Dr Mikao Usui's Memorial 2017
Reiki Pilgrimage by Corrine Brown

Reiki Founder Mikao Usui Sensei's Gravesite & Memorial - 10th March 2017

In November 2016, I traced Dr Usui's footsteps up Mt Kurama in Kyoto.

I feel blessed and "Reiki complete" to have now visited both Mt Kurama and Dr Usui's memorial.
Dr Usui and his family's gravesite with the Chiba family crest is in a public cemetery at Saihoji temple in the Suginami district of Tokyo.

The memorial was erected by Dr Usui's students shortly after his passing on 9th March 1926 (note the date of my visit) and maintained by the Usui Shiki Reiki Ryoho, the organization started by Usui Sensei.

This is the largest memorial stone in the cemetery - about 10 feet tall and 4 feet wide. The inscription is written in old Japanese by Mr. Okata, a member of the Usui Shiki Reiki Ryoho, and Mr. Ushida, who became president after Usui Sensei's passing. The large kanji at the top reads "Memorial of Usui Sensei's virtue", followed by "Someone who studies hard (ie practices meditation) and works assiduously to improve body and mind for the sake of becoming a better person is called "a man of great spirit". People who use that great spirit for a social purpose, that is, to teach the right way to many people and do collective good, are called "teachers"."

My Reiki pilgrimage to Dr Usui's gravesite was 2-fold:
1. To pay my respects to Dr Mikao Usui Sensei
2. To be close to his 'energy and spirit' and to physically touch his "tombstone" and memorial

Shinjuku is a bustling city with a population of 337,556 but I soon noticed the crowds thinning from the train as it left M8 (Shinjuku station) towards M3 (Shin-Koenji station) - train platform going towards Ogikubo. I found it much easier looking for the cemetery than I did walking around the underground subway looking for the Marunouchi Line (colour coded red line).
Clear directions & instructions at the end.

My heart was racing and pounding with excitement as my dreams about visiting my Reiki Founder's memorial shrine and grave is finally happening. Adding to this excitement, Dr Usui passed away on 9th March 1926, so my visit was indeed very timely.

Upon exiting Shin-Koenji station, I bought some beautiful white and pink flowers (without thorns) for Dr Usui. With flowers in hand, I got even more excited as this is now so concrete and tangible.
I had visualised this day so many times in my mind and finally I get to physically 'visit' Dr Usui.

Walking through the gate I see the beautiful Buddhist temple ahead. I now noticed the huge bell to my right and then Lady Kwan Yin. I stopped to honour her and offer my gratitude to the Goddess of Mercy, Kindness, Forgiveness and Compassion.

I used the dipper to wash my right and left hands, my mouth and on the top of my head. For me, this was symbolic of cleansing action, cleansing of spoken words and cleansing of thoughts and of the mind. With feelings of purification on all levels, I now headed down the small paths to find Dr Usui's tombstone, with eagerness.

Upon approaching the memorial, I found immediate peace and calm. Usui Sensei's memorial erected by his students is the biggest monument in the cemetery with Japanese inscriptions on it.

The grounds are very well maintained. It was a most beautiful sunny cool day, blue skies, gentle breeze, trees swaying graciously, leaves rustling softly, birds chirping happily and I am the only living soul in this peaceful place.

I placed the flowers in the water bowl as well as in front of his tombstone. I also placed a bottle of spring water and some coins as some of my humble offerings. Touching his tombstone and feeling so much gratitude, I sat by his memorial to pay my respects and to feel my connection with Dr Usui, all my Reiki Guides and Reiki. I sprinkled the spring water on his tombstone and the memorial shrine. With water in both my hands, I 'imprinted' my hand prints on the memorial, giving Reiki to Dr Usui. For me, this just symbolised the cleansing connection with all that is Reiki.

I thanked Dr Usui for teaching and assisting me in teaching others Reiki, with unconditional love.
I thanked all Reiki Guides for their kind and loving assistance and support, my Reiki students for their openness and trust, and all other non-Reiki students as they may be Reiki students in future.
I drew all the Reiki symbols, sent love and blessings to all Reiki Masters, Reiki practitioners, Mother Earth, Nature and Humanity. I felt all possible emotions. This was an auspicious day for me.

I took many photos from all angles before I sat quietly in meditation, connecting and spending some time reading on Dr Usui's life by his memorial; and reciting aloud the 5 Reiki principles.

After some time, I realised I had spent 3 amazing hours at his grave site with not a single earth soul in sight, apart from the groundskeeper which I didn't see but only heard the gentle action of soft sweeping in the distance only for a few minutes. It was very serene.

With me was Dr Usui's spirit and energy, mother nature with the singing of the birds, the wind gently blowing and the sounds of the wooden signs touching each other from the wind. I did not want to leave - I did try a few times, only to keep coming back to sit by the memorial again and again.

When it was time for me to leave once more, I leisurely strolled around the rest of the cemetery and finally approached the Buddhist temple. There is a very clean toilet to the left of the temple which was timely and handy. Walking out passing the other Buddhist statues and Lady Kwan Yin, once more bowing with respect and offering thanks and gratitude, I joined the rest of society again.

For me, these 2 Reiki pilgrimages feel very complete. I personally think visiting these 2 Reiki 'sites' (Tokyo grave site and Mt Kurama) is necessary for all Reiki practitioners at least once, at some point during their Reiki journey. It just feels complete and seals the connection to the Reiki energy and spirit. It feels tangible and wholesome in the Reiki learning - a form or sense of spiritual depth and connection.

The secret art of inviting happiness, the miraculous medicine for all diseases:

Just for today, do not anger.
Just for today, do not worry.
Just for today, honour your parents, teachers and elders.
Just for today, earn your living honestly.
Just for today, show gratitude to every living thing.

……………… Dr Mikao Usui Sensei

Directions to get to Dr Mikao Usui Sensei's Memorial in Suginami, Tokyo:

The address of the memorial is: 1 Chome-3-6 Umezato, Suginami-ku, Tokyo-to, Japan
Save this in your Google Maps.

1. From Shinjuku station, take the Marunouchi Line (red line) to Shin-Koenji Station. It was harder     to get around within the underground train station but ask around and look for signs and     directions pointing to Marunouchi Subway Line.
2. Buy a ticket (touch Language and choose English. Touch Ticket and then touch 170 yen - just     follow the prompts in English on the machine).
3. Go through the ticket booth and go down to Platform 1 towards Ogikubo. Shinjuku station is M8     and Shin-Koenji Station is M3 so it is only 5 stops. Announcements of the stops are made in the     train. The trains are very regular so there's no need to panic if you miss a train. Another one will     come in 5 mins and the ride is no longer than 10-15 mins.
4. Alight train and go through the ticket booth towards exit 1 - there's only 1.
5. Walk up the steps towards the exit 1. Turn right at exit. You will see a produce store, 711 and a     flower shop on the right. Buy flowers if you like.
6. Keep walking towards the traffic light (if you stopped at the flower shop, turn right towards the     traffic light).
7. Cross the street and head towards Sun-R-Us - directly in front of you as you cross the street.
8. Once you have crossed the road and standing in front facing Sun-R-Us, walk right. You will see a     hairdressing salon at a corner 'Milly Molly Mandy's'. Head towards it.
9. On the right of Milly Molly Mandy's is a small street you want to walk along its length to the end     (about 300-500m).
10. You will notice a cemetery on your right. This is the public cemetery you are visiting!
11. The entrance to this cemetery is at the end of this small street on the right.
12. Enter the gated entrance (which leads to a car park). This is the grounds of the Saihoji pure       Land Buddhist Temple.
13. As you enter the gate, on your right is a big bell.
14. Continue walking pass the big bell is a statue of Quan Yin.
15. Cleanse yourself here with the water in the bucket with the dipper. In keeping with the       Japanese culture and tradition, cleanse both hands and wipe your mouth but do not drink the       water. This is a respect ritual carried out before entering a holy place (shrine/cemetery).
16. To the left of Quan Yin (facing her) is a path (between Quan Yin and a marker/other statues).
17. (a) Walk down this main path almost to the end where you will notice a red brick shrine on       your right (this is the second small path from the far end). Stop here at this crossroad at the       end of the red brick shrine. You will now take the small path on the left from this junction at       this point. From here walk another 2 small ailes, turning left at the second aile and the       memorial is on your right. OR
      (b)Walk down this main path to the very end. You will see a huge shrine in front of you and an       incinerator to its left. Now follow the small path to the left and walk another 2 small ailes,       turning left at the second aile and the memorial is on your right.

You can't miss it as the memorial is the biggest erection in the cemetery.
There is also a lovely tree at the site.

If you can read Chinese (Kanji), his grave site is situated in row section 22, written in Japanese/Chinese characters. Row/section 22 is behind the smaller Buddhist temple building where the other statues are (these statues are to the left of Quan Yin and the marker).

Motivational, renewal and fortifying. In honour.

View photos and a short movie (last frame) of Usui Sensei's Memorial 2017 trip

Corrine Brown
Reiki Master Teacher

Read also Mt Kurama Pilgrimage here.

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