The Reiki Lineage: The Only One You Can Trust — and Why He Sells the Same Thing. Lesson 2 of 5
Continuation of the «Reiki as Business» series. Lesson 1 is here.
Why Lineage Matters
Reiki is not a technique from a textbook. It is a living tradition transmitted from teacher to student through initiation (Reiju). Without a confirmed chain of names you have no way to verify that you received what was promised.
Imagine: you buy a dissertation from a person who says they studied under a professor who studied under an academician. But no names, no dates, no documents. That is exactly how most Reiki schools in Russia are structured.
The Only Verifiable Public Lineage
There is one lineage that can be checked with documents and living witnesses:
Mikao Usui → Chujiro Hayashi → Chiyoko Yamaguchi → Hyakuten Inamoto
Four links. Each confirmed:
- Hayashi — direct student of Usui, documented in Japanese archives
- Yamaguchi Chiyoko (1921–2003) — received initiation from Hayashi in 1938, her history verified by her son Tadao Yamaguchi
- Inamoto Hyakuten, b. 1940 — Buddhist monk of the Jodo-shu school, Kyoto — studied personally under Yamaguchi
Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai — the closed society founded by Usui himself in 1922 — still exists in Japan but is closed to foreigners and does not issue certificates publicly. Inamoto is the closest public equivalent to an authentic tradition.
Now for the Uncomfortable Truth
Question 1: What Is His Education?
Hyakuten Inamoto is a Buddhist monk. His education: spiritual practice in the Jodo-shu tradition and years of studying Reiki. No medical education. No psychological education. This is not a criticism. Monasticism is a serious path. But it means his authority rests on exactly the same basis as any other Reiki master: reputation and trust, not verifiable professional standards.
Question 2: How Much Does It Cost?
The Shinpiden (Master-Teacher) course with Inamoto in Russia costs 95,000 rubles. Kozlova’s Master diploma also costs 95,000 rubles. The market price for the «highest level» of Reiki in Russia — both sell access to a status, and both charge the same.
Question 3: What Changed After 2020?
Before the pandemic, Inamoto travelled extensively and held in-person seminars. From April 2020, part of the training moved online. When business logic presses, even the holder of the «purest» tradition does what is profitable.
How to Verify Any Master’s Lineage — in 10 Minutes
- Ask for the complete chain: teachers’ names with initiation dates
- Ask where the initiation took place: in person or online
- Find teachers’ names in a search — they must exist publicly
- Check if the school has an educational licence (Rosobrnadzor website, licence registry)
- If the master cannot answer the first two questions — the conversation is over
Lesson 3 → The Reiki Master Diploma: what it gives you legally and why the answer will surprise you.