Book excerpt: THE MOON OVER MATSUSHIMA sets out on a journey of exploration, one with unexpected twists and turns. It begins by unveiling the earliest relationship between acupuncture and moxa, and then explores the nature and biochemistry of mugwort. It reviews various traditional treatment approaches and then examines their possible mechanisms. An appendix offers an essential and extensive list of treatment options for a wide range of disorders. Most importantly of all, perhaps, the book proposes extraordinary possibilities for this humble treatment in the current era.