Tengu, Ninja Masters, and Big Head Forests
An eventful week on the mountains of Yamagata
Kia ora Koutou, Tim Bunting, Kiwi Yamabushi on the Japan you never knew you wanted to.
Face to Face with the Tengu
See what my account with the monster of Tengu-yama in Nishikawa was really like in my latest video.
Big Head Forest Mountain (Daizumori-yama)
This has to be one of the finds of the year, if not the decade.
There really isn’t anywhere else quite like Daizumori-yama. This mountain essentially in the centre of Yamagata Prefecture has views that could kill a Tanuki or two, all at the low low expense of about 20 minutes’ hike giving it the most lopsided effort / reward ratio this side of the Mogami River.
In other words, Daizumori-yama is well worth a visit if you’re in the area! (I’m working on the video right now, those drone shots!!)
Meeting Stephen K. Hayes
On Saturday I had the honour of meeting the one and only Stephen K. Hayes and his equally amazing wife Rumiko. Stephen is one of the 10 most influential living martial artists in the world according to Black Belt Magazine, but it wasn’t martial arts we were talking about. It was Shugendo, and the practice of it, a world he has been a part of since well before I was born.
Check out Stephen’s work, and while you’re at it, maybe buy his book on Kuji (well, one of them), the mudras (hand signals) we yamabushi use. Who knows, you might learn a thing or two.
Daily Yamabushi for this Week
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Daily Yamabushi for this week:
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Ka kite ano.
Tim.