair when he was young. It was Sugiyama who erected roadside markers along the Enoshima Road, built dragon lanterns to prevent maritime accidents, and constructed the Enoshima Shrine. Please enjoy viewing this exhibition as a glimpse into the mind of a great man who lived in the Edo period and the lives of the people who lived in the city of Edo.