Once the owner of a successful chain of beauty product stores, Hoshi Takayuki now walks barefoot through the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand as a saffron-clad Shiva devotee, known as Bala Kumbha Gurumuni.
Takayuki was recently seen taking part in the annual Kanwar Yatra, a major Hindu pilgrimage during which devotees collect holy water from the Ganges. Not only did he join the pilgrimage with 20 Japanese followers, but he also organised a two-day food camp for fellow kanwariyas in Dehradun, serving meals as an act of spiritual service.
The Spiritual Awakening:
His journey to this spiritual awakening began two decades ago during a trip to Tamil Nadu, where he encountered Nadi astrology — an ancient form of divination using palm-leaf manuscripts. The reading revealed that he had lived a past life in the Himalayas and was destined to pursue a life steeped in Hindu spirituality.
However, it was a dream that truly altered the course of his life. “I saw myself in Uttarakhand in a past life. That dream changed everything,” he told the media
Moved by this vision, Takayuki renounced his business, converted his Tokyo residence into a Shiva temple, and constructed another shrine soon after. In July, he returned to India for the Kanwar Yatra, marking a new chapter in his spiritual journey.
According to his friend Ramesh Sundriyal, a Japan-based Indian, Takayuki has purchased 35 acres of land in Puducherry with plans to build a grand Shiva temple. He also hopes to establish an ashram in Uttarakhand.
“I feel deeply attached to Devbhoomi Uttarakhand,” he said. “I believe I spent my past life here and am still searching for my village in the hills.”