Letter from a Shinto Priest about Kurama-san (Honored Kurama Mountain)

I was asked to donate a copy of my book, Reiki's Birthplace: A Site Guide to Kurama mountain to the Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America by Marianne Steich, who had once written a review of my book, on the occasion of their celebration of Mikao Usui's 145th birthday.

I sent an email to the shrine, (text in the first tab below), saying a little bit of my background with Kurama, and of the history of the Mikao Usui. I got a lovely reply (2nd tab below) with a number of things I did not know about Shinto and Kurama mountain. Since some of this is information about Kurama mountain I had not seen before I wanted to include it here for those interested in Kurama mountain for its own history and wonder, even if it does not directly relate to Mikao Usui and Reiki.

Text of Original Correspondence

In the tabs below is the full text of my correspondence to and from the Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America.. I could really feel the energy of the senior priest and the power of the Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America as I read. I hope you do too. In the section below the tabs I will endeavor to explain the names/concepts involved.

My email to the Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America 7/27/2010

Today I got a call from Marianne Streich, who wants to bring you a copy of my book, Reiki's birthplace: A guide to Kurama Mountain.

I would like to know more about your ceremony of August 15th. My only regret is that I wont be able to attend.

In case you would like to know more about me:

Kurama is such a marvelous place. I started going there because I teach Reiki (since 1992) and Mikao Usui received Reiki when he meditated here for 21 days, most likely in 1914. I kept coming because i learned to love the place for itself. I came first in February 2001, and I then spoke to William Rand, the head of the international center for Reiki training, about organizing a trip that fall.

We had thought Reiki had died out in Japan completely. It only started in the early 1900s, gained popularity as did many other natural methods of healing did in those times, then died out after WW2 so that we thought it only existed outside Japan. It was around this time in 2001 that we learned it had not, but had gone underground, and we first started finding out about people teaching Reiki still in Japan. So I helped William Rand plan a trip, then found out about a Reiki school in Tokyo, and extended my trip to do both.. That is how i ended up being 5 weeks in Japan, most of it in Kyoto.

I went to Japan on Sept 22, 2001. This was RIGHT after 9/11 but nothing was going to stop me from going. And since the world was looking a little shaky, i climbed the mountain 21 times as my own prayer for world peace. Since then I have gone back every year or two, staying 3-5 weeks, teaching classes, hiking, and experiencing the mountain.. as of March i have hiked the mountain 108 times. When i am on the mountain i do not so much pray, meditate or do Reiki (though i certainly do some of these), as much as I try to simply experience the mountains many energies. It is my favorite sacred place.

I do not know as much as I would like about Shinto, mostly i know what most English speaking tourists can discover, I have been to the Yuki shrine's fire festival as a guest of Matsukura-san who owns the little bamboo shop at the front gate of the mountain. I have spent time at the Kibune shrine. It is hard when you don't speak Japanese, but I do my best, and many bilingual people have been very patient with answering my questions, and letting me share what I have learned from others. Thus my writing the book.

I would like to know more.. I would like to know more about how you experience the mountain, the areas of it you find special. I am honored you will be getting a copy of my book, and hope the many pictures will bring back fond memories. Some of my favorites are the Yuki Shrine, Osugi Gongen (where we think Usui meditated), and the Fudo shrine

Do you have a webcam like the one at the Yuki Shrine? I would love to be able to see some of the ceremony, as might other Reiki people. The Yuki shrines webcam is: http://www.yukijinjya.jp/keidainew-live.html

I live in Southern California, and have barely ever been to Seattle, but if i get there someday, I will make a point of traveling to see your shrine.

Jessica Miller

Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America Full Reply 7/28/2010

Dear Ms. Jessica Miller,

Thank you for your email. May I say how personally delighted I am to be in contact with you.

Thank you also so very much to teach me the background information of Usui Kaiso and also so nice information of you and your wonderful book..(I have not read it, only thumbed through it--I am looking forward to read it after Streich-san presents a copy to Kamisama on 15th).

I am not the Reiki practitioner and have only visited Kuramasan one time... as the professional Kannushi/ Shinto Priest I led a group of Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America Sukeisya/ shrine members to Kuramasan, which is famous as the place of Sarutahiko Okami/ who is the main Kami of my shrine. (we are the direct branch of Tsubaki Okami Yashiro in Mie Japan which is Sarutahiko Daihonguu / #1 of 3000 Sarutahiko Okami Jinja in Japan). Kuramasan is most famous as the place Ushiwakamaru learned divine sword technique from Tengu under the direction of Sarutahiko Okami. When divine techniques are revealed on Kuramasan, it is the intervention of Sarutahiko Okami.

SARUTAHIKO OKAMI, the Gosaijin/ Main Kami of Tsubaki Okami Yashiro in Mie Japan and it's North American branch shrine Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America is the Kunitsu kami Oyagami- ancestor of all Earthly Kami and Kami of positiveness, ethics-justice, longevity, guidance and is also known as DOUSOUJIN, Kami of the Way, Path and Kami to protect the Path. FUNADO-NO-OU-KAMI, Kami to protect crossroads, KUNADO-NO-SAHE-NO-KAMI , Kami to Protect , ward off misfortune MICHIHIRAKI-NO-KAMI Kami to open the path, MICHIBIKI-NO-KAMI Kami of opening life path and KI-NO-OKAMI Kami of Ki. Sarutahiko-no-O-Kami has many other names as well: TA-NO-OKAMI and KOKUDONOOKAMI as it was Sarutahiko Okami who could mark and protect the boundaries of the sacred rice field where Okamisama's divine spiritual chemistry takes place, OKITAMA NO OKAMI kami in charge of all things inside the atmosphere, O-TENGU king of all Tengu, O-TSUCHI-NO-OKAMI kami of centeredness and grounding, KANOE SARU kami of awakening motivation ,SADA-BIKO original 1/3 of Inari worship, TSUBAKI-OKAMI, TSUBAKI DAIMYOJIN, SAE-NO-OKAMI, SHIRO-HIGE, YACHIMATA-NO-OKAMI and he is also AIKI OYAGAMI ancestor kami of Aikido, REIKI OYAGAMI ancestor kami of Reiki and SAKE-OKAMI kami in charge of brewing.

Ms. Miller, I wish your schedule would allow you to attend Reiki Gyoji here--I am sorry we have not arranged the webcam- but perhaps in the future.... in any case if you have occasion to visit the Pacific Northwest please allow me to welcome you to Tsubaki Jinja. If you are interested in the Jinja Shinto, please consider to join the e-mailing list of our shrine's membership group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Tsubakiko/ although primarily the e-forum/information board for Shrine Members, non-members are welcome to enjoy photos , files and in depth information of the Jinja Shinto....also I do my best to answer questions re: Jinja Shinto practice on list.

 

Thank you

Rev. Koichi Barrish

Tsubaki Jinja Senior Priest

Further Correspondence

Thank you for your kind response, may I post it on my website? I want to add a section just about Kurama mountain, and your wonderful letter would be a great addition. - jess

Dear Ms. Jessica Miller,

Thank you for your email. Yes of course that would be very nice ...I have enjoyed to look at your website. Yes great idea about Kuramasan section--- Miller Sensei, may I ask you to add our web address www.Tsubakishrine.org with the letter so Reiki people can know about North American Shrine of Reiki Oyagami..

yoroshiku onegaiitashimasu
Koichi Barrish
Tsubaki Jinja

 

Explanation of the Shinto Priests Letter

First Read the Text of the Shinto Priests letter on the second tab above.. The following will give you a bit of background on that letter.

Mikao Usui is addressed as "Usui Kaiso" Kaiso means founder or originator. I suspect that Chujiro Hayashi and Hawayo Takata would have called Mikao Usui "Usui Kaiso" and when pressed to translate this into English, settled on "Dr. Usui". Language reference

My book would be presented to Kamisama on August 15th, Kamisama is the singular of Kami, meaning god. Shinto is a religion of gods with a small 'g', nature spirits, the sacred spirits of ancestors, sacred concepts and other sacred beings. Presenting to Kamisama means presenting to the deity of the shrine. My book is Reiki's BIrthplace: A site Guide to Kurama mountain, available from Amazon.com here.

Streich-san/ Kuramasan -" -san" as a suffix that is best translated as "Honored"..an English equivalent would be "Mister", it is a title of respect that can be given to people, as well as sacred places and things. Japanese does not distinguish between Kuramasan and Kurama-san, or even Kurama san, so you will often see different variations in the translation.

Kuramasan is most famous as the place Ushiwakamaru learned divine sword technique from Tengu under the direction of Sarutahiko Okami. When divine techniques are revealed on Kuramasan, it is the intervention of Sarutahiko Okami.

Ushiwakamaru is the boyhood name of the great Samurai hero Yoshitsune, who lived a thousand years ago. His whole family was wiped out by a rival clan leaving only him as a baby and his eldest brother.. He was raised by the monks on Kurama mountain, and learned martial arts (back when that meant art of war.. not just art of hand to hand and weapon combat) from a mysterious being called the Kurama Tengu. Yoshitsune/Ushiwakamaru went on to defeat one of Japans most powerful samurai, and led an army to victory, only to be destroyed by his brothers jealousy. ( You can read more in many sources including wikipedia and in my book,Reiki's Birthplace)

This is Kurama's most famous legend and one of the most famous samurai legends in Japan, and is the background for many cultural stories, just as Robin Hood or King Arthur is a legend with continuing resonance in western culture today. To extend the King Arthur reference (even though the stories are quite different), The Tengu would be Merlin, and Sarutahiko Okami would be the god or goddess that inspired and trained Merlin.

Tengu

Tengu is a type of mythical intelligent creature. There are two types, the crow Tengu (like in the movie Spirited Away) is considered to be the lesser Tengu, and the Kurama Tengu, which has a big red nose.

Sarutahiko Okami

It is unclear when doing the research if Sarutahiko was a 'real' person, or a spirit guide. He is considered to be the teacher of the Samurai hero Yoshitsune a thousand years ago.

The next two paragraphs below excerpted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarutahiko_Okami

Sarutahiko ?kami is a powerful guardian kami who is enshrined at Tsubaki Grand Shrine in Mie Prefecture, first among the 2,000 shrines of Sarutahiko ?kami and Sarutahiko Jinja in Ise and ?asahiko Shrine in Tokushima Prefecture. In the Kojiki, he is the leader of the earthly kami and the one who greets Ninigi-no-Mikoto, the grandson of Amaterasu, the Sun goddess, when he descends from Takamagahara. He is depicted as a towering man with a large beard, jeweled spear, ruddy face, and long nose. At first he is unwilling to yield his realm until persuaded by Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto, the kami of dance and the arts, whom he later marries. Sarutahiko ?kami is seen as a symbol of strength and guidance, which is why he is the patron of martial arts such as aikido.

Sarutahiko has the distinction of being one of only six kami to be honored with the title ?kami (??) or "Great Kami"; the other five are Izanagi, Izanami (in her Persephone-like role as Queen of the Underworld), Michikaeshi, Sashikuni, and Amaterasu. The special honor paid to Sarutahiko is particularly notable for the fact that he is the singular kunitsukami, or earthly kami, to be given the title; the other five are all amatsukami, i.e., heavenly kami.[citation needed]

Okami Jinja

Okami means "great God". "Jinja" is the Japanese word for a Shinto Shrine.

The priests letter then describes a number of other beings as also being Sarutahiko Okami. A few of these titles are of special interest. "O-TENGU king of all Tengu".. The legend of Yoshitsune is that he was taught by the king of the Kurama Tengu. AIKI OYAGAMI ancestor kami of Aikido, REIKI OYAGAMI ancestor kami of Reiki and SAKE-OKAMI kami in charge of brewing. Oyagami means ancestor or originator, so Sarutahiko is considered to be the ancestor of Aikido (Aikido;s founder spent some time on Kurama), Reiki, and the sacred drink Sake.