Pilgrimage To Mt Kurama, Kyoto, Japan

Rosemary Goto shares her recent pilgrimage to the mountain where Dr. Usui received the teachings of Reiki:


"For the last seven years, I have been sponsoring Jean Ferris’ Reiki classes in Honolulu. As one of the benefits of doing this, Jean has invited me to sit in on all of her classes. By doing so, I have been listening to our lineage story of our Reiki Grand Masters on numerous occasions. Each time she spoke of Dr. Usui’s life, I wondered about the mountain where he sat for 21 days in meditation and received his spiritual transmission. Then, in Oct. 2008, my growing curiosity and interest finally brought my husband, Alan and I to this famous mountain, Mt. Kurama(Kuramayama) near Kyoto, Japan.

My intention initially was to climb Kuramayama and find the exact spot that Dr. Usui meditated and perhaps even re-live some of his experiences. So it was with this expectation I began my journey at this special place.

We arrived at Kurama Train Station where we were greeted by a huge red tengu mask which I recall seeing pictures of as a child. I learned that this mountain is known to the Japanese as the place where Minamoto Yoshitsune(1159-1189) a famous warrior trained with this mysterious tengu. Kuramayama also holds ancient temples and has become a place of pilgrimage for a certain Buddhist sect today. After searching the area, I was a bit disappointed when I could not find any signs indicating where Dr. Usui spent his time.



From the train station, we took a cable car ride to a main temple and found ourselves amongst many tourists. People were busy posing for photos and voices were heard everywhere. I was eager to trek further to the mountain top to escape the chatter of the crowd.

The climb was steep but manageable. Soon it became more quiet and I could begin to feel the silence of the mountain. We walked under towering cedar trees and felt the fresh air gently blowing. Only the sound of singing birds and footsteps breaking tiny branches on the pathway was heard. It is no wonder that Dr. Usui would choose such a tranquil setting to sit and meditate.

We came across the famous cedar tree roots that jut out of the ground making the pathway arduous and challenging. We had to focus on our footing and carefully stepped over and around the roots. I imagined that this might have been where Dr. Usui stumbled and severely injured his toe. We stopped to honor and send a reiki treatment to this section, as we felt that it had a place in our historical lineage. Gradually the life of Dr. Usui had become real and alive for me.

I felt the peacefulness as we quietly walked down the mountain. After crossing a tiny bridge at the bottom, we walked directly into the little town of Kibune. There we saw many eating places and inns with low tables covered with red cloths. The lineage story was alive again, as I could imagine Dr. Usui eating his first meal here and giving his first Reiki treatment to the inn-keeper's daughter.

We completed our day by walking back to the Kibune train station. My heart felt full as we walked next to a flowing stream, admiring the tall, aging cedar trees above us. Reflecting on this day, I was no longer disappointed in not finding specific signs or markers of Dr. Usui. Just having the opportunity to trace Dr. Usui’s footsteps on Kuramayama made me feel that the ENTIRE mountain was special.

I treasure my trip to Kuramayama for it has given me an opportunity to listen to the lineage story with renewed interest and deeper appreciation of Dr. Usui's journey and his gift of Reiki."
Rosemary Goto, Honolulu, Hawaii