TIM BUNTING

KIWI YAMABUSHI

山伏

Tim Bunting Kiwi Yamabushi on Mt. Gassan

キウイ

DAILY YAMABUSHI


Not just sometimes

February 14, 2026

There’s not much else you can do but accept

The Real Investment

February 13, 2026

Prioritise time

Hard to put off

February 12, 2026

Get them out of the way

Leave Some for ‘Ron

February 11, 2026

Leave Some for Later

After the Fact

February 10, 2026

Though.

Making Things Easier

February 9, 2026

Doesn’t necessarily work

They all have their merits

February 8, 2026

Even if they aren’t your cup of tea

FEATURE ARTICLES

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

Mountains and Moments

Focus on the step in front of you, not the mountain in the distance.

The Astounding Waterfalls of Chokai-san

The waterfalls of Chokai-san

Kumomi: The Next Japanese Sensation

Those clouds aren't going to watch themselves!

A Coffee Lover’s Guide to Sakata

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

Uketamo and What The Mountains Teach You

Stop for a moment to be in the moment

A Jizo statue at the top of Mt. Kyogakura in Sakata
Uketamo: the philosophy to live by

Uketamo has a long, long history.

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?

person holding world globe facing mountain
Searching for your Ikigai? Read this first.

I left my Ikigai on Mt. Haguro

Why do Japanese Shrines have lightning-bolt tassels?

Plus the scientific basis behind it all.

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

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

The Deep Meaning Behind Tea Ceremony’s Most Famous Concept

Ichigo Ichie - One moment, one meeting. One chance in a lifetime.

Living in a Dying Japanese City

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

Dealing with death: Some practical Yamabushi advice

Death is an everyday thing. So is living.

This Yamabushi Brought Me To Tears

A story from yamabushi training

How Cup Noodles and Kawaii Culture made Axolotls famous in Japan

At the time, The Unlimited Teddy Bear was watching footage of Minecraft axolotls in English when they realised the English word for Axolotl was, in fact, Axolotl.

MOUNTAINS OF YAMAGATA

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

Hiking Japan’s Forgotten Highway: Sabane-yama and Ushu-Kaido (Mt. Sabane)

The odd connection between Osaka castle, the Shinkansen and Shinjuku, and the mountains of Yamagata.

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.

Tokami-yama and The Castle of Mist

And its role in north Japan's fiercest war

Mt. Haguro's Five Story Pagoda
Why This Tiny Mountain MUST be on Your Japan Itinerary: Haguro-san

Home to Haguro Shugendo and the Dewa Sanzan Yamabushi mountain monks

Kurosawa Akira, Abe Shinzo, The Kami of War, and a flock of geese?

Mountain that marks the entrance to the Kamuro Alps

I found an abandoned ski field in Japan

Short and quick hike with views of Chokai-zan and near the Mogami River, Shiraito Falls, and Genso no mori, the Forest of Illusions.

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

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

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

Yura in Tsuruoka city seen from Mt. Arakura
The Sakura of Arakura-yama

Mountains of Sakura Cherry Blossoms and the serene Arakura Jinja await.

Exploring The Yamabushi Trails of Kinbo-zan (Mt. Kinbo)

Kinbo-zan is a dynamic little peak with a deep history of Shugendo.

Mt. Yamuki (Yamuki-yama) in Shinjo City
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.

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

Small pyramidal peak in the northern Yamagata town of Kaneyama

Mother. Hunter. Mountain. Hokari-yama (Mt. Hokari)

Kinbo Shugen Mountain with a strange name and amazing trails amongst the autumn leaves

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

The Swamp Monster of Yozo

Ancient trail of primeval beech forests, legendary swamp monsters, waterfalls, snow bridges, and more.

Yamabushi

Here are some blog posts about yamabushi.

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

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