Archive - Kiwi Yamabushi

Summer in Rural Japan: A Photo Essay

Photos from the past week of my life here in rural Yamagata, Japan.

Jul 4

June 2025

Jerk Chicken, UFO Toys, and the Most Misleading Beauty Event I’ve Ever Been To

Japan has the weirdest events.

Jun 27

What I’ve Been Reading (And Why It Broke My Brain)

Spotify conspiracies, Mexico City myths, and a New Zealand legend or two.

Jun 20

The Japanese 'Tradition' That Refuses to Die

Japan, where even local news comes on a clipboard and ATMs have opening hours.

Jun 13

A walk down the main street of Sakata.

A few shots of a dwindling port town on The Sea of Japan coast

Jun 6

May 2025

Spring in Rural Japan Photo Essay

And a recommendation!

May 30

A Tale of Two Cities, and the Giant Turtle Between Them

Could this be Japan's pettiest rivalry?

May 23

The snobbiest coffee in Japan might just be the best

A grumpy old man, an old-school pour, and the best damn cup you'll ever drink.

May 16

Daily Yamabushi for May 2 to 8, 2025

And some yamabushi cookies

May 9

The Pink Octopus and the Disappearing Towns of Japan

What a refurbished slide reveals about life in rural Japan.

May 2

April 2025

Why Buddhist Monks and Yamabushi Jingle When They Walk

The Shakujo Explained: Sacred Tool, Bear Bell, and Wake-Up Call

Apr 25

The Shakujo Staff: Half Ritualistic, Half Bear Bell, 100% Yamabushi

The sacred staff that protects, purifies, and quite possibly saves your life.

Apr 19

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