noun
yamabushi; Shugendō practitioner
A mountain ascetic who practices Shugendō, a syncretic tradition combining elements of Buddhism, Shinto, and folk religion. Often depicted wearing distinctive attire and blowing a conch shell.
See also: 修験道
山伏が山道を歩いている。
A yamabushi is walking along the mountain path.
修験道の山伏は厳
Shugendō yamabushi undergo rigorous training.
noun
itinerant Buddhist monk
A broader, less technical term for a wandering Buddhist monk, sometimes used interchangeably with yamabushi in historical or literary contexts.
昔、山伏が村々を回って祈りを捧げた。
Long ago, itinerant monks traveled from village to village offering prayers.
From 山 (mountain) + 伏 (prostrate, lie down), referring to ascetics who lived and trained in the mountains. The alternative kanji 臥 (lie down) carries a similar meaning.