Medical Anthropological Discussion on the Specific Pattern of Mineral Water Drinking in Tsukano-Spa

The purpose of this study is to investigate a pattern of mineral water drinking in Tsukano-spa, Oita prefecture, and to discuss medical anthropologically on its results. Qualitative research methods, such as participant observation and interview were con- duced for eight days in Tsukano-spa. The specific pattern of drinking large amount of water (+,/**-,/** ml in a few hours) at midnight was established among users of the spa. The way of drinking always induced rapid and severe diarrhea. The users believed that "shukuben" (long-time glued stercus in the bowel) was the real reason of various gastro- intestinal diseases, and that removing it by drinking the water could make them recover from those and promote their general health. It was seemed that "shukuben" was a symbol of harmful things for their health, and that the specific pattern of drinking was a necessary ceremony to remove it. We concluded that they could get healing through the body image and the process of signification, which firmly influenced on human illness or health seeking behavior. It was expected that there was also such a cultural and cognitive mechanism as in other traditional spas in Japan, and that qualitative research methods could be beneficial to clarify such holistic e#ectiveness of spa-therapy.