History Speaks

Reiki In Japan
The Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai 

 

Dr. Usui discovered Reiki during a mystical experience on Mt. Kurama, a sacred mountain north of Kyoto, Japan in March, 1922. A few months later he started a Reiki organization called the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai which means “Usui Reiki Healing Society.” He also opened a Reiki clinic in Harajuku, Aoyama, Tokyo. There he taught classes and gave Reiki treatments. After the Great Kanto earthquake in 1923 the demand for Reiki was great and it was at this time that Usui began training other teachers. 

Usui was the first president of the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai. After he died, he was followed by a succession of presidents: Mr. Ushida, Mr. Iichi Taketome, Mr. Yoshiharu Watanabe, Mr. Toyoichi Wanami, Ms. Kimiko Koyama and the current successor to Dr. Usui as of 1998 is Mr. Kondo. Contrary to what has been said by some in the west, there is no "lineage bearer" or "Grandmaster" in the system of healing started by Dr. Usui, only the succession of presidents listed above. While Dr. Hayashi was a respected Reiki master and made valuable contributions to the development of Reiki, he was never the president of the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai. 

Reiki is a generic word in Japan, and is used to describe many types of healing and spiritual work. It is not exclusive to the system of healing based on Dr. Usui's method. The system of healing that evolved from Dr. Usui's method is called the Usui System of Natural Healing or Usui Reiki Ryoho.