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Kanshaku
肝積

Translation: liver shaku*
Alternate name: hiki

Kanshaku roughly resemble a breast. Their head looks like a woman’s nipple, and their sacklike body resembles breast tissue. They have two long moustache-like growths sprouting from their heads. They live in the liver, however, they are born in the left side of the chest. The develop around the area of the pectoral muscles and fiercely headbutt their host’s organs as they crawl around inside the body.

Symptoms of a kanshaku infection include anger, irritability, and a short temper. The face also grows pale and sickly. The infected patient develops a craving for sour, acidic foods, and a revulsions towards oily foods.

Treatment is done using alternating acupuncture techniques. First, the shaku in the left side of the torso must be treated. After that, the spine (around the 9th thoracic vertebra) is treated.

When the patient’s energy is low, the shaku’s energy will also be low, and a slow treatment is performed. The body is stabbed very gently with the needle. The needle is left in place for some time, after which it is quickly removed, and the pucture area is massaged deeply.

When the patient’s energy is high, the shaku’s energy is also high. In this case, the body is stabbed quickly with the needle, and then the needle is violently wiggled about. After that, the needle is slowly removed. The puncture area is not massaged.

All in all, it sounds like a very unpleasant treatment!

*Shaku is a category of yokai parasites which accumulate in the organs, building up numbers until they become a large mass, which then causes various symptoms to occur.

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