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 pure desire to play

遊び心 asobigokoro. The pure desire to play. This morning I had the privilege of attending a talk where a representative of the Japan Deaf Football team, Takumi Matsumoto, and the first, at least in Japan, wheelchair-bound paraglider, Kenji Kato, were presenting. Both of the presenters were quite remarkable to say the least. Often when I'm […]

We are all opportunists.

We are all opportunists. If an opportunist is someone who takes advantage of the chances that are presented to them, we are all opportunists. Whenever, wherever, however you live, you are taking advantage of the situation, you are taking the opportunity, to survive. We are all opportunists.

Believing in the invisible

Any conversation that starts with a 'you're going to think I'm stupid, but...' is going to be good. I had a Japanese friend recently tell me that they had been going through a rough patch, and to get over it, she would put a pile of salt at the door to ward off the evil, […]