The History of Reiki – From Japan to the World
Mikao Usui
(1865–1926)
“The greatest gift we can offer is healing presence.”
The history of Reiki does not begin with a spectacular discovery but with a quiet search. Mikao Usui, a Japanese scholar, spiritual seeker, and teacher, devoted himself at the end of the 19th century to one essential question: Is there a universal healing force that is accessible to everyone – regardless of religion, origin, or education?
His journey led him through Buddhist scriptures, medical knowledge, Christian texts, and Eastern energy teachings. Eventually he withdrew for an extended fast and meditation retreat on the sacred Mount Kurama near Kyoto. There, in the stillness of nature, he is said to have received in spring 1922 the inspiration that became the birth of Reiki: a powerful initiation that allowed him to transmit natural healing through the hands.
From this experience emerged Usui Reiki Ryōhō – an energetic path that serves both health and spiritual growth. For Usui, Reiki was more than a technique: it was a way of life. His five Reiki precepts still embody this attitude today.
From Student to Healer: Dr. Chujiro Hayashi
Dr. Chujiro Hayashi
(1880–1940)
“Observe the energy. Follow the breath. The hands will find their way.”
One of Usui’s most important students was Dr. Chujiro Hayashi, a retired naval doctor. Hayashi founded a Reiki clinic in Tokyo, where he systematically documented how Reiki supported a wide range of ailments. He standardised hand positions and created treatment protocols – many of which still form the foundation of modern Reiki training today.
The Journey West: Hawayo Takata
Hawayo Takata
(1900–1980)
“Reiki is simple. It is life. It is love in motion.”
In the 1930s Hawayo Takata entered the story of Reiki. Born in Hawaii to Japanese immigrants, she suffered from serious illness and found healing in Dr. Hayashi’s clinic. Impressed by the results she trained as a Reiki master and brought Reiki back to Hawaii.
Takata became known as the “mother of Western Reiki.” For decades she taught throughout the USA and Canada and initiated 22 Reiki masters. After her passing in 1980, her granddaughter Phyllis Furumoto first guided the Reiki movement before it branched into various lineages and schools.
Reiki Arrives in Europe
During the 1980s and 1990s Reiki spread rapidly across Europe – first through England and Germany, then to many other countries. New Reiki styles emerged in parallel, including Karuna Reiki, Rainbow Reiki, and Jin Kei Do, which expanded or complemented the Usui system.
Today Reiki has a home on every continent – taught, lived, and practised in countless languages and cultures. Yet its essence remains unchanged: the quiet, clear energy that flows through our hands – from a source beyond technique.
“Reiki is not only a method – it is a reminder that healing lives within us.”