A Life Changed by the Loss of a Partner

I was born in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture. Up until junior high, I was just an ordinary, cheerful, and serious girl, enjoying life every day. But in high school, I began to feel like everyone around me was a liar, and I grew to hate school. Since I believed firmly in never telling lies, I found myself thinking, “I don’t want to be around people who are always pretending.” From that point on, I constantly wanted to drop out, and in hindsight, I think I was somewhat mentally unstable at the time. However, I didn’t want to trouble my parents, so I somehow managed to graduate from high school and went to a junior college in Tokyo. After graduating, I got a job, got married at 22, and left my job and became a housewife.

Not long after, just as I was vaguely thinking about working in web-related fields, my husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer. The doctor told us he only had about two to three months left to live. My mind went blank. But the only thing I could do was care for my husband, so I gave it my all. I wanted to help him relax as much as possible, alleviate his pain, and bring him even the slightest bit closer to a healthy state. No matter how often others talked about his limited time, I refused to think about him dying and continued to focus wholeheartedly on taking care of him. In the end, my husband passed away three and a half years after the cancer was discovered.

When that chapter of my life ended, and I found myself alone, thinking about what to do next, I had only one thought in my mind: I wanted to reduce the number of people like my husband. To do that, I realized I needed to learn more about the human body and health. I started studying aromatherapy, which had always interested me, and began performing treatments. Gradually, I acquired various other skills and knowledge. Before I knew it, 12 years had passed since then.

Wholehearted Treatments, Unwavering Beliefs, and Future Mission

Because I started this path with such a profound experience, I always give my all in my treatments. After all, I spent three and a half years caring for someone who might have died the next day. It wasn’t just giving my all, it was more like three and a half years of giving everything I had, as if my own life was on the line. That was my starting point, and since I now perform treatments to help reduce the number of people like my husband, there’s no way I can cut corners. People are often surprised by how much effort I put into my treatments. They say, “I’ve never seen a chiropractor give this much.” Those who appreciate my dedication introduce me to new clients, and slowly but steadily, my practice has grown to where it is today.

Although I now receive media attention, the reason I do this work has never changed. That’s why I can firmly decline any requests that might compromise my beliefs, and even if something causes me to waver, I always return to my core principles. In my seminars, I often say, “Keep the reason why you’re doing this at the center of your heart.” Those who have this are strong. The clearer the reason, the more you can persevere, and as a result, your work can evolve with a sense of purpose and mission.

In my case, I feel that after 12 years, I’ve fulfilled one aspect of my role as a practitioner. So now, I want to shift my focus to the role of a mentor. I want to pass on the techniques and strong beliefs I’ve cultivated to the next generation and make them more widely available to help even more people. On a larger scale, I want to reduce the number of people like my husband. To do that, I believe my mission over the next 10 years is to take on bigger challenges, such as training more talented practitioners, creating an association, and expanding platforms for sharing knowledge.

I always say what I want to do and what I want to achieve out loud. The word “叶” (meaning “to come true”) is made up of “口” (mouth) and “十” (ten), so I believe that if you say what you want to accomplish out loud 10 times a day, it will come true. Whether it’s something small or big, I say everything I want to do, over and over again. I just keep saying it (laughs). When I do that, people around me naturally start to help in various ways. They’ll say things like, “Then you should do this,” or “You might find a hint if you go there,” or “I know someone who can help you.” Before I know it, their advice and assistance come from all directions, and I find myself following that path. So, even when something is achieved, I never feel like I accomplished it alone.

That’s why, for the things I want to achieve over the next 10 years, I’m saying them out loud as much as possible.

Spreading the Message as a Messenger

I believe my next role is to become a messenger. Specifically, the message I want to spread is simply “What true health is.” There are many different ways of thinking about health, but one of the core elements for me is the concept of the three vital energies in the human body—“Qi, Blood, and Water.” This is a traditional Chinese medicine concept that says the ideal state of the body is when these three energies—Qi, Blood, and Water—are circulating smoothly and efficiently.

“Qi” refers to the vital energy that keeps a person active. It’s the energy that powers organs like the heart and the energy used for metabolism. It’s the source of all our activities. “Blood” is exactly as the word suggests—blood. Nutrients are carried throughout the body via the blood, so it must flow smoothly to every corner of the body without stagnation. Lastly, “Water” refers to the fluids other than blood, such as lymph fluid, saliva, tears, and gastric juices. These body fluids and the energy they generate through circulation are essential for the body’s function. I believe that spreading the message of true health means teaching people how to ensure that all three of these energies—Qi, Blood, and Water—circulate well.

In today’s world, especially in Japan, I feel there are still very few people who pay close attention to their health. Poor diets, lack of exercise, and sleep deprivation—all of these bad habits, which are major issues in modern society, disrupt the circulation of Qi, Blood, and Water. Prolonged neglect of these factors not only increases the risk of illness but also affects one’s motivation. It’s fascinating how, when the body is not functioning optimally, the mind also loses its balance. As a result, people naturally become more negative, falling into a harmful cycle mentally. Unfortunately, many people in Japan are not aware of this.

When I treat clients, I not only focus on their physical care but also take the time to explain what true health is. I talk about the importance of keeping these three energies flowing and what they can do on a daily basis to achieve that. I offer each client some form of “awareness,” tailored to their needs. I believe that if one person becomes aware of this, it can impact 10 or even 100 people behind them. I’ve practiced this approach for the past 10 years.

For the next 10 years, as a messenger, I want to expand the circle of colleagues and successors who share my techniques, beliefs, and purpose. These individuals will become new hubs, spreading awareness to more people, and those ideas will ripple out to even more individuals. Furthermore, by spreading high-quality techniques, I hope to elevate the overall skill level of practitioners in Japan. My ultimate goal is for the idea of “each individual to face his/her true health” to become the standard in society.

April 2018, at Ki-REIKA.Translated by ILI Inc.