Although minor deficits in cognition and mental health of the elderly influence their health expectancy, therapeutics for these remain inadequate. Kamikihito (KKT), a traditional Japanese kampo medicine, is indicated for neuroses, anxiety, and insomnia in those with weakened body constitution, and has potential to treat mild functional impairments in the elderly brain. To assess this in animals, we examined behavioral outcomes of KKT administration in young (2 months old) and aged (18 months old) C57BL/6J mice using the automated behavioral assay system IntelliCage, where serial operant tasks were automatically imposed on test mice. In the place learning task, where mice learned shuttle moving between cage corners to obtain rewards, KKT enhanced learning performance in aged mice only versus their age-matched controls. In the saccharin choice task, the aged mice preferred saccharin less than the younger mice, indicating anhedonia in rodents. However, the KKT-administered aged mice, and the young mice, preferred saccharin significantly more than their age-matched controls, highlighting KKT’s antidepressant-like effect. Our results suggest KKT promoted motivated behaviors in the effort-based decision-making in both groups, thus making it a promising treatment option for cognitive and psychological ailments in the frail elderly.