Present Status and Prospect of Ayurveda in Japan

History of Ayurveda in Japan went back to the 6 centuary, when Buddhism brought Ayurveda as Buddhism medicine to Japan. Since then Japanese people have had learned Indian customs, that may be the reason why there are similar customs with Ayurveda or Yoga, or Japanese language had Sanskrit words such as Danna for a husband or seva for caring. In Edo era, some physician practiced oil massage in southern islands or Japan, However Ayurveda was not so popularized as Kampo medicine introduced from china. Kampo medicine reached its summit of prosperity in Edo or Meiji era. On the other hand, Ayurveda could not gain full attention until 1970, when the past professor of Osaka University H.Maruyama and his colleagues such as B. Hatai and T.Nanba visited India. Then they wondered at humanistic and systematic, holistic system of Ayurveda practiced in Gujarat Ayurveda University. After they came back to Japan, they founded Research association of Ayurveda in Japan, and started to publish the annual journal “Studies on Ayurveda in Japan”. In a few years, B. Hatai founded the Research Institute of Traditional Oriental medicine (RITOM) & Hatai clinic, and started integrated treatment of western and oriental medicine. I 1976 H. Imamura went to India and studied the authorized course of Ayurveda in Gujarat Ayurveda University. She finished the post graduate as well as the full 5 years course as the first Japanese woman. In 1980s Krishna U>K. came to Japan to take a Ph degree in the Medical School of Okayama University, thereafter he cooperated with B. Hatai as the Vice President of Research Institute of Oriental Medicine (RITOM) to start to devote his life for the popularization of genuine Ayurveda in Japan. He wrote many books on Ayurveda. Vaidya H. Imamura also wrote books on Ayurveda and started her institute in 1986 in Osaka In 1988, Maharishi Ayurveda was introduced to Japan. Its first students were K. Takahashi and K. Uebaba. In a few years, M. Hasumura and other students studied Masharishi Ayurveda under the guidance of Dr. Raju and other teachers of Maharishi Ayurveda Association in Japan in 1992 under the support of Maharishi institute in Japan. In 1994, Research Institute of Oriental medicine started the teaching programs of Ayurveda, Self care course and specialist course. The main lecturer was U.K.. Krishna supported by B. Hatai, Y. Katou, K. Takahashi, M. Nishikawa and U. Uebaba. Ayurvedic practices have been also started in Hatai Clinic, Okamoto Memorial Clinic and Maharishi Tachikawa clinic in 1990s. These clinics were for outpatients. The clinics for long stay were also started in Nasu and Nihonmatsu in 1998. In 1999, Research association of Ayurveda in Japan developed to change its name to Japanese Association of Ayurvedic Research in order to get more members and social recognition. In the same year, international center for Traditional Medicine has been opened in Toyama Prefecture. It is the first official