Toyohari 東洋はり
As a system of Meridian Therapy, Toyohari primarily focuses on diagnosing and correcting the deficiency and excess of the twelve meridians following descriptions that the meridians help regulate the body’s internal and functional systems. Find more information and description about Toyohari here.
Watch an Introduction to Toyohari
Check here for a brief presentation about Meridian Therapy and Toyohari by Stephen Birch.
Like most acupuncture systems in Japan, Toyohari is not practised with herbal medicine, thus it does not use herbal medicine theories and diagnoses. Instead its focus is on assessing the condition of the 12 meridians so they can be corrected.
To do this palpation is strongly featured especially of the abdomen and pulses to diagnose the patient and to assess the effects of all the needling techniques. This feedback is pivotal in how Toyohari is learned, taught and in practice.
The needling techniques are gentle and for root treatment typically not inserted, which requires specialised training to learn how to do them. Techniques can also be modified based on patient sensitivity and other factors.
Once the root treatment has been applied branch treatment is given. In Toyohari several unique branch treatment approaches have been developed that allow targeting of specific types of problems, such as the naso-muno, kikei, shigo, sanshin methods. In addition some usual acupuncture and moxibustion methods can also be used to help target symptoms.
But, Toyohari is not only an acupuncture treatment system, it is also a method of teaching and studying. Starting in the 1960s the Kozato method was developed , which gives direct real-time feedback to needling methods in study groups. This accelerated both improvement in needling techniques and their learning.
This approach has continued to be refined and updated so that class-room learning is more than 50% hands-on practice with feedback in highly structured programs.
After completion of the basic program one can become a member of the Toyohari Association (EBTA). This offers additional benefits that are not often available to acupuncture practitioners in the West.
In addition to practising and learning to improve one’s methods through treating one’s patients, the Association organises ongoing study opportunities that help inform the self-study process and help go deeper into the system.
- Each regional group (branch) organises local study meetings.
- The European branch (EBTA) organises weekend workshops for each branch with EBTA teachers.
- EBTA organises an annual workshop with Japanese teachers in a European city.
- EBTA also periodically organises ‘Advanced Programs’ taught by the more senior EBTA teachers to help delve deeper into the understanding and practice.
- The Toyohari Association in Japan organises summer school workshops every 2-3 years in Tokyo which are open to all EBTA members.
In Europe it is not at all common to have access to such ongoing study opportunities to go deeper into the system you have learned and are practising.
- See what programs are currently being offered in Europe and where you can sign up to study them.
- See who teaches Toyohari in Europe.
Educational Resources
If you would like to learn more about Toyohari, you can download the following introductory papers and educational resources.
A Matter of Dose? Treating Sensitive Patients
Birch, Ida, Gröbe (EBTA) · Brenner, Loew, Zizza (TANA) · Pearson (ABTA) — 2021In the field of acupuncture the issue of dose of treatment and how to treat sensitive patients is rarely discussed outside of Japan. When treatment is adjusted according to the dose needs of the patient, this can allow for a fine-tuning and tailoring of treatment to each specific patient.
The senior Western Toyohari teachers wrote this paper in 2021. It is rather a thorough and lengthy paper since the topic is quite complex and difficult.
Of course the adjustments to treatment described in this paper are specific to the practice of Toyohari. But, we think that the general principles, how to judge who might be sensitive and so on, can be helpful for any acupuncturist. It provides another tool to help patients that can be otherwise difficult to treat.
Understanding Qi in Clinical Practice – Perspectives from an Acupuncture Scholar-Practitioner
Stephen Birch — 2015The concept of qi is very important in the clinical practice of traditional acupuncture. This paper explains some of the clinical aspects of what have been discovered in more academic research about qi.
Traditional Needling Techniques as Practical Constructions from Reading Historical Descriptions
Stephen Birch — 2013Toyohari needling techniques are highly refined, achieving therapeutic effects without needle insertion. The following paper by Stephen Birch exposes the likely historical origins of the different aspects of the core tonification needle technique in Toyohari, showing where each aspect comes from in the Neijing and Nanjing.
Traditional East Asian Medical Pulse Diagnosis: A Preliminary Physiologic Investigation
O’Brien et al. — Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2013For many in the West, the notion that an acupuncture needle need not be inserted to achieve the best therapeutic effect may seem at odds with the common misconception that acupuncture needles are always inserted. From its inception in the Lingshu, zhen [鍼] (needle) therapy involved use of round ended zhen that are not inserted; two of the nine needles are round ended and not inserted. But another difficulty is grasping how non-inserted needling might work.
Of course much can be said on this subject, but Toyohari practitioners in Australia performed a physiological study that was published in 2013 exploring cardiovascular effects triggered by the non-inserted root treatment. Before reading this study, please note that the study is primarily about examining changes of specific cardio-vascular parameters that are measurable with the ‘sphygmocor’. The study examined these parameters in healthy adults who were randomised to receive the Toyohari root treatment, which was performed until positive pulse changes confirmed or were randomised to receive a fake Toyohari root treatment with confirmation of no or minimal pulse changes occurring. It is a simple physiological study to understand changes that can result from a successfully performed root treatment. This study implies that the root treatment appears able to reduce the workload on the heart and improve general circulation. Likely these effects are mediated by changes in the autonomic nervous system.
Interested in learning more? See our current Basic Programs in Europe or join the Toyohari Mailing List to receive information about future educational opportunities and EBTA announcements.