Kampo: Traditional Japanese Herbalism
This 200-hour Traditional Japanese Herbalism post-graduate training program is the first of its kind in Ontario! Led by the Western World's Premiere Kampo Educator Nigel Dawes, his New York Kampo Institute has teamed up with AIM Academy to offer this Professional Kampo Training Program, designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of this unique system, including its history, theory, and practical application. Join us on this exciting journey to discover the world of Kampo and become a skilled Kampo practitioner.
“Taking the KAMPO certification program was a turning point in my practice and clinical understanding on so many levels, beyond learning formulas and their application. This hand-on approach makes the knowledge tangible, accessible and alive. Nigel is a knowledgeable, approachable and gifted teacher, studying with him is a real privilege and joy.”
- Ruth Mayroz RA, Sydney, Australia
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Tuition
Program Fees & Payment Schedules
Admissions
Application & Admission Requirements
Registration
Application Details
Instructor
Meet your teacher
Student Testimonials
See what students are saying about Kampo
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What is Kampo?
Program Description
This two year clinical training is designed as a post-graduate program in the theory and practice of Kampo medicine, the system of traditional Herbal Medicine practiced in Japan. This system offers practitioners familiar with the basics of TCM and other East-Asian theoretical models the opportunity to learn a direct, hands-on, clinical approach to the practice of Herbal prescribing.
The Kampo: Japanese Herbalism program is composed of two integral components – the classroom and the clinic experience. Each is given equal weight throughout the training and are comprised of the following integrated but distinct components:
Classroom
- Theory: Basic Kampo theory will be studied including the concept of the Sho (conformation), Qi blood and fluid theory, Taishitsu (constitutional analysis), Icho Kyojaku (weak gastrointestinal function) and unique diagnostic specialties such as Fukushin (abdominal Diagnosis). Emphasis will be placed on understanding the complexities of the patient Sho (conformationwhich includes their presenting pathology but also involves detailed constitutional analysis and subjective patient complaints.
- Formulas: 120 commonly used Kampo formulas (mostly from the Shang Han Lun & Jing Gui Yao Lue) will be studied. Some 15 or so original formulas written in Edo period Japan (1603-1865) will also be studied alongside those of Classical Chinese origin. The unique Sho & clinical narrative conforming to each respective formula will be examined in detail including modifications and derivatives.
- Therapeutics: In addition, Kanpo therapeutics (internal medicine) will be studied. Disease manifestations will be examined according to their physiological systems (eg: Circulatory Disorders etc.) & will be systematically examined according to their specific Sho (or 2differential diagnostic pattern expressed in terms of relevant formula applications). Study will include the clinical specialties of Dermatology, OBGYN & Pediatrics.
- Kampo Clinical Training Teaching Clinic: The clinic experience is conducted in small groups where students are asked to participate in all aspects of clinic assessment, including pharmacy management and herb formula prescription and dispensing. Careful attention is paid to the practice of the detailed diagnostic procedures essential to an accurate application of appropriate herbal formulas. Students will gradually be expected to actively participate in formula prescription with the aim of achieving confidence and independent skills by the end of the training. Formal case study presentations form part of the clinical training with regular, monthly on-line study groups held for students and past graduates of the program. Students and alumni are encouraged to publish their work in peer-reviewed journals.
Program Length
200 hours
Curriculum
Our Kampo: Japanese Herbalism program is divided into 8 distinct intensive modules each offered 4 times per calendar year over a 2-year period. Each module consists of 3 full days of training totalling 24 days in all.
You can view a breakdown of each module below!
Schedule
The complete training consists of 8 Modules with 3 days training per module, totalling 24 days, and 200 hours over 2 years. View the schedule below.
Daily Schedule: 9:00AM - 6:00PM
| Module | Module Date |
|---|---|
| Friday, November 3rd - Sunday November 5th, 2023 | |
| Module #2 | Friday, January 19th - Sunday, January 21st, 2024 |
| Module #3 | Friday, March 22nd - Sunday, March 24th, 2024 |
| Module #4 | Friday, April 26th - Sunday, April 28th, 2024 |
| Module #5 | Friday, October 18th - Sunday, October 20th, 2024 |
| Module #6 | Friday, December 6th - Sunday, December 8th, 2024 |
| Module #7 | Friday, January 24th - Sunday, January 26th, 2025 |
| Module #8 | Friday, March 7th - Sunday, March 9th, 2025 |
Tuition
Total Tuition: $6,000 Module Fee: $750 per module. (Fees for each workshop are due at least two weeks prior to the workshop start date.)
Admissions Requirements
Students are eligible for this program if they:
- are a Graduate of a TCMP program (Canada), a licensed acupuncturist or NCCAOM Diplomate (USA), or a graduate from an approved College of East Asian Medicine from another country (eg: UK, Israel, Australia etc.) The program is also open to Naturopaths and other health professionals with equivalent training in East Asian Herbal Medicine. (Please call 416-323-1818 ext. 202 to inquire.)
- have a strong desire to learn and grow as a Kampo Practitioner.
Registration
Register online through our Shopify store by clicking the links below or over the phone by calling 416 323 1818 ext. 200. Registrations are taken on a first come, first serve basis. Register early to avoid disappointment.
You must also submit a completed "Kampo Application Form".
Download Application Form Here
| Module | Registration Page |
|---|---|
| Module #1 | Register Here! |
| Module #2 | Register Here! |
| Module #3 | |
| Module #4 | |
| Module #5 | |
| Module #6 | |
| Module #7 | |
| Module #8 |
Instructor
Nigel is an internationally renowned teacher and author who has been practicing East Asian Medicine for over 35 years. He has been based in New York for the past 25 years where he runs a private practice in Acupuncture, Shiatsu and Kampo (Sino-Japanese Herbal Medicine). Educational activities have included founding and directing his own Shiatsu school in London in the late 1980's, 8 years as Dean at an accredited school of Chinese Medicine in NY after his arrival in the US in 1993, and various educational board and committee appointments within the profession at a national level as well as senior faculty appointments at NYC schools of East Asian Medicine. More recently he founded the NYC Kampo Institute offering seminars and programs in Traditional Japanese Medicine at the post graduate level, in particular the Kampo Internship program, a 300-hour apprenticeship-style post-graduate training in Sino-Japanese herbal Medicine. This program is offered nationally throughout the US and internationally including in Portugal, Israel, Canada and Australia. He is well-known nationally and internationally for his work on Fukushin - abdominal diagnosis and application in clinical practice – and has just finished a book on the subject: Fukushin and Kampo, Singing Dragon, 2020. His other publications have included numerous peer reviewed journal articles in the field of East Asian Medicine as well as research papers in medical journals on HIV and Aids treatment with Acupuncture. He is author of 3 other books, the most recent of which is a translation of the modern Japanese classic: Kampo: A Clinical Guide to Theory and Practice, Churchill Livingstone, 2010. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.
Student Testimonials
“Learning Kampo is essential for any herbalist wanting to be more effective. Nigel presents the Kampo system and thinking to help practitioners process seemingly complex patient patterns and helps to quickly narrow the findings into useable information for accurate prescribing. Kampo is the only system for my practice that is precise enough to produce results every time.“
- Charlie Newberry DOM, Santa Fe, NM
"Nigel's Kampo trainings have significantly enhanced my accuracy in application of formulas in the practice of East Asian Herbal Medicine, and my improved herbal prescribing has led to some excellent success stories for my patients. Narrowing down the formula or combinations of formula based on the disorder and differentiation of Qi, Blood and Fluids as well as determining the patient's constitution and confirming the right formulas through the fast and efficient application of Fukushin (Abdominal Diagnosis) really helps one select the exact appropriate formula(s) for the patient. Having access to Nigel's vast experience with patient cases and stories also fast tracks one's ability in prescribing, as it's like having his years of experience behind you in the clinic. Learning from an open and giving teacher who cares about your development also makes the whole seminar experience unique and enriching. I highly recommend Nigel's Kampo trainings."
- Peter Scarsalletti, Sydney, Australia
“Completing the Kampo Course with Nigel Dawes has given me the confidence to prescribe herbs to my patients. With only a minimal studies in TCM herbs over a decade ago and as a practitioner of Japanese Toyohari acupuncture (meridian therapy), I was interested in studying a herbal system that was more aligned with, and complimentary to the practice of Japanese acupuncture. The Kampo style is systematic and very direct and is beautifully supported with Hara (abdominal) diagnosis and simplified pulse analysis. Nigel is a very generous and patient teacher and his passion for Kampo and for helping his patients comes shining through his lectures and practical demonstrations”
- Lee-Anne Armitage, Melbourne, Australia
“Since embarking on Kampo studies with Nigel Dawes in 2020, I have seen my ability and confidence in prescribing herbal formulas considerably improve. It’s deeply satisfying to observe more consistent and reliable clinical outcomes with patients. I’m of the opinion that the Kampo approach in differentiating constitutional body types, combined with abdominal palpatory findings, ‘Fukushin’, is an exceptionally useful and practical skill. It directly communicates additional insights and diagnostic information to the practitioner, helping to further inform clinical reasoning. Nigel is an excellent teacher, enthusiastic, patient and generous in his vast wealth of Chinese herbal medicine knowledge. If you are looking for a practical ‘hands on’ course to improve prescribing of classical herbal formulas, I highly recommend this invaluable Kampo Certificate Training with Nigel Dawes.”
- Bernice Lowe, Sydney, Australia
“I started Nigel’s Kampo Medicine course as an acupuncturist with a very limited and basic knowledge of some more common herb formulas. I REALLY enjoyed the course for its depth and practicality, and Nigel’s teaching style is gentle, engaging and rooted in a deep knowledge of the subject. The integration of Chinese Herbs into my practice has gone smoothly and I’m appreciating more confidence and better outcomes.”
- Greg Scanlon RA, Brisbane, Australia
“Learning Kampo has made my Traditional East Asian Herbal Medicine practice viable. The pragmatic and practical approach to understanding each formula's action plus the use of abdominal palpatory diagnosis to obtain tangible evidence directly from the patient’s body means that I now “Hit the Target” with every prescription and it is only a matter of tweaking (based on tangible physical evidence) to “Hit the Bullseye” for the patient. The actual Kampo program achieves all the marks of a quality post-graduate experience: small, intimate class size with an emphasis on practical, hands-on training, delivered by an experienced and skilled teacher. This all adds up to a direct, results-driven approach to Herbal Practice which has become sustainable for me and, more importantly, which my patients appreciate.”
- T’agyol Daniel Adler RTCMP, Toronto, Canada.
“The Kampo Certificate Program is the better herbal training I have ever attended. Nigel is an excellent teacher and makes it easy to immediately begin incorporating Kampo prescriptions into my meridian therapy practice. I particularly enjoyed the focus on abdominal diagnosis as a way of confirming the herbal pattern.”
- Ehrland Truitt DOM, Santa Fe, NM
