View source for Yamabushi

{{Short description|Japanese mountain ascetic hermits}}
{{Italic title}}
{{nihongo3|one who prostrates oneself on the mountain|[[wiktionary:山伏|山伏]]|'''Yamabushi'''}} are Japanese mountain [[asceticism|ascetic]] [[hermit]]s.<ref name="Nelson">{{cite book|last1=Nelson|first1=Andrew Nathaniel|title=The Original Modern Reader's Japanese-English Character Dictionary|date=1995|publisher=C. E. Tuttle Co.|location=Rutland, Vermont|isbn=9780804819657|pages=134, 346|edition=Classic}}</ref> They are generally part of the syncretic {{transliteration|ja|[[shugendō]]}} religion, which includes [[Vajrayana|Tantric Buddhism]] and [[Shinto]].<ref name="jimon">{{Cite web|title=Exoteric Buddhism, Esoteric Buddhism, and Shugendo - 顕教・密教・修験道|url=http://www.tendai-jimon.jp/trainee/index.html|url-status=live|website=www.tendai-jimon.jp|publisher=Tendaijimon Sect|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201221152905/http://www.tendai-jimon.jp/trainee/index.html|accessdate=31 January 2021|archive-date=2020-12-21}}</ref>

Their origins can be traced back to the solitary [[Yama-bito]] and some {{nihongo||聖|hijiri}} (saints or holy persons) of the eighth and ninth centuries.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Blacker|first1=Carmen|title=The Catalpa Bow: A Study of Shamanistic Practices in Japan|date=1999|publisher=Japan Library|location=Richmond, Virginia|isbn=1873410859|pages=165–167|edition=3rd}}</ref>

According to American writer [[Frederik L. Schodt]]:

{{quote|These positively medieval-looking nature worshipers carry metal staves and conch shells and wear straw sandals and sometimes a hemp cloth over-robe with the [[Heart Sutra]] written on it. They follow a mixture of esoteric or tantric Buddhism mixed with Shinto, the native [[Animism|animistic]] religion of Japan.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Schodt |first=Frederik L. |title=My Heart Sutra |publisher=Stone Bridge Press |year=2020 |isbn=978-1-61172-062-4 |location=Berkeley (Ca)}}</ref>}}

== Clothing and items ==
[[File:Appearance-of-Yamabushi-rm.jpg|thumb|right|500px|Appearance of the Yamabushi. They wear [[yuigesa]], [[kyahan]], and [[Tokin (headwear)|tokin]]. They hold a [[shakujō]] in their hands, and blow the [[horagai]] to prevent evil spirits.]]
The Yamabushi usually wear and bring the following clothes and items with them:<ref>{{Cite web |last=小項目事典,世界大百科事典内言及 |first=日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ),百科事典マイペディア,旺文社日本史事典 三訂版,デジタル大辞泉,事典・日本の観光資源,世界大百科事典 第２版,ブリタニカ国際大百科事典 |title=山伏(やまぶし)とは？ 意味や使い方 |url=https://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%B1%B1%E4%BC%8F-144308 |access-date=2023-06-02 |website=コトバンク |language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cabello |first=Steve John Powell & Angeles Marin |title=Japan's mountain ascetic hermits |url=https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20210511-japans-mountain-ascetic-hermits |access-date=2023-06-02 |website=www.bbc.com |date=12 May 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Yamabushi Ascetic Monk | date=23 January 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zKJWR-V3GI |access-date=2023-06-02 |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Yuigesa]] ({{lang|ja|結袈裟}}), a harness or sash adorned with [[pom-pom]]s
* [[Kyahan]] ({{lang|ja|脚絆}}), sandals made from straw
* [[Tokin (headwear)|Tokin]] ({{lang|ja|頭巾}}) which is a small hat-like adornment worn at the front of the head
* [[Shakujō]] ({{lang|ja|錫杖}}), a metal rod, held in their hands
* [[Backpack|Oi]] ({{lang|ja|笈}}), backpack
* [[Horagai]] ({{lang|ja|法螺貝}}), a conch shell, which they blow like a horn to bind evil spirits

==See also==
* [[Cunning folk]]
* [[Mount Ōfuna]]
* [[Rishi]]
* [[Shaolin Monastery]]
* [[Yama-bito]]
* [[Hericium erinaceus|Yamabushitake]]

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|last1=Ratti|first1=Oscar|last2=Westbrook|first2=Adele|title=Secrets of the Samurai: A Survey of the Martial Arts of Feudal Japan|date=1999|publisher=Castle Books|location=Edison, New Jersey|isbn=0785810730|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/secretsofsamurai00osca_0}}
* {{Cite news | last1 = Powell |first1=Steve John|last2= Cabello| first2 = Angeles Marin | title = Japan's Mountain Ascetic Hermits | newspaper = [[BBC|British Broadcasting Corporation]] | date = May 12, 2021 | url = http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20210511-japans-mountain-ascetic-hermits}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Japanese (samurai) weapons, armour and equipment}}
{{Buddhism topics}}

[[Category:Ascetics]]
[[Category:Japanese hermits]]
[[Category:Mysticism]]
[[Category:Religious occupations]]
[[Category:Japanese warriors]]
[[Category:Japanese words and phrases]]


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