Burning Mugwort

Home moxibustion is an entertainment and a medicine.

We bought the Sennen-kyu Off 80 moxibustion kit at some random drugstore in our neighborhood. This kit contains 80 tiny incense cigars on sticky holders. “Popular among young people” it said on the box; how could we resist?
Moxibustion uses the same theory as acupuncture and shiatsu–the meridians of the body–but works by burning mugwort (moxa) over them. You locate the right moxibustion points, light the moxa, and stick the holders to yourself. The herb burns down and heats your body with pinpoint precision.

It gets really hot even though the coal doesn’t touch your skin and I had to pull one off my back before it was probably done, but after walking all day, I tried the “legs feel weak” points and I felt pretty good afterwards.