Kurama It is a mountain located 12 km from the city of Kyoto. It is the cradle of the practice of Reiki, and is said to be the home of Sojobo, king of the Tengu, who taught swordsmanship to Minamoto no Yoshitsune.
Kurama is also the location of the annual Fire Festival Kurama no Hi-matsuri, which takes place every October and is home to its famous Temple that was designated as Japan's national treasure.
In the early 1900s (some say 1914, others say 1922), the founder of Reiki, Mikao UsuiHe meditated for 21 days on this mountain, and received the Reiki energy. Mikao Usui meditated near the top of the mountain at a place called Osugi Gongen, on the site of a great sacred tree (Kami) said to be an incarnation of the god Maoson.
About the Kurama temple it is said that it was founded in 770 as the guardian of the northern part of the capital city (Heiankyo). It is located in the middle of the mountain. The original buildings, however, were repeatedly destroyed by fire.
The temple formerly belonged to the Tendai sect of Buddhism, but since 1949, it has been listed in the newly founded Kokyo Kurama sect as its headquarters.
About its mythological history it is related that more than six million years ago, the son of Mao (the great king of the conquerors of evil and the spirit of the earth) descended on Kurama Mount of Venus, with the great mission of the salvation of the humanity. Since then, Mao-mighty spirit of the son governing the development and evolution of not only humanity, but of all living things on Earth has been coming from Mt.
During the Heian and Kamakura period, in particular, Buddhist literature and art flourished on the mountain. There is an interesting story, for example, of a warrior named Ushiwaka-mani (later known as Minamoto Yoshitsune, 1159-1189).
When he was a young boy, he took up the military arts under the "Subjugating Tengusan" (of evil) in Kurama, and he went on to become an excellent soldier. A number of historical sites related to him still remain on the mountain.
