presents Andrew Bowling's REIKI HISTORY Archives (formerly located at usuireiki.fsnet.co.uk/) From 1998 through 2006 Andy Bowling presented a web site detailed with Reiki History and facts.  When he discovered original teachings of Mikao Usui shared by Chris Marsh, he began to focus more in that direction.  In 2007 Andy decided to stop his Reiki History pages but gave me permission to host this archive at my web site. I hope you enjoy this original contribution to the Reiki world. . If you have comments or suggestions, Contact Me. Rick Rivard  (www.threshold.ca) December 2007 .   Copyright Info - Making Use of Threshold Web Pages

It is claimed that the Gakkai was formed by Mikao Usui when he started his school in Tokyo.
This is not true, the Gakkai was formed after Usui's passing.

The founders of the Gakkai, Ushida etc, were taught by Usui and a fuller account of this can be found - Techniques.

Today the various leaders are listed back to Usui himself stating that he (Usui) was the first Chairman.
The reason Usui's name was used as the first chairman was probably in his memory.(These are listed below.)
This was not what he would have liked and would have brought unwanted attention to himself and his family.

Some doubt exists about whether Usui actually started the Gakkai and it seems possible that the second listed chairman, Juzaburo Ushida, may have created the society himself. This was after Usui's death and  probably when the memorial was erected.

When Usui moved to Tokyo he opened a treatment centre and school, not a society or association.

During the war the Gakkai moved it's headquarters to different places in order not to be detected. It is not clear why they kept moving unless due to the bombing of Japan.

The Gakkai disbanded after the war. This was because it was a banned society during the occupation.

It is not yet clear when the Society re-established following the war, however it may not have been until the 1950/60's.

It should be noted that several of the leaders were naval officers and some may have been active during the war.
Ms. Koyama's husband was also a naval officer.
This may have caused a problem during the occupation by the Allied Forces.

Hayashi sensei and Eguchi sensei left the Gakkai due to it's militarist nature.

Some of the Leaders of Reiki Ryoho Gakkai which operates today.

< Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai >

1st. Leader Mikao Usui   (1865 - 1926)

2nd. Leader Juzaburo Ushida   (Rear Admiral 1865-1935)

3rd. Leader Kan'ichi Taketomi   (Rear Admiral 1878-1960)

4th President Yoshiharu Watanabe   (Admiral, Director of Military Education, died 1960)
This was for a very short period and Taketomi returned to office

5th. Leader Houichi Wanami   (Vice Admiral 1883-1975)

6th. Leader Kimiko Koyama   (1906-1999)

7th. Leader Masaki Kondo (Present Chairman and a University Professor)

It has been said that after the Gakkai HQ was destroyed by the air bombardments during WWII, each Gakkai Teacher continued to teach individually issuing their own certificates.

Mr. Hiroshi Doi was first taught by one of these teachers, he was not told it was called Reiki but Usui Teate.

1. Mikao Usui (1865.8.15 - 1926.3.9)

Buddhist name is "Gyohan". See Memorial.

Usui wrote "Reiki Ryoho (treatment/method) Hikkei (manual)" in about 1920.

He had a son named "Fuji" who died on July 10th, 1946 (39 years old).

2. Juzaburo Ushida (born in Kyoto)

1911(Meiji 44).12.1 Rear-Admiral, 1905.8.5 Captain, class of honor 4

1905.8.5 Commander of Akitsu, 1905.12.29 Sernior Adjutant of Naval General Staff

1908.2.20 Commander of Okishima, 1908.4.7 Commander of Nisshin,

1908.11.20 Commander of Asahi, 1910.12.1 Sernior Adjutant of Naval General Staff,

1911(Taisho 1). 12.1 The Chief of Staff, 1911.12.1 Special Commander (?) ("Tokumei" in Japanese), 1912 5 31 Reservist (?) ("Yobi" in Japanese)

3. Kan'ichi Taketomi (born in Tokyo)

1923(Taisho 12). 12.1 Rear-Admiral, 1918.12.1 Captain

1918.12.1 The Chief of Staff of Ohminato Harbor, 1919.12.2 Inspector of Kure,

1923.1.20 Captain of Settsu, 1923.10.1 Captain of Settsu Special Service Vessel,

1923.12.10 Special Commander (?) ("Tokumei" in Japanese),

1924.2.25 Reservist (?) ("Yobi" in Japanese)

4. Houichi Wanami (born in Mie)

1935(Showa 10). 11.15 Vice-Admiral, 1931.12.1 Captain

1923.12.1 Submarine ("sensuikou" in Japanese) School Head Teacher / Submarine

Commander, 1926.8.1 Chief of Kure Submarine Equipment, 1926.12.1 Submarine School Head Teacher, 1927.11.15 Captain of Jingei, 1928.12.10 Submarine Staff,

1931.12.1 5th Team Leader of Submarine, 1932.11.15 Vice Commander of Submarine, 1934.11.15 President of Submarine School, 1935.11.15 Vice-Admiral,

1936.3.16 Special Commander (?) ("Tokumei" in Japanese),

1936.3.30 Reservist (?) ("Yobi" in Japanese)

According to Mr. Hiroshi Doi, traditional  Gakkai meetings are usually started with chanting the Affirmations and sometimes singing of the Gyosei, Poetry of the Meiji Emperor, all part of the original Usui system.

According to Arjava Petter - 'In Japan, the 'Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai' has been teaching his system ever since, but it did not spread widely.'

It is a great pity but I understand that the Society is not interested in passing information to the rest of the world. At a time when some people in the west are attempting to 'trade mark' Reiki and associated titles for themselves, this is a shame for those of us attempting to prevent this from happening.