Jotarō Kashihara
ABOUT
樫原丈太郎 代表・主席師範
Jotarō's Reiki journey began not with belief, but with a healthy dose of skepticism.
In the early 1990s, he was struggling with health challenges and had spent several years pursuing conventional medical treatments with limited success. At the encouragement of a close friend and his friend's mother, he reluctantly agreed to try Reiki. It was, in many ways, desperation and seen as a last resort.
Although he remained skeptical after his first treatment, he did notice some relief. That experience was enough to make him willing to return for another session. Before long, the practitioner made an unexpected suggestion: rather than continue receiving treatments, why not learn Reiki for himself?
Jotarō attended his first Reiki seminar in 1996, studying a Western style of Reiki taught through an organization called the Reiki Alliance. Two years later, in 1998, he completed the second level with the same teacher. While he found the practice meaningful and was seeing positive results in his treatments, he had long questioned some of the historical accounts that were being taught. Much of the history did not seem to align with his understanding of Japanese culture and the historical period in which Reiki had developed.
Those questions led him into years of research. This was before the widespread availability of the internet, and there were very few books on Reiki in English. Progress was slow, but as more information became available, his understanding gradually deepened. The writings of Frank Arjava Petter were especially influential and helped shape the direction of his studies.
In 2002, Jotarō completed the third level of Western Reiki with a different teacher. He then began teaching, incorporating not only what he had learned from his instructors but also the growing body of historical information that was emerging from Japan. As additional books were published and opportunities to study with other teachers arose, he continued refining his understanding and gradually adapted his practice to reflect what he was learning.
In 2006, Jotarō met Mary Jackobson at a Reiki Share. Mary was also a long-time practitioner who had spent significant time studying with teachers in Japan. Their conversation led him to undertake an intensive two-week study of Dentō Usui Reiki Ryōhō at her home in Covington, Ohio. He completed all levels of training and was awarded the rank of Shihan (師範,teacher) in 2007. In 2013, Mary recognized his continued dedication to the study and practice of Reiki Ryōhō by awarding him the title of Dai Shihan (大師範, senior teacher).
In 2026, after nearly three decades of study, practice, research, and teaching of Reiki, Jotarō made the decision to devote himself exclusively to Dentō Usui Reiki Ryōhō. He felt that this was the work he was meant to do. He sat down with his notes, manuals, and research materials and began the process of refining and organizing his work. He set aside the other styles of Reiki he had previously practiced and taught in order to focus entirely on preserving and sharing the traditional Japanese methods of Reiki practice.
That decision also marked the beginning of the transformation of Reiki with Jotarō into the Dentō Reiki Kyōkai (傳統靈氣協會), a resource dedicated to helping others openly discover, study, and practice traditional Japanese Usui Reiki Ryōhō. As part of this new direction, Jotarō assumed the positions of Daihyō (代表, Representative) and Shuseki Shihan (主席師範, Head Instructor) within the Dentō Reiki Kyōkai.
The information presented throughout this website reflects that continuing journey — one guided by ongoing study, historical research, regular practice, and a commitment to understanding Shinshin Kaizen Usui Reiki Ryōhō as faithfully as possible to its original Japanese roots.
Have any questions?
If you have any questions about the practice of traditional Reiki Ryōhō, our training seminars, or an upcoming Reiki event, feel free to contact us.
Dentō Reiki Kyōkai
傳統靈氣協會
Much in the same way as Usui Sensei, we believe that the practice of Reiki Ryōhō is for everyone equally. We do not care about your race, gender, religion or orientations, you are welcome to practice and learn with us.
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