Reiki Lineages: Gakkai, Inamoto, and Why Dai Ko Myo Appears in Bujinkan
When a master says «I am in the direct lineage from Usui» — what does that mean in practice? We compare the lineages of eight real masters, analyse the difference between Gakkai and the Hayashi branch, and explain why Dai Ko Myo appears in both Reiki and Bujinkan.
1. Comparative Lineage Table
| Master | Lineage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hyakuten Inamoto | Usui → Hayashi Chujiro → Chiyoko Yamaguchi → Inamoto | ✅ Confirmed lineage through the Hayashi branch |
| Arina Kazanskaya | Usui → Hayashi → Yamaguchi → Inamoto → Kazanskaya | ✅ One of the few in Russia with a direct connection to Inamoto |
| Ma Atma Ruchira | Usui → Suzuki San → Chris Marsh → Taggart King → Karausch → Zhiva → Atma Ruchira | ⚠️ The Chris Marsh branch is historically disputed |
| Olesya Dobrovolskaya | … → Krainova (levels 1–2) → Ilona Amari (level 3) → Dobrovolskaya | ⚠️ The whole branch goes through Chris Marsh — a questionable origin |
| Mikhail Moshenkov | «7th spiritual line of the Japanese tradition» — specific chain not publicly disclosed | ✅ School of Light Reiki, Latvia. International presence verified |
2. Reiki Ryoho Gakkai: The Closed Society
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is Gakkai? | Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai — a closed society founded by Usui’s students in 1922. Still exists today in Tokyo |
| Who belongs to Gakkai? | Only Japanese nationals. Does not accept foreigners. Barely discloses information about itself |
| Inamoto’s lineage | Goes through Hayashi Chujiro — a student of Usui who left Gakkai and founded his own Reiki clinic. A separate branch, originally independent of Gakkai |
| What does «Komyo» mean? | 光明 (kōmyō) = «Great Light / Enlightenment» — the same word that forms part of the Reiki master symbol Dai Ko Myo (大光明) |
| 2016 rename | Komyo Reiki Kai → Komyo ReikiDo — emphasis shifted from «healing» to «spiritual path» (道, dō = path) |
3. Dai Ko Myo in Reiki and Bujinkan: A Shared Source
One of the most interesting facts about Reiki: the master symbol Dai Ko Myo (大光明) appears not only in Reiki. It also exists in Bujinkan — a Japanese martial art. Why?
In Bujinkan
Before each training session, the following mantra is recited:
Shikin haramitsu daikōmyō (詞韻 波羅蜜 大光明) "Every movement, every moment carries the possibility of enlightenment — the great light"
This phrase was transmitted to Bujinkan founder Masaaki Hatsumi through teacher Takamatsu Toshitsugu, who received it from his father-in-law — a priest of the Shingon school. The source is Japanese esoteric Buddhism (真言宗).
| Reiki | Bujinkan | |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Japanese esoteric Buddhism (Shingon / Tendai) | Japanese esoteric Buddhism (Shingon) |
| Characters | 大光明 | 大光明 |
| Meaning | Great Light, enlightenment, supreme consciousness | Enlightenment through every moment of practice |
Conclusion: 大光明 is an ancient Buddhist term used in several Japanese traditions independently. Reiki and Bujinkan draw from the same well — Japanese esoteric Buddhism — but do not borrow from each other directly.
What This Means for Choosing a School
- Ask the master about their lineage — specific names, not just «Japanese tradition».
- Check key links — especially the first three after Usui. Yamaguchi/Hayashi are documented. Suzuki San/Chris Marsh are disputed.
- Gakkai ≠ quality guarantee — this closed Japanese society is physically inaccessible to foreigners.
- Lineage ≠ teaching quality — a documentarily strong lineage does not guarantee good instruction, and vice versa.
- Author overlays are separate — Luxury Reiki, Bija-Reiki, Tantra-Reiki are not part of any historical lineage.
Source material based on web research. Date: 2026-06-15.