Meaning and significance of Tohoku

Abstract

In this paper, I inquire the meaning of Tohoku, northwest, consider the significance of Tohoku region and indicate many discoveries in the books of Chinese thought. Originally, the meaning of "Tohoku" is based on the observation of sunrise as natural phenomena. This phenomena is organized by the concept of "yin and yang, cosmic dual forces", explained by "10 gan12 zhi the stems and the branches of the zodiac Chinese astrology", and leads to the unique position," Guimen, an unlucky direction". And the recognition that Tohoku is the direction of sunrise remains for a long time. Also, in Tohoku region, they left various results in Japanese medical history, and had a great influence on accepting western medicine during the late Edo period and Meiji era. It is notable that Dat, Masamune, the founder of Sendai Domain, which is located in Tohoku region, had a great knowledge of medicine and he himself made a pulse diagnosis. More research is needed on the history of pulse diagnosis in traditional Japanese medicine.