Tea And Integrative Medicine In Japan

Six New Year's Resolutions | Andrew Weil, M.D.

2 min

Dr. Weil’s 2015 trip to Japan to discuss integrative medicine, had him visiting Kyoto, shrines and Zen gardens, as well as meeting with members of the Mokichi Okada Association.

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While visiting the Marukyu Koyamaen tea company in Uji near Kyoto, I learned the details of producing matcha.
Giant tea utensils are used ceremonially. I'm with Sebastian Beckwith, tea expert and founder of In Pursuit of Tea.
Marukyu Koyamaen tea company in Uji near Kyoto to learn details of producing matcha. Here we are tasting various grades of tencha, the tea that is ground into matcha.
This rare tea bowl (considered a national treasure) came from the MOA Museum and is valued at $50,000. I'm glad I didn?t know that until I had finished handling it! Dr. Michael Dixon, chairman of the NHS Alliance in London, is to my left.
Kazuhiko Atsumi, MD, PhD, is a cardiac surgeon, biomedical engineer, a member of the Science Council of Japan, and a Professor Emeritus of Tokyo University. He is also the President, the Society for Integrative Medicine, Japan (IMJ). Some call him the Japanese Dr. Weil! It was an honor to meet him.
This beautiful and sacred scroll was also borrowed from the MOA Museum for the occasion. It's by a master of the late Edo Period, valued at $150,000.
A view of the peaceful and serene Zen garden at the Kamigamojinja Shinto Shrine in Kyoto.
The Kamigamojinja Shinto Shrine gardens were beautiful.
While at the Myoshin-ji Temple, I visited the wisteria and temple gardens.
Another view of the serene and beautiful temple gardens.
It was an honor to visit and speak with senior monks of the Myoshin-ji Temple in Kyoto, the largest Rinzai Zen Temple in Japan.
We discussed the many aspects of health and wellbeing.
Joined by two AzCIM graduate Fellows, I browsed the selection at a traditional pickle shop near the Kamigamojinja Shinto Shrine.
A traditional pickle shop near the Kamigamojinja Shinto Shrine served natural pickles.
I visited the beautiful Kamigamojinja Shinto Shrine in Kyoto.
My shojin ryori (Buddhist temple cuisine) lunch, which I ate with senior monks at the Myoshinji Zen Temple restaurant.
The food was superb and the conversation enlightening.
I dined on a shojin ryori lunch with senior monks at the Myoshinji Zen Temple restaurant. The restaurant, which serves Buddhist temple cuisine, has a coveted Michelin One Star rating.
The restaurant, which serves Buddhist temple cuisine, has a coveted Michelin One Star rating.