UNDERSTANDING WESTERN vs JAPANESE REIKI

What’s the Difference Between Japanese Reiki and Western Reiki?
 

As you explore Reiki, no matter where you may be on your Reiki journey, you’re likely to come across terms like “Traditional Reiki”, “Japanese Reiki”, or “Traditional Usui Reiki Ryoho”.  While they sound like they refer to the original system of Reiki, a vast majority (almost all) of Reiki being practiced today falls under the category of 'Western Reiki' or 'Westernised Reiki' and all Western systems of Reiki, are substantially modified versions of the original, traditional Japanese practice. 

​

And while understanding the difference between Japanese and Western Reiki can be helpful, many people wrongly assume that in contrast to Western systems of Reiki, all “Japanese” systems must be true to the original teachings simply because they originate in Japan. This is not the case.

​

For this reason, it is also worthwhile looking at which systems within the Japanese category are genuinely traditional (such as Jikiden Reiki and the teachings preserved by the Arjava Reiki Institute), and which are modified or hybridised (such as Komyo ReikiDo and Gendai Reiki).

​

What was the Traditional Reiki System?

Reiki was founded in Japan by Mikao Usui in the 1920s.

The original practice was far more than hands-on healing. It was a full system for:

​

• spiritual growth

• cultivating energy

• healing the mind and body

• eliminating suffering through spiritual practices

• treating specific mental, emotional, and physical conditions

In addition to hands-on healing, Usui and Hayashi (Usui's last Shihan student before his death) taught:

​

• techniques for detoxifying the body

• methods for clearing energy stagnation

• techniques for healing fresh injuries

• a technique for inviting intuitive guidance

• symbols and mantras with corresponding healing techniques

• a method for eliminating unwanted mental habits

• Byosen Technique - the system for sensing illness through the hands

• daily energetic cultivation practices

• daily spiritual discipline

• Reiju in its original form, offered repeatedly to deepen connection

​​

This was the complete traditional Reiki system.

​

Why did the Traditional Reiki Teachings change? 

The shift began when Chujiro Hayashi passed the teachings on to Hawayo Takata, a Japanese-American woman who brought Reiki to the West in the late 1930s. This is where the term Western Reiki comes from. When Takata introduced Reiki to the West, she made significant changes to the original system, and every system of Reiki that later emerged in Western countries came through her lineage, with many making further changes of their own.​

​

Because of anti-Japanese sentiment during WWII in the West,  and because Takata began teaching Reiki in weekend workshops, as opposed to continuous teaching of time through Gatherings (as was done in the original teachings in Japan), Takata:

​

• removed the traditional spiritual practices

• removed intuitive methods

• removed culturally Japanese elements

• removed all advanced healing techniques

• changed the method and form of Reiju

• simplified the teaching structure

• introduced set hand positions to replace intuitive treatment and the Byosen technique

What remained was a much simpler, more accessible, stripped-back version of the original system -focused almost entirely on hands-on healing with minimal emphasis on energy cultivation, spiritual growth, or intuitive development.  In short, a substantial majority of the original, traditional spiritual and healing practices were removed from her teaching.

This is the foundation of Western Reiki.

​​

Why Didn’t the Original Japanese System Continue?

​

Meanwhile, the original Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai in Japan closed its doors during the war and has remained a private group ever since. Because it is not open to the public, the original Japanese system did not continue to spread.

As a result, Reiki was only able to spread through Takata's teaching.  This means that every Reiki system that has emerged outside of Japan has come through Takata’s teaching, and is therefore a Western system, substantially modified from the original, even if it uses names like “Traditional,” “Usui Reiki,” or “Japanese Reiki.”

​​

The Return of Japanese Reiki: Jikiden Reiki and Beyond

​

This changed when Western researchers began researching the history of Reiki and located Chiyoko Yamaguchi, a student of Hayashi who had continued practising the original teachings privately within her family for decades. Chiyoko Yamaguchi, a Japanese student of Hayashi, was sought out by Westerners who were looking to reconnect with the original form of Reiki.  Chiyoko had never formally taught Reiki, for over 65 years she and her entire family had simply continued to practice it for themselves and with family and friends, just as Hayashi had taught them. When asked to share what she knew, she agreed, and eventually the system known as Jikiden Reiki was established to preserve and pass on the full set of original Reiki practices, exactly as she had learned them.

Usui Reiki Ryōhō as Taught by the Arjava Reiki Institute

In addition to Jikiden Reiki, and whilst not technically a 'Japanese' system of Reiki, the Arjava Reiki Institute also preserves the original teachings. Its founder, Arjava Petter, began teaching under this new banner after stepping down as the vice-principal of the Jikiden Reiki Institute at the end of 2024. A long-time student of Chiyoko Yamaguchi, he teaches Usui Reiki Ryōhō exactly as it was taught to him, without creating a new “system” or modifying the original practices in any way. These are the direct teachings passed down through Chiyoko, who learned Reiki from Chujiro Hayashi and continued to practice it unchanged throughout her life.

This includes the traditional Reiju, symbols, mantras and advanced healing techniques. In addition, it passes on several practices he learned from Chiyoko that weren't included in the formal Jikiden Reiki syllabus as well as from the Usui Reiki Ryōhō Gakkai. 

Japanese modified/hybrid systems

Beyond Jikiden Reiki, a second Japanese system, Komyo ReikiDo, also draws from the same lineage through Chiyoko Yamaguchi. While it retains the essence of spiritual practice that formed part of the original system, its founder, Hyakuten Inamoto, made changes to some of the fundamental practices. These include changing the form of Reiju (which is the hallmark of Usui Reiki Ryōhō), removing the use of one of the Reiju symbols, altering two of the three main symbols, removing certain teachings and techniques, and modifying some of the traditional healing practices.

In this way, although Komyo ReikiDo is a Japanese system of Reiki, it cannot be said to teach the original Japanese system of Reiki or the traditional Reiki practices.

​​​

A third Japanese system, Gendai Reiki, is often mistakenly thought to have a direct lineage to the Gakkai. However:

• the founder, Hiroshi Doi, cannot teach anything from the Gakkai due to confidentiality

• he describes his own system as a hybrid Japanese/Western system

• it is heavily influenced by the Western teachings, uses Western symbols, Western Reiju, and incorporates new-age Western practices

Although these systems originated in Japan, this refers to geography, not adherence to the original teachings. In other words, being Japanese does not automatically mean a system is traditional.

​

What Japanese Traditional Systems Teach (That Western and Modified Systems Do Not)

Systems like Jikiden Reiki (and the teachings preserved within the Arjava Reiki Institute) include the full traditional practice, unchanged. This includes:

​

• daily spiritual practices for inner cultivation

• the original symbols and kotodama used for specific healing techniques

• energy-cultivating techniques

• intuitive healing through Byosen (and associated symbol used specifically for this technique)

• advanced healing techniques

• techniques for detoxification and clearing stagnation

• techniques for healing fresh injuries

• the method for eliminating unwanted mental habits and kotodama

• Reiju in the form taught by Hayashi, offered repeatedly over time including a symbol used specifically for this purpose

• cultural and spiritual context underpinning the practices

​​​​​

Why Many Western Practitioners Believe They Are Teaching “Traditional Reiki”

​

When it comes to Western Reiki and the modifications made by Takata, many practitioners and teachers, who are deeply dedicated to their practice, are simply unaware that significant changes were made. Most don’t realise that Takata removed key spiritual and healing practices, or that the set hand positions commonly taught today were an adaptation from the original system. As a result, they genuinely believe they are practicing the traditional form of Reiki.

​

When they say they practice or teach “Usui Reiki Ryoho,” “Traditional Usui Reiki,” "Japanese Reiki" or “Traditional Reiki,” it may sound like they’re offering the original teachings, but almost always they are teaching the Westernised version from the Takata lineage.

And again, it is Reiki.

It is just different from the original Japanese system.

​​​​

Why Understanding the Distinction Matters

​

Globally, Western Reiki systems are still by far, the most widely taught. They likely represent 95%, if not more, of the Reiki taught and practiced around the world

Japanese systems that preserve the original teachings, like Jikiden Reiki and Usui Reiki Ryoho as taught by the Arjava Reiki Institute, are far less common simply because they re-emerged much later and maintain stricter lineage preservation.

​

But for those who feel like something is missing, or who instinctively sense there is more to the practice, learning the traditional techniques can deepen and broaden what they already know.

​

A Message for Western Reiki Students, Practitioners & Teachers

​

If you’ve trained in Western Reiki and you feel curious about the missing elements of the original practice, or you have a desire to move deeper into your practice, these traditional techniques can be integrated beautifully into your existing system.

​

Rather than contradict Western Reiki teachings and practices, they enhance it., bringing with them:

​

• greater depth

• stronger spiritual and energetic connection

• greater intuitive development

• deeper spiritual development and 

• a more comprehensive understanding of how Reiki actually works and the spiritual and cultural backbones of the practice

If you are curious to learn more about the differences both between Western Reiki and Japanese Reiki, as well as between Traditional Japanese systems vs modified or hybridised Japanese system, you can read more here.