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Yojokun dietary moderation (hara hachibu)
腹八分目（貝原益軒『養生訓』）
A listing is not a recommendation.
Origin: Japan · Tradition: Edo-period yojo (health-preservation) thought · Food & herbs
What it is
Japanese yojo typified by Kaibara Ekiken’s Yojokun (1713). Everyday counsel such as not overeating (hara hachibu), chewing well, and matching food to constitution and season.
A short introduction (not a treatment instruction)
- Put the chopsticks down before you are completely full (hara hachibu).
- Chew well, and avoid overeating from the evening onward.
- Do not replace this with extreme fasting or a fashionable restrictive diet.
Symptoms or aims often mentioned with this practice
- Constipation or digestion
- Tiredness
- Sleeplessness
Research notes (this is not a promise of effect)
D: Traditional use only. This review did not find enough clinical research on the practice itself
The sources were not confirmed in this review.
Avoiding overeating itself is in a similar direction to modern nutrition. There is almost no clinical-trial research on the Yojokun system as a whole. Treat it as distinct from medical studies of calorie restriction.
Safety notes
Do not apply “hara hachibu” strictly in underweight, a history of an eating disorder, during growth, or in pregnancy.
If you are unsure, or if you have a health condition, are pregnant, or take medicine, consult a qualified professional.
Situations in which this is better avoided
- A history of an eating disorder, or a suspected eating disorder
- A condition for which a physician has given nutrition advice