Sacred-Mountain Yamabushi

The myth

The yamabushi, "those who sleep in the mountains", are the ascetics of Shugendō, a tradition joining sacred-mountain worship, esoteric Buddhism and Shinto and Daoist elements. Its legendary founder is En no Gyōja, of the seventh century. They walk the trails of Yoshino, Kumano, Haguro and other mountains, meditate under icy waterfalls, fast and perform purification rites to gain spiritual power and heal. They wear white, a small tokin cap, and blow a great conch shell, the horagai. The practice lives on, with pilgrimages open to lay people too.

Why it has this power

A Common level-3 Wind Spellcaster with 1200 ATK and 1000 DEF: strong for a common, the fruit of years of discipline. Wind and Feather are the high trails; Fox, hidden knowledge. A double material: fused with a Bird he becomes Karura, and he is a piece of the Rite of Mount Kurama, which calls Sōjōbō.

Did you know

Tengu are often shown in the robes and cap of the yamabushi, and in legend the two blur together in the mountains.

Connections

• Fuses into: + Bird → Karura, the Celestial Fire Eagle
• In Hanae, Wandering Miko's deck
• In Renji, Ronin of the Snowy Roads's deck
• In Master Suzu of Mount Kurama's deck

Where to get it

• Daily Offering: 0% per pack (Common 64% per card)
• Welcome Pack: 0.97% per pack (Common 70% per card)
• Traveler's Pack: 0.88% per pack · 5.2% in the themed pack (Common 64% per card)
• Bronze Reliquary: 0.86% per pack · 5.1% in the themed pack (Common 62% per card)
• Silver Reliquary: 0.67% per pack · 4% in the themed pack (Common 49% per card)
• Golden Reliquary: 0.46% per pack · 2.7% in the themed pack (Common 33% per card)
• Daily Showcase: Shows up on about 0.69% of days · 150 gold
• Craft with card dust: 40 dust
• Crossing of Myths: Can be offered as a reward during a crossing (the card stays in the crossing deck).

Sources

1. Yamabushi — Encyclopaedia Britannica — The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
2. Shugendō — Encyclopedia of Shinto — Kokugakuin University
3. En no Ozunu — Encyclopedia of Shinto — Kokugakuin University