Last weekend, I held a Shinkiko retreat seminar in Sapporo.
I would like to thank everyone who participated. Having been born in Sapporo and lived there until I finished university, I felt a comforting sense of returning home.
On the morning of the first day, I woke up early and took a walk around my alma mater, Hokkaido University. When I reached the School of Liberal Arts, I saw a large banner hanging on the gymnasium.
“Light from the North” and “Ambition to enlighten the world”—these are the taglines for Hokkaido University, which marks its 150th anniversary in 2026.
Standing on the quiet campus in the morning, these words resonated deeply within me.
I felt anew that the journey of Shinkiko has also been one of delivering light from the north.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Shinkiko, which began when my predecessor developed “Hi Genki” in 1986.
Reflecting on the fact that I was born here in Sapporo in 1961 and studied at the Hokkaido University Faculty of Engineering, this Shinkiko retreat seminar held a significance far beyond that of a mere regional event.
I feel it became a symbolic occasion—a moment where Shinkiko’s energy returned to its roots, poised to embark on a fresh start with even greater power.
Since the Meiji era, Hokkaido has been a land where ancestors gathered from across Japan in search of a new frontier, striving to survive while facing harsh natural conditions and great hardships.
Deeply embedded in this land is a collective resolve to overcome those adversities and make a great leap forward.
This spirit is further amplified by the energy of Shinkiko, and our ancestors join in to lend their support.
I felt that the participants were able to gain a sense of forging their own futures during the training precisely because the energy of Shinkiko and the power of their ancestors came together.
Over the course of forty years, Shinkiko has continuously evolved.
While remaining true to the fundamental concept of “Ki transmission”—revealed to the founder in a dream—the practice keeps pace with modern advancements, incorporating technologies such as UV laser engraving.
Ki is not an ancient ascetic practice, but a method of harnessing energy that is perfectly suited to the modern age.
The credibility Shinkiko enjoys today is built upon the weight of forty years spent integrating science with the practice of Ki.
The Hokkaido University motto—”a grand ambition to illuminate and enlighten the world”—resonated deeply with the founder’s own aspirations.
The Ki energy charged here in Sapporo will now carry forward into training sessions in Tokyo, Miyazaki, and Kyoto.
The Chairman’s sessions, held at centers across the country, are also part of this movement.
I hope that this “return to our roots” serves as an opportunity for each of you to reflect on your own origins—your ancestors and your cherished family.
The light comes from the north.
It is my hope that this light will continue to spread throughout the nation and across the globe.