Reiki timeline ~ what we know for sure!

Usui Mikao (1865–1926) was the Japanese son and grandson of a merchant family whose ancestry can be traced back to the Chiba Samurai clan.

Located in the small village of Taniai, is a Jodo Shu (Pure Land) Buddhist temple where generation after generation of Usui family’s remains are located. 

In this village is a Shinto Shrine with a huge stone Torii (gate) where Usui Mikao and his younger brother’s names, Sanya and Kuniji, are engraved. 

In 1922, (believed to be March) at almost 57 years of age (considered elderly at the time when the average lifespan in Japan was 50) Usui Mikao climbed Mount Kurama (north of Kyoto, Japan’s ancient capital) where he undertook rigorous training, fasting and meditating for 21 days. As a result of his strict regime, he felt one Great Reiki and became enlightened! He also discovered that he had received the wonderful gift of a mysterious healing ability in his hands.

As Usui Sensei wanted to share this wonderful gift with as many people as possible (instead of keeping it to himself and his family, as was Japanese tradition), he returned to his base in Tokyo and established the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai (Association formed for study or research) which was notably supported by the Japanese Imperial Navy. This Gakkai still exists in Tokyo today. 

Brothers, Usui Sanya opened a Reiki clinic in Tokyo following his retirement as a medical doctor in the army, while Usui Kuniji was teaching Reiki Ryoho to local people, after his retirement as a Police Officer.

Usui Sensei was one of many Reijutsu Ka (healing practitioners) in Japan in the early 1900’s. It is said that there were up to 30,000 Reijutsu Ka, but as the practitioners died so too did the many systems they’d formed. The exception was Usui Reiki Ryoho. 

In 1938, Hawayo Takata (commonly referred to as Mrs Takata in the Reiki community) who had travelled to Japan to be cured of illness, brought Reiki from Japan to the West, to her homeland of Hawaii. To navigate the tensions of WWII and to simplify the practice for Westerners, the Japanese cultural and spiritual origins and practices were often downplayed, or eliminated, leading to various "New Age" additions. She is said to have stated that she found the Japanese practice of Reiki to be too complicated for Westerners, but we have much to thank her for, as Reiki became reasonably well known in the West as a result of her teachings.

In the 1990’s, Western practitioners discovered that Reiki was still practiced in Japan and many of the lost elements, techniques and practices have been incorporated once again by those who seek to follow the traditional path and teachings.