🚶♂️ Home of the Yamabushi Warriors - Softypapa Adventures - Walking in Japan
This mountain in central Japan was once home to monk-like samurai warriors who chose a harsh life of wilderness solitude over their privileged station in Japanese feudal society. Living alone in caves or rough huts the fighting monks would spend their days meditating and refining their skills at martial arts. Owing allegiance to no master the Yamabushi (literally "Mountain Warriors") became famous for their mystery, prowess and hard-won independence. The mountain in this video has long been regarded as holy in both the Buddhist and Shinto (native religion of Japan) faiths. Called Ryuso-san (Mt. Ryuso) the mountain stands like a sentinel over the historic city of Shizuoka on the east coast of Japan near Mt. Fuji. For centuries pilgrims have sought the summit by way of three main routes approaching from the east, west and south. The southern route runs from Sengen shrine (静岡浅間神社) near downtown Shizuoka along ridges toward and eventually up and onto the mountain. It is the longest and most arduous ascent and a route rarely travelled anymore. The mountain ridges you see in this video are where the southern trail reaches the very edge of the mountain (off camera at right) and begins moving up in earnest. Mists and clouds form on these ridges nearly every afternoon as warm, wet air from the sea is channeled up the canyon to cool and condense amidst old-growth deciduous forests covering the steep mountain flanks. Caves hidden in the woods were once home to Yamabushi warrior priests who lived in solitude, meditating and refining their skills at martial arts. (KB) 🚶♂️Embark on a journey through time and wilderness to the sacred mountain of Ryuso-san (Mt. Ryuso), once the revered home of the Yamabushi, the monk-like samurai warriors of central Japan. This mountain, standing as a sentinel over the historic city of Shizuoka, near the iconic Mt. Fuji, has been a site of spiritual significance and rigorous discipline, where the Yamabushi chose the path of solitude and martial mastery over the comforts of feudal society. Living in caves and rudimentary huts, these warrior monks dedicated their lives to meditation, martial arts, and the attainment of a profound independence, unbound by allegiance to any master. Ryuso-san is a mountain steeped in the spiritual traditions of both Buddhism and Shinto, the indigenous faith of Japan. For centuries, pilgrims have traversed its slopes seeking enlightenment and communion with the divine, following three main routes from the east, west, and south. The southern path, originating from the Sengen Shrine near downtown Shizuoka, presents the longest and most challenging ascent, a path now seldom traveled, yet rich with history and natural beauty. This video captures the essence of the southern trail as it approaches the mountain's edge, where the ancient forests and the mists that envelop them each afternoon whisper of the Yamabushi's presence. The warm, wet air from the sea rises through the canyons, cooling and condensing amidst the old-growth deciduous forests that cloak the mountain's steep flanks. Hidden within these woods are the caves that once served as sanctuaries for the Yamabushi, where they lived in solitude, honing their skills and deepening their spiritual practice. Join Kurt Bell on this Softypapa adventure as we explore the mystical landscape of Ryuso-san, where the legacy of the Yamabushi warriors is etched into the very fabric of the mountain. This journey is not only an exploration of the natural beauty and historical depth of this sacred site but also a reflection on the lessons of discipline, solitude, and independence embodied by the Yamabushi. As we traverse the forgotten paths and uncover the hidden sanctuaries of these warrior monks, we are invited to contemplate the values that guided their lives and the enduring mystery that surrounds their legacy. 🌄📚🚶♂️ ➡️ Delve deeper into Kurt's adventures. Secure your copy of his books here (hardcover edition recommended): https://a.co/d/6SORY8N 🌐 Website: https://goingalone.org 📧 Email: [email protected] 👍 Support my endeavors on Patreon: / softypapa Be safe... But not too safe #KurtBell #GoingAlone #TheGoodLife #StoicExplorer #Yamabushi #RyusoSan #SpiritualJourney 🍚🏞️🚶♂️🗻🌲 CREDITS: "Japanese Falls" image: Lane Brown | View More: http://lanebrownart.blogspot.com/p/po... "Song For Kurt" theme: Nowherians | Listen Here: http://nowherians.bandcamp.com/