Skip to content
Herbs & Cultures

Kampo: Japanese herbal medicine →

Daikenchūtō, warming decoction for the belly

Japanese pepper, ginseng, ginger and malt sugar against a cold, bloated belly.

Traditional use

Time
45 minutes
Makes
For 1 day, divided over 2–3 cups
Ginger

Daikenchūtō (大建中湯) means roughly 'greatly building the middle'. It is one of the most prescribed Kampo medicines in Japan, for a belly that feels cold, hurts and is distended. The recipe is simple: three herbs boiled in water, with a generous spoonful of malt sugar that makes the decoction mild and sweet.

Ingredients

  • 5 g dried ginger (in Kampo steamed and dried: kankyō)
  • 3 g dried ginseng root
  • 2 g sanshō (Japanese pepper)
  • 20 g malt sugar (maltose, koi)
  • 400 ml water

Step by step

  1. Put the ginger, ginseng and sanshō with the water in a pan.
  2. Bring to the boil and simmer until about half is left, 30–40 minutes.
  3. Strain and stir in the malt sugar until dissolved.
  4. Divide into two or three portions and drink them warm, before meals.

Tips

  • Sanshō gives a slight tingling on your tongue. That is how it should be.

Registry

Herbs in this recipe

Read more about effects and safety on each herb’s page.

  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 1

    Ginger

    Zingiber officinale

    Traditionally used for nausea and digestive discomfort; it has a warming flavor.

    Ayurveda+6Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 36

    Asian ginseng

    Panax ginseng (ook P. quinquefolius)

    Research consists mostly of small, short studies; there is little evidence of health effects.

    Chinese medical traditions+3

Cultures and traditions

Where the herbs come from

The herbs in this recipe also appear in these traditions.