Home - Tim Bunting

TIM BUNTING

KIWI YAMABUSHI

Kia ora koutou. I’m Tim Bunting, the Kiwi Yamabushi.

I’m a practicing Dewa Sanzan Yamabushi, a Japanese mountain ascetic based in Yamagata Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan. Since 2016, I’ve trained in Haguro Shugendō under Master Fumihiro Hoshino through Daishobō, a pilgrim’s lodge on Haguro-san, and through Dewa Sanzan Jinja.

If you’re interested in experiencing Shugendō for yourself, check out Yamabushido.jp. Tell them I sent you.

In my spare time, I share stories from the overlooked corners of Japan, especially here in Tōhoku. I publish a Substack newsletter with over 1,500 subscribers, write a daily blog, and post videos on YouTube (over 1,000 subscribers). You’ll find me on most platforms as @kiwiyamabushi.

I’m currently on a mission to summit and document all 100 Famous Mountains of Yamagata.

I’m available for:

Online consultation
Public speaking (in English or Japanese)
Guided experiences on the Dewa Sanzan (via Yamabushidō.jp or DewaSanzan.com)

As a Master Yamabushi and the creator of DewaSanzan.com, I believe I’m the most knowledgeable native English speaker on these sacred mountains.

MOUNTAINS OF YAMAGATA

Here are a few posts of my adventures climbing the 100 Famous Mountains of Yamagata. Read about the project here, or view all articles here.

ALL

DAILY YAMABUSHI

Here are some of my Daily Yamabushi posts. Get more here.

The Penny Lane Magnet

My mother has a Penny Lane magnet that she got from her trip to the UK more than five years ago. It’s an ordinary magnet that you’d find probably in any souvenir shop in England, as it’s a famous symbol of a song by the biggest band the world’s ever seen. It may not mean […]

What if’s

Making a decision makes things so much easier. Once you have something set in stone, you can base your following questions on that decision, not on the 'what ifs'. It also affects your motivation. Once you've decided that you're going for something, and you're truly committed, it means you can back yourself more. That's why […]

Capital Gains Tax in New Zealand

Should have done it years ago. There's too much emphasis here on buying a house and it's hard not to see why, there's just too much money to be made, or lost if you're stuck renting. I don't blame people for investing in property one bit when their gains aren't going to be taxed, and […]