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Paper short abstract

This paper examines how Kampo, homeopathy and biomedicine were intertwined each other from the viewpoint holistic health, hybridity, and the relationship between doctors, practitioners and patients in Japanese healthcare system.

Paper long abstract

Kampo, Japanese indigenous medicine, has experienced changes of the practice with the introduction of biomedicine and Japanese healthcare system over a century (Lock 1980, 1990, Ohnuki 1984). On the other hand, homeopathy, originated from Germany, was introduced in Japan about 20 years ago with the rise of healing and spiritual boom in relation with new age movement in Western countries, as well as the globalization of medicine.

This paper examines how Kampo, homeopathy and biomedicine were intertwined each other from the viewpoint holistic health, hybridity, and the relationship between doctors, practitioners and patients in Japanese healthcare system. I will argue that the Japanese social and cultural health behavior still remains in the diversity of medical selection.