The Memorial Stone
The Usui Memorial at Saihoji Temple
The Mikao Usui memorial is a stone. It is not a grand monument. It is not a towering statue. It is a modest stone in the garden of a Buddhist temple in Tokyo.
The stone was erected in 1927 by Usui's students. The lead student was Chujiro Hayashi, who would later train Hawayo Takata and bring Reiki to the West.
The stone bears an inscription describing Usui's life, character, and teachings. It is the most reliable contemporary source on Usui's life.
Saihoji Temple Grounds
A simple map of the temple layout showing the location of the Usui memorial stone.
Temple Entrance
From the street. Quiet residential neighborhood. No large signs.
Main Temple Building
Working Buddhist temple. Services held regularly. Not a museum.
Garden
Peaceful space. Trees, stones, traditional Japanese garden elements.
Usui Memorial Stone
Located near the back of the garden. About 1.5 meters tall. Carved inscription.
The Stone's History
- Mikao Usui dies in Fukuyama.His students begin planning how to honor him.
- Students erect memorial stone at Saihoji Temple.Creates a permanent monument to Usui and his teachings.
- The stone stands in quiet obscurity. Few Westerners know of it.Reiki spreads in the West without knowledge of this primary source.
- Japanese Reiki researchers rediscover the stone and translate its inscription.The Western Reiki community learns the truth about Usui's Buddhist background and lay status.
- Saihoji becomes an international pilgrimage site.Reiki practitioners from around the world travel to Tokyo to honor Usui at his memorial.
What the Stone Says
The Words Carved in Stone
The inscription on the Usui memorial stone is not long. It fills perhaps five hundred Japanese characters. But those five hundred characters are the most important written source we have about Reiki's founder.
It begins by describing Usui's character: 'His personality was gentle and humble. He never displayed arrogance. His physique was large and sturdy. He always wore a faint smile on his face.'
It describes his quest: 'He wanted to discover the method of healing people who were sick and suffering that the ancient masters had used. So he devoted himself to spiritual discipline.'
It describes the Mount Kurama retreat: 'He climbed Mount Kurama and fasted for twenty-one days. At dawn on the last day, he suddenly felt a great spiritual power and received the secret method of Reiki Ryoho.'
It describes his teaching and his death: 'He taught many people. In March of 1926, while staying in Fukuyama, he became ill and passed away. He was sixty years of age.'
The Journey to Saihoji
Why Reiki Practitioners Travel to Tokyo
There is no requirement in Reiki to visit Saihoji. No teacher will tell you that your attunement is incomplete if you have not stood before the stone. And yet, Reiki practitioners go. They go from Brazil and Germany and Australia and the United States.
Why do they go? Because something happens there. Practitioners report a sense of presence, of connection, of being held by something larger than themselves. They report crying without knowing why.
The stone does not perform miracles. It does not heal. It is a rock with writing on it. But it is a rock that was placed there by people who loved Usui. When you stand before it, you stand in the stream of that love.
Just as the cherry blossoms bloom again each spring, may the teachings of Reiki Ryoho spread throughout the world forever.
Key takeaways
The shortest useful version of this page.
The Mikao Usui memorial stone is at Saihoji Temple in Suginami, Tokyo.
It was erected by Usui's students in 1927.
The inscription on the stone is the most reliable contemporary source on Usui's life and character.
Saihoji has become an informal pilgrimage site for Reiki practitioners worldwide.
The stone is a memorial, not Usui's grave.
Visitors are welcome but should be respectful.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Mikao Usui memorial?
At Saihoji Temple in Suginami, Tokyo, Japan.
What is the Usui memorial?
A stone monument erected by Usui's students in 1927 with an inscription describing his life.
Is Usui buried at Saihoji?
The stone is a memorial. His actual burial location is not definitively known.
Can I visit the Usui memorial?
Yes. Saihoji Temple is open to the public. Visitors are welcome during regular temple hours.
Do I need to be Reiki attuned to visit?
No. The stone is historically significant regardless of your personal practice.
Sources
- Usui Memorial Stone inscription, Saihoji Temple, Tokyo, translated by Hyakuten Inamoto.
- Frank Arjava Petter, Reiki Fire, 1997.
- Bronwen and Frans Stiene, The Reiki Sourcebook, 2003.
- Visitor accounts and pilgrimage reports from Reiki practitioners.
