ABSTRACT
We sent out questionnaires to out-patients that were receiving treatment at our Kampo clinic to determine their level of awareness concerning Kampo medicine.<br>The patients were particularly concerned about side effects, and the most frequent reason given for choosing Kampo was that it had few side effects. Although most felt that there were almost no side effects associated with Kampo, there were some that thought Kampo had absolutely no side effects, or that it could cause serious side effects. These responses indicate the need to explain any potential side effects fully to patients. Also among the responses were criticisms of Western medicine, people who reported that Western medicine had not helped them and those that felt they could not rely on Western medicine.<br>The expectations in Kampo for disease treatment were high, and the effectivectiveness of treatment was also highly rated. Moreover, there were expectations in other aspects of Kampo medicine that cannot be found in Western medicine, such as improvement of the constitution, health maintenance, disease prevention and increased stamina. The responses indicated that patients seeking treatment by Kampo were not satisfied with Western medicine, and were looking for a treatment method they could rely on in Kampo medicine.