Blog - Tim Bunting

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Tim Bunting Kiwi Yamabushi on Mt. Gassan

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DAILY YAMABUSHI

Only for a minute

March 10, 2026

If that.

Bad news is just a matter of perspective

March 9, 2026

And time

Not Even Trying

March 8, 2026

Is not going to work

Just Accept

March 7, 2026

Just Surrender

What if it goes bad?

March 6, 2026

What if it goes good?

A Win This Time

March 5, 2026

Isn’t a win next time. A win this time isn’t a win next time. A win is a win, but did it teach you much? How much did you truly gain from the experience? Losing is good because it teaches you more. What will you do next time around? Then, if you start winning a […]

That Was Fundamental

March 4, 2026

Moments and Memories

FEATURE ARTICLES

Here are a few samples of what you find in The Kiwi Yamabushi Newsletter.

Japan’s Rothschilds and The Port City of Sakata

Why do I live in Yamagata? Why don’t I live in Tokyo or Osaka with the rest of them?

Joining a Local Japanese Coffee Brewing Competition

Notice I didn't say 'winning'.

Matsuo Basho and The Power of Haiku

How to capture nature in the written word

Living in a Dying Japanese City

Whether by man or by nature, these buildings are disappearing. And they are disappearing fast.

Prescribe Nature

And the ultimate in Japanese mountain warriors

I Never Thought I’d See This in Aotearoa New Zealand

The Culture Shock I Never Expected—Nor Wanted

The Town of Dual Dragons

And the legends they created.

A Coffee Lover’s Guide to Sakata

The Best Coffee Spots in Sakata, and what I really think of them

The Uniquely Japanese Superpower

Do this and you can officially call yourself Japanese

Why are greengrocers called the ‘800 store’ in Japan?

Ask the wives of court nobles of the 14th century...

Atomic Habits highlights something the Japanese have known for millennia

“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.

Dealing with death: Some practical Yamabushi advice

Death is an everyday thing. So is living.

‘Foreigner in a Suit’ and The Beginner’s Mind

'Foreigner in a suit' and The Beginner's Mind

A Jizo statue at the top of Mt. Kyogakura in Sakata

Uketamo: the philosophy to live by

Uketamo has a long, long history.

My Japanese Hotel Rookie Mistake

It was the perfect plan. If only I had considered how Japanese hotels operate.

MOUNTAINS OF YAMAGATA

Here are a few posts of my adventures climbing the 100 Famous Mountains of Yamagata.

This mountain is EVERYWHERE in Japan: Ha-yama

Former Dewa Sanzan peak in inland Yamagata Prefecture with an extensive Shugendo and Mountain Worship history.

Mt. Chokai seen from Mt. Yonetaihei in the winter

Homer Simpson’s Heaven in North Japan: The Donut-shaped Yonetaihei-san (Mt. Yonetaihei)

Tiny donut-shaped peak in Sakegawa Village of the Mogami region worthy of a snowshoe hike.

The Pyramids of… Japan? — Yakushi-san and The OG Japan content creator (Mt. Yakushi)

Small pyramidal peak in the northern Yamagata town of Kaneyama

Womb Passes and Monkey Crossings: Kyogakura-san “The Shugendo Peak of Sutras” (Mt. Kyogakura)

This tiny Shugendo peak and how the Japanese language got three alphabets

How NOT to climb a mountain in winter

Forget Hakuba. Forget Hokkaido. White-Boy Mountain is where it’s at.

The sun sets over the ninth station of Mt. Gassan

Gassan, the Dewa Sanzan’s “Mountain of Death” (Mt. Gassan)

The tallest Dewa Sanzan peak with a thriving Haguro Shugendo Yamabushi culture.

THIS. IS. YAMAGARTA: Japan’s 300 Moment.

How this tiny peak turned feudal Japan’s biggest battle on its head

Zao-san and Why We Climb Mountains (Mt. Zao)

Zao-san: Snow monsters, ski fields, mountain hags, multi-coloured crater lakes, hot springs, and more.

Venerable Old Man Mountain — The Mist and Mystery of Okina-san (Mt. Okina)

Legends and landscapes on an epic hike along the Ou Mountains

The Medieval Castle and Mighty River of Yamuki-yama (Mt. Yamuki)

Tiny peak that was home to a medieval castle along the banks of the mighty Mogami River.

Mt. Yudono Shrine Gates during the autumn

The Dewa Sanzan’s Mountain of Rebirth: Yudono-san (Mt. Yudono)

Yudono-san is the final Dewa Sanzan peak in the middle of Yamagata Prefecture that has been a central destination for millions over the centuries

Mt.-Takadate-and-Shimoike-lake-in-Tsuruoka

Wetland Wonderland of Takadate-yama

Takadate-yama is short in stature, but packs a lot of punch as home to one of the only RAMSAR wetlands in Japan

The best Fuji alternative: Chokai-san

Dewa Fuji, The Fuji of The North, Chokai-san, Mt. Chokai: Tallest peak entirely in Tohoku often said to resemble Mt. Fuji, leading to the name Dewa Fuji (after the former province of Dewa).