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.

When shortcuts are anything but

When offered the chance to go one way or the other, look out for the snow. Recently, I tried crossing the road about 10m away from the nearest crossing and I had already gone too far to return when I realised that there was a pile of snow in my way. Too proud to admit […]

One great trick for learning vocabulary

Learning vocabulary in a second language is by far the most time-consuming part. In my case I have been learning Japanese for more than 17 years and every day I come across a new vocabulary, or one that I failed to learn properly. Even once you've mastered the pronunciation (which should be the first thing […]

Use it.

It's not the knowledge that counts, it's the application of that knowledge. Take language learning for example. Mere knowledge of even the most intricate of grammar patterns, or even the most useful words, is not enough. Whether you have that knowledge or not is inconsequential until you put it to use. Knowledge isn't power. Acting […]