Japanese Angelica
Japanese Angelica
Angelica acutiloba
“The root of Yamato”
| Species | Angelica acutiloba |
|---|---|
| Family | Apiaceae |
| Part used | Root (crude drug) / stem and leaf (bath) |
| Aroma | Strong and green, reminiscent of celery |
What is toki?
Toki (Angelica acutiloba) is a perennial in the carrot family, growing wild among rocks in the mountains of central and northern Honshu. It is cultivated mainly in Nara, Hokkaido, Wakayama and Hyogo. The Japanese Pharmacopoeia lists it as the crude drug toki (Angelicae Acutilobae Radix): the root of Angelica acutiloba or of hokkai-toki (A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae), "usually after being passed through hot water." Pharmacopoeia extract monographs place it in juzen-taiho-to, unsei-in, kami-shoyo-san and bofu-tsusho-san, and the Tokyo Crude Drugs Association cites toki-shakuyaku-san and shimotsu-to among its formulas. Ligustilide is the marker of its aroma.
Yamato toki
In the Edo period, domains across Japan encouraged its cultivation as a local speciality. Yamato toki from Nara was held to be the finest, and Obuka toki — grown at Obuka in Gojo City, Nara, and at Fuki in Koya Town, Wakayama — is regarded as the top grade. Cultivation today centres on Uda City in Nara. The whole plant carries a strong scent close to celery. Nara Prefecture notes that “the toki, peony and other medicinal plants produced in Nara were called Yamato-mono and are still known for their quality,” tracing the lineage to the herb-gathering that Empress Suiko held in the Uda district in 611. The preparation recorded by the Tokyo Crude Drugs Association hangs the autumn-dug roots on drying racks until February, then washes and kneads them in water at 70–80°C and shapes them into a horsetail form. The dried root is a medicine, but since 2012 the leaf has been classed as a non-medicinal food and is eaten in salads or as a powder.
A component of kanpo blends in yakuso saunas, simmered with the other crude drugs and turned into steam.
There is a custom of drying the stems and leaves gathered in autumn before they yellow, then putting them in a cloth bag in the bath. Nara Prefecture's own bulletin notes that the dried root has been much used in bath preparations and in women's medicines.
Note: this page introduces the traditions and culture around the plant. It does not guarantee any effect.