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Matagi

Matagi are traditional communal hunters from the mountainous Tōhoku region of northern Japan, specializing in winter pursuits of bears and other wildlife while adhering to codified rituals and ethical practices rooted in a deep spiritual reverence for the mountains.^[1]^[2] Originating possibly as early as the Heian period (794–1185) or more definitively from the 16th century, Matagi communities organize group hunts targeting principal game like Asian black bears, Japanese serows, hares, and pheasants, utilizing rifles, dogs, and intimate knowledge of snowy terrain for survival, population management, and resource utilization including meat, pelts, and gallbladders.^[3]^[1]^[4] Central to their tradition are pre-hunt prayers, post-kill offerings of entrails to the forest as acts of gratitude, and prohibitions against waste, reflecting a causal balance between human needs and ecological harmony rather than mere sentimentality.^[1]^[5] In contemporary Japan, Matagi persist as custodians of these practices amid declining bear populations and urban opposition to hunting, evolving into roles as eco-guides and foragers of medicinal plants, thereby sustaining cultural continuity through pragmatic adaptation.^[3]^[4]^[6]

Origins and Etymology

Linguistic Roots

The etymology of matagi, denoting traditional mountain hunters of Japan's Tohoku region, remains unresolved amid competing theories. One hypothesis posits derivation from Ainu terms such as matangi or matangitono, interpreted as "man of winter" or "hunter," reflecting potential indigenous linguistic influence from Hokkaido's Ainu populations amid southward migrations.^[7]^[8] This aligns with documented Ainu-Japanese lexical exchanges in northern dialects, though direct attestation predating recorded Matagi activity is lacking.^[9] Alternative Japanese-origin theories emphasize native roots, such as from matagu ("to cross over" or "straddle"), symbolizing hunters bridging forested mountains and settled villages or navigating seasonal terrains.^[10] Folk interpretations further suggest ties to mata oni or again-oni ("again ghost" or "stronger than demons"), evoking the hunters' reputed supernatural prowess against mountain spirits, as preserved in local oral traditions from Akita Prefecture.^[11]^[12] Less substantiated claims invoke archaic forms like mata-hagi (possibly linked to rugged terrain or flora) or even distant Sanskrit cognates, but these lack philological support and appear as speculative extensions in regional ethnographies.^[12] The term's fluidity underscores Matagi as a socio-professional identifier rather than a fixed ethnic label, with earliest textual references emerging in Edo-period (1603–1868) documents on Tohoku hunting guilds.^[13] Linguistically, Matagi communities developed a specialized dialect, matagi-kotoba, blending Tohoku Japanese with Ainu loanwords for hunting terminology, tools, and rituals—evidence of sustained contact-induced evolution rather than wholesale borrowing.^[9] This dialect, now endangered, preserves unique lexicon (e.g., Ainu-derived terms for bear anatomy and tracking), highlighting adaptive linguistic roots tied to ecological and spiritual practices.^[14]

Historical Emergence

The Matagi emerged as a distinct group of specialized hunters in the remote mountains of northern Honshu during the Heian period (794–1185), with oral traditions tracing their founding to the 9th century figure Banji Banzaburo, a hunter said to have received divine aid from mountain deities (gongen) in establishing bear-hunting practices.^[15]^[16] These legends portray the Matagi as descendants of hardy mountain-dwellers who developed sustainable hunting methods amid the era's feudal fragmentation, relying on deep ecological knowledge to target bears, deer, and other game while adhering to spiritual taboos against overhunting.^[3] Historical records document Matagi activities as organized clans from the medieval period onward, particularly in the Tohoku region, where they formed self-regulating communities independent of lowland feudal lords.^[5] Amid the chaos of the Sengoku period (1467–1603), Matagi guilds solidified their structure, capitalizing on weakened central authority to expand influence over forested territories and enforce communal rules on seasonal hunts and resource allocation.^[1] This era marked their shift toward more formalized nomadic and semi-sedentary groups, with some clans migrating as "traveling Matagi" to hunt across Japan before resettling.^[6] By the early Edo period (1603–1868), specific Matagi settlements had taken root, such as the Ani Matagi in Akita Prefecture around 1650, reflecting adaptation to Tokugawa policies on resource management while preserving autonomy in upland areas.^[8] These developments underscore the Matagi's resilience, evolving from legendary progenitors into enduring cultural enclaves tied to bear veneration and seasonal cycles, distinct from mainstream Japanese agrarian society.^[7]

Ethnic and Cultural Background

Connections to Ainu and Indigenous Influences

The Matagi exhibit cultural parallels with the Ainu, Japan's indigenous people of Hokkaido and northern Honshu, particularly in their reverence for bears as sacred entities integral to mountain ecosystems. Both groups conduct post-hunt rituals honoring the bear's spirit: the Matagi's kebokai involves dismembering the animal, offering prayers, and returning its remains to the forest to appease mountain deities, mirroring the Ainu iomante ceremony where a bear cub is raised communally before sacrificial release to convey gratitude and ensure future hunts.^[17]^[7] These practices underscore a shared animistic worldview, where bears function as intermediaries between humans and divine forces, though Matagi rituals adapt Japanese Shinto elements absent in pure Ainu forms.^[3] Linguistic ties further evidence historical interaction, as the Matagi dialect of Tohoku Japanese incorporates Ainu loanwords related to hunting terminology, such as those for forest navigation and animal tracking, reflecting prolonged contact between Matagi hunters and Ainu groups during seasonal migrations across northern Japan. The term "matagi" itself is hypothesized to derive from the Ainu word matangi, denoting a ridge or mountain path used by hunters, suggesting assimilation of Ainu ecological knowledge into Matagi practices as they settled inland valleys.^[14]^[18] While Matagi oral traditions often trace their lineage to defeated Heike warriors fleeing southward in the 12th century rather than direct Ainu descent, scholarly analyses posit that Ainu influences permeated through intermarriage and trade with pre-Yamato indigenous populations in Tohoku, contributing to Matagi resilience in harsh terrains. This hybridity aligns with broader indigenous patterns in northern Japan, where Ainu-descended groups adapted to bear-centric subsistence amid encroaching agrarian societies, preserving hunter-gatherer ethics like sustainable culling to maintain ecological balance.^[8]^[7] Such connections highlight Ainu contributions to Matagi identity without implying ethnic uniformity, as genetic studies of northern Japanese populations show layered admixtures rather than discrete origins.^[18]

Settlement in Tohoku Region

The Matagi formed semi-nomadic and permanent settlements in the rugged, forested mountains of the Tōhoku region on northern Honshu, adapting to harsh winters and dense bear habitats in prefectures such as Akita, Iwate, and Yamagata. Their presence became prominent from the mid-16th century amid the Sengoku period's food scarcities, which drove rural inhabitants to exploit ungoverned mountain resources through organized winter hunting.^[5] By this era, Matagi groups had coalesced into communities that balanced hunting with forest stewardship, establishing territorial divisions to prevent overhunting and ensure ecological sustainability.^[1] A pivotal settlement occurred around 1650 in the Ani area of Akita Prefecture, where oral traditions recount 18 descendants of Taira (Heike) clan warriors—exiles from the 1185 Battle of Dan-no-ura—migrating southward through mountain passes to found enduring villages.^[7]^[8] This migration, spanning centuries from 12th-century defeats, positioned Ani as the spiritual and practical epicenter of Matagi life, with its isolation fostering specialized bear-hunting lineages and rituals.^[7] Settlements radiated from such hubs into adjacent highlands, including Niigata and Tochigi, where subgroups like the Nikko Matagi maintained distinct practices while adhering to shared codes of seasonal migration between lowlands and uplands.^[8] While dominant narratives link Matagi settlers to Yamato warrior clans, linguistic and cultural traces—such as Ainu-derived terms and animistic bear reverence—suggest deeper indigenous substrates from Jōmon-era hunter-gatherers or Ainu contacts in northern Tōhoku, though these remain interpretive rather than definitively proven.^[8]^[7] These communities persisted as self-governing enclaves, resisting feudal integration until Meiji-era reforms imposed modern administration, yet retained autonomy in resource management.^[1]

Traditional Hunting Practices

Methods and Seasonal Cycles

Matagi hunting occurs primarily during winter and early spring, when heavy snowfall—reaching depths of 5 to 8 meters—facilitates tracking via animal footprints and dens. Bands of 2 to 30 hunters assemble for multi-week expeditions into the mountains, sharing spoils equally to promote sustainability and prevent overhunting.^[7]^[3] Bear hunts target Asian black bears in late spring, from April to early May, immediately following their emergence from hibernation, while winter focuses on serow, deer, hares, and other game. Autumn initiates lighter hunting alongside mushroom and chestnut gathering, with summer devoted to fishing and charcoal production, integrating hunting into broader seasonal resource cycles.^[7]^[3] Hunting employs coordinated group tactics, with scouts interpreting signs like weather-influenced hare positions or bear trails, flushers driving prey, and marksmen delivering precise, often single-shot kills using rifles or shotguns to ensure rapid dispatch and minimize suffering. Traditional tools included bows, spears, and matchlock guns, evolving to Murata rifles by 1880 and modern firearms.^[7]^[3] Specialized hunting dogs, such as Akita Inu breeds, aid in silent tracking, cornering, and confronting bears, working in pairs or groups to surround prey without alerting it prematurely. Before entering the forest, hunters pray to the mountain deity Yamanokami and burn fir branches for purification; post-kill rituals involve positioning the bear supine with offerings to appease its spirit.^[19]^[7]^[3]

Tools, Dogs, and Techniques

Matagi hunting techniques emphasize group coordination, leveraging intimate knowledge of the Tohoku mountains' terrain and animal behaviors to encircle and drive prey, particularly Asian black bears, toward positioned marksmen. Hunters divide into roles such as scouts to flush game, decoys to guide its path, and a primary shooter who delivers a precise kill shot, often from a vantage point informed by tracking signs like footprint patterns.^[7]^[1] This method, conducted primarily in winter or early spring when snow aids tracking, minimizes risk through collective strategy rather than individual confrontation.^[7] Hunting dogs, known as Matagi Inu—a medium-sized breed ancestral to the modern Akita Inu—play a crucial role in tracking, chasing, and baying large game including bears, wild boars, and Sika deer. Developed locally in Akita Prefecture around the early 17th century, these dogs work in packs to hold prey at bay, allowing hunters to close in safely, though their use in bear hunts supplements human-led encirclement due to the animal's size and ferocity.^[8] Traditional tools evolved from pre-gunpowder era implements like bows, arrows, and spears to firearms introduced during the Edo Period, including matchlock guns, followed by Murata single-shot rifles in the Meiji Era (adopted around 1880).^[8]^[7] Modern practices incorporate shotguns and rifles for the kill shot, supplemented by specialized knives for post-hunt processing—designed for forceful single-stroke cuts to separate flesh, tendons, and paws—and occasionally heirloom spears passed down generations.^[1]^[7] Auxiliary gear includes warada devices for startling smaller prey like rabbits and bear bile drying boxes for medicinal extraction.^[20]

Rituals and Spiritual Beliefs

Matagi spiritual beliefs are deeply embedded in Shinto animism, viewing mountains as domains ruled by yama no kami, a mountain deity often conceptualized as a jealous goddess manifesting through bears and natural cycles.^[21]^[5] Bears are regarded not merely as prey but as divine gifts or incarnations from this deity, requiring rituals to honor their spirits and prevent curses that could disrupt future hunts or natural balance.^[7]^[21] This reverence stems from ancient legends, such as the archer Banzaburo's aid to the Nikko mountain goddess against a centipede, granting descendants sacred hunting scrolls like the Yamadachi konpon-maki that codify chants and taboos.^[7]^[5] Pre-hunt rituals emphasize purification and supplication. Hunters perform misugori, a water ablution to cleanse body and spirit, followed by prayers at woodland shrines or altars dedicated to yama no kami, seeking permission, protection, and bountiful yields.^[7]^[5] Offerings, such as the deliberately unappealing stonefish (o-koge), appease the deity's reputed jealousy, while burning pine branches (oshirobiso) expels malevolent forces.^[7] Taboos reinforce sanctity: a specialized "mountain language" avoids profane terms, euphemizing bears as "honey-eaters" to evade alerting spirits, and prohibiting actions like singing or smoking during stalks.^[21]^[7] The pivotal post-kill ceremony, kebokai (or "fur festival"), occurs immediately after felling a bear, symbolizing gratitude and the return of its essence to divine ancestors.^[21]^[7] The carcass is laid supine, head or nose oriented westward or northward, sprinkled with salt for purification, and ritually swept with bear grass (kuma zasa) or holly branches while the lead hunter (shikari) recites incantations from inherited scrolls.^[21]^[7] Select organs—heart, liver, and loins—are excised, incised thrice each, and incinerated as offerings to yama no kami, with entrails left in situ for the goddess; the bear's spirit is thus dispatched to prevent vengeful returns.^[7]^[21] Dissection follows under matagi accounting, equitably dividing meat, hide, gall, and other parts among participants to embody communal harmony and sustainability.^[7] These practices, akin to Ainu iomante but distinctly Matagi, underscore a causal ethic: respectful extraction sustains the mountain's regenerative cycles, averting overhunting or ecological reprisal.^[21]^[7]

Community Organization and Daily Life

Matagi communities are decentralized, comprising independent groups scattered across mountain villages in the Tohoku region of northern Honshu, Japan, with each settlement exhibiting distinct local traditions and hunting territories.^[22]^[1] These groups, such as the Meya Matagi in areas like Shirakami-Sanchi, operate as self-governing units bound by inherited hunting rights documented in sacred scrolls dating to the 16th century Sengoku period.^[5] Social structure is hierarchical yet egalitarian in resource distribution, centered on small hunting parties of 7 to 10 members led by a designated shikari (leader or "captain") who holds absolute authority during expeditions to ensure safety and coordination.^[23]^[5] Strict communal codes, known as Matagi no oshi, enforce taboos including the use of specialized "mountain words" (e.g., "wakka" for water), prohibitions on alcohol, tobacco, women, and certain numbers associated with death, alongside hygiene rituals to minimize risks and maintain group unity.^[23] Roles within parties are specialized: seiko (drivers) flush prey from below using noise, while buppa (shooters) position above to deliver kills, with proceeds from hunts divided equally regardless of individual contributions.^[23] Daily life revolves around seasonal self-sufficiency in harsh highland environments, blending hunting, foraging, and limited agriculture within tight-knit family and neighbor networks.^[24] Winter months prioritize bear and other mammal hunts due to farming constraints, beginning with Shinto-inspired prayers at woodland shrines for protection from the mountain kami (deities), followed by group expeditions using rifles alongside traditional tools like the matagi knife for ritual quartering.^[5] Post-hunt routines emphasize total utilization of carcasses—meat, hides, organs, and bones distributed communally with no waste—to sustain households and honor spiritual beliefs in ecological balance.^[24]^[1] Off-season activities include foraging medicinal plants, maintaining tools, and communal events like bear-sending ceremonies (kebokai) and work songs (sumo-iri) to reinforce bonds and transmit knowledge, reflecting a lifestyle of profound respect for nature's cycles rather than exploitation.^[24] Women traditionally support from villages, excluded from hunts to preserve group focus, though modern adaptations incorporate eco-tourism guidance.^[22]^[24]

Folklore, Language, and Oral Traditions

Matagi cultural knowledge, including hunting methods, seasonal cycles, and ecological insights, has historically been passed down through oral traditions from seasoned hunters (known as shikari) to novices (boiko), emphasizing apprenticeship and direct experiential learning over written documentation. This oral transmission fosters a deep intergenerational continuity, with stories recounting specific hunts, animal behaviors, and survival strategies serving as both educational tools and communal bonds.^[25] The Matagi employ a distinct dialect, Matagi-kotoba, characterized as a regional, contact-induced variant of Japanese infused with Ainu loanwords, primarily used in remote mountain settings for precise hunting communication; this dialect, now largely extinct, preserved specialized terminology amid isolation from standard Japanese.^[9] Examples include maka or aka denoting blood and sakinotta describing the act of downing game, reflecting adaptations for terse, context-specific exchanges during pursuits.^[26] Folklore revolves around veneration of the mountain deity Yama no Kami, portrayed as a possessive female entity who permits hunts but exacts rituals to avoid retribution; legends posit the inaugural Matagi as brothers Banji and Banzaburō, whose archery resolved a celestial feud between Yama no Kami and her consort atop Mount Kinpu.^[8]^[20] Post-hunt, the kebokai rite—performed by laying the bear supine with its nose skyward—involves incantations to repatriate the spirit to divine forebears, averting curses and mirroring Ainu iyomante in its animistic ethos.^[27]^[17] Cautionary tales, such as the spectral bear of Ani—born from seven Matagi slain in a single mishap—underscore perils of hubris and the blurred line between human and supernatural realms in oral narratives.^[28]

Representations in Literature and Media

Matagi have been portrayed in Japanese literature as embodiments of traditional mountain wisdom and the harsh realities of rural hunting life. In Tatsuya Kumagai's 2004 novel Kaikou no Mori (The Forest of Encounters), a Matagi hunter spanning the Taishō (1912–1926) and early Shōwa (1926–1989) eras navigates communal rituals, bear hunts, and familial duties in northern Japan's mountains, highlighting the spiritual and ecological balance central to Matagi practices.^[2] The work draws on ethnographic details of Matagi lore, presenting them as stewards of forested ecosystems rather than mere predators.^[2] In manga, representations often blend historical authenticity with dramatic action. Hiroshi Yaguchi's Matagi, part of his oeuvre showcased in a 2020 exhibition marking his 50-year career, depicts the physical and cultural endurance of Tohoku hunters amid seasonal pursuits.^[29] Similarly, Satoru Noda's Golden Kamuy (serialized 2014–2022) features Tanigaki Genjirō, an imperial army sniper and Matagi from the Tohoku region, whose expertise in bear tracking, ritual chants to appease animal spirits, and use of traditional tools like spears informs survival tactics in Hokkaido's wilderness; these elements underscore Matagi's ritualistic approach to hunting as a means to harmonize with nature's cycles.^[30] The series' 2024 live-action film adaptation retains these portrayals, emphasizing Matagi techniques in conflict scenarios.^[31] More contemporary works like Matagi Gunner (serialized in Morning magazine from May 2022, 11 volumes by 2024) follow Hitonari Yamano, a retired Tohoku Matagi engaging in modern FPS gaming, juxtaposing ancestral bear-hunting skills with digital simulations to explore themes of obsolescence and adaptation.^[32] Documentary-style media has visualized Matagi through photographic and video narratives. The 2021 Matagi Book by Javier Corso and Alex Rodal combines photography with fictional historical prose narrated from the perspective of the mountain goddess Yama-no-kami, tracing Matagi evolution as environmental balancers in northern Honshu's rugged terrain.^[33] A 2022 YouTube documentary excerpt on "Visual Story Telling of the Matagi Hunters of Tōhoku" illustrates their chants, spear hunts, and communal feasts, framing them as indigenous stewards preserving biodiversity against modernization.^[34] These depictions prioritize empirical fieldwork over sensationalism, often citing Matagi oral histories to affirm their role in sustainable population control of Asiatic black bears.^[35]

Modern Developments and Challenges

Decline Due to Societal Changes

The post-World War II economic boom in Japan prompted widespread urbanization, drawing younger generations from rural Tohoku communities to urban centers for industrial and salaried employment opportunities, thereby eroding the traditional Matagi labor base. This rural exodus intensified during the 1950s and 1960s, as Japan's rapid industrialization reduced reliance on subsistence hunting and shifted economic incentives toward agriculture, manufacturing, and service sectors, leaving fewer individuals to inherit Matagi skills and roles.^[36]^[35] Aging demographics in Matagi hamlets exacerbated the decline, with practitioners predominantly over 60 years old by the early 21st century and scant recruitment of successors amid depopulation trends in northern prefectures like Akita and Aomori, where overall rural populations have shrunk by up to 40% in some areas since 2005 due to low birth rates and out-migration. The absence of formal training programs and the physical demands of mountain hunting deterred youth, who increasingly prioritized urban education and stable careers over seasonal, hazardous traditions passed down orally within families.^[37]^[20]^[38] Shifting societal values toward environmental conservation and modern leisure further marginalized Matagi practices, as younger Japanese embraced urban lifestyles disconnected from mountain folklore and communal hunts, leading to a nationwide decrease in active Matagi groups by the 2010s and raising concerns over cultural extinction. This transition reflected broader causal dynamics of modernization, where economic prosperity decoupled rural communities from ancestral occupations, prioritizing individual mobility over collective heritage preservation.^[36]^[39]

Regulatory Framework and Sustainability

Matagi hunting operates under Japan's Wildlife Protection, Control, and Hunting Act of 2002, which designates the Japanese black bear as a game species requiring licensed hunters to adhere to prefectural quotas and seasonal restrictions, typically from November to February in regions like Akita Prefecture.^[40] Special licenses are mandatory for bear hunts, with Matagi groups often receiving permissions for communal expeditions to cull problem animals or meet population targets, though stricter post-2011 Fukushima regulations in affected areas prohibited bear meat sales due to radiation contamination risks.^[41] These quotas, set annually by local governments based on Environment Ministry guidelines capping harvests at approximately 12% of estimated bear populations, aim to mitigate overabundance exacerbated by reduced traditional hunting and forest regrowth.^[40] In response to surging bear-human conflicts— with over 200 attacks reported annually in recent years and nine fatalities in 2024—Japan amended laws effective September 2025 to permit local authorities to authorize emergency shootings of bears in populated areas by licensed hunters, including Matagi, when non-lethal measures fail.^[42] ^[43] This framework balances conservation with control, as bear numbers in Honshu have ballooned to an estimated 30,000–50,000, driven by diminished predator pressures and habitat changes, prompting prefectures like Akita to rely on Matagi expertise for targeted culls.^[44] Sustainability in Matagi practices stems from longstanding customs of selective harvesting—taking only what is needed for subsistence and sale while utilizing the entire animal to minimize waste—positioning them as de facto forest stewards who regulate prey populations to prevent ecological imbalance.^[17] ^[45] Their methods contrast with unregulated overpopulation risks, as evidenced by Matagi contributions to controlling bears that damage crops and threaten communities, fostering long-term habitat stability without depleting stocks.^[3] Modern challenges include dwindling hunter numbers—down from 500,000 licensed in 1976—necessitating policy incentives to sustain these culturally embedded controls amid broader biodiversity pressures.^[46] ^[37]

Controversies: Animal Rights vs. Population Control

The practice of Matagi bear hunting has drawn scrutiny from animal rights organizations, which argue that the killing of Asiatic black bears constitutes unnecessary cruelty and risks exacerbating biodiversity decline, given the species' vulnerable status on the IUCN Red List globally.^[3] These groups, including domestic activists, have protested government-sanctioned culling of bears deemed problematic, advocating instead for non-lethal measures such as relocation or enhanced deterrence to resolve human-wildlife conflicts without resorting to lethal control.^[47] Such positions emphasize ethical concerns over hunting methods, portraying traditional pursuits like those of the Matagi as incompatible with modern conservation ethics that prioritize animal welfare and habitat protection over human utilitarian needs.^[48] In contrast, proponents of population control, including Japanese authorities and rural communities, cite empirical evidence of Asiatic black bear overpopulation in Honshu as justification for regulated hunting by Matagi and other licensed hunters. Following a postwar decline in hunting activity, coupled with rural depopulation, expanded croplands providing alternative food sources, and protective regulations, bear numbers have surged to an estimated 20,000–30,000 individuals, leading to increased incursions into human areas.^[49] This boom has correlated with escalating attacks: in fiscal year 2023–2024, Japan recorded 219 bear attacks with six fatalities, while fiscal 2025 has already seen seven deaths—the highest annual toll since national tracking began in 2006—alongside over 100 injuries.^[50]^[51] In response, the government designated bears as a designated control species in April 2024, easing restrictions on culling and authorizing urban-area shooting under emergency protocols to mitigate risks to public safety and agriculture, where bears cause billions in annual crop damage.^[52] Matagi hunters, traditionally integral to these efforts through their expertise in tracking and ethical dispatch aligned with Shinto-inspired rituals, embody the causal tension: their methods ensure sustainable harvests that historically balanced ecosystems, yet face delegitimization from rights advocates who undervalue localized data over broader species advocacy.^[53] Critics of anti-hunting stances note that non-lethal alternatives have proven insufficient, as relocated bears often return or displace others, perpetuating conflicts, while reduced culling exacerbates population pressures—a pattern observed in other regions with similar predator rebounds.^[43] Regulatory frameworks thus prioritize verifiable human protection outcomes, with Matagi contributions underscoring that targeted hunting, rather than blanket protection, aligns with ecological realism in Japan's altered landscapes.^[54]

References

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Nov 14, 2017 · The Matagi are a community of hunters with origins dating back to the 16 th century. Each settlement in northern Honshu has its own particular traits.
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To put it simply, Matagi are those who make lives from hunting. But it is their tradition and faith that make them different from just 'hunters'. Their history ...
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Matagi are the charismatic - and controversial - bear hunters who follow deeply embedded traditions of Japanese mountain culture.
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マタギの語源については、山立の転訛説、又鬼、盤司盤三郎（万二万三郎）伝説、サンスクリット語. （梵語）説まで諸説が紹介されているが、阿仁では体力気力が優れ、高峰 ...
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Friday Night History 89 (S3E23)- The Matagi - of Dr. Nyri A. Bakkalian
Jun 21, 2024 · Indeed, the word “matagi” itself is cognate with the Ainu word “matangi,” which also means “hunter.” I've seen some dispute over whether ...Missing: etymology | Show results with:etymology<|separator|>
[31]
Satoru Noda On Golden Kamuy Live-Action Film - Reddit
Dec 23, 2023 · I think he was probably more concerned about whether the movie would be cringe or not than anything, but here are just some observations.Jewish/Muslim characters in anime/manga? : r/TwoBestFriendsPlayThe Portrayal of Black People in Manga and Anime - RedditMore results from www.reddit.com
[32]
Matagi Gunner (manga) - Anime News Network
Matagi Gunner (manga) ; Genres: action ; Number of tankoubon: 11 ; Vintage: 2022-05-12 (serialized in Morning, 2022 #24) ; Release dates: We have 11 ; Japanese staff.
[33]
Matagi Book | OAK STORIES - Big Cartel
This object synthesizes the full history of the Matagi community. The format chosen for this publication is the leporello, and our readers will find two ...Missing: oral | Show results with:oral
[34]
Visual story telling of the Matagi hunters of Tōhoku - YouTube
Apr 11, 2022 · ... book. About the Speakers ALEX RODAL · OAK Chief Research Officer ... The Matagi - North Japan's Indigenous Mountain Stewards. GoNorth ...
[35]
Report on the joint talk “Visual story-telling of the Matagi hunters of ...
Jun 18, 2021 · Central to the Matagi culture is bear hunting. Seen as a gift from the Yama no Kami, the mountain goddess, the Japanese Black Bear is a vital ...Missing: methods | Show results with:methods
[36]
Matagi hunters in danger of extinction - Equal Times
Oct 20, 2017 · In the Tōhoku region, to the north of Honshu – the main island of the Japanese archipelago – the Matagi are waging an ongoing battle to ensure ...<|separator|>
[37]
Japan's northern bear hunters: Matagi | Freely AU
Sep 4, 2023 · Matagi hunt as a group and by using their knowledge of the terrain, corner the bear and slaughter it with traditional tools such as longbows and ...
[38]
Nature Restoration in a Depopulating Society
The population of the eastern and northern parts of Hokkaido will decrease about 40% from 2005 to 2035, and the population size is estimated to go back to that ...<|separator|>
[39]
Visit The Matagi People: Tohoku's Hunter-Gatherers | JoynTokyo
Oct 15, 2025 · They have been known as skilled hunters since ancient times, and legend has it that, after fighting a terrible monster during the reign of ...Missing: history | Show results with:history
[40]
'Urban bears' moving into depopulated municipalities | The Asahi ...
Dec 29, 2022 · Environment Ministry guidelines say the annual number of bears that can be hunted should be capped at 12 percent of their estimated population.Missing: regulations | Show results with:regulations
[41]
Matagi - PhMuseum
Following the Fukushima incidents in 2011, the state prohibited many Matagi communities from selling bear meat, due to the high risk of it being intoxicated by ...
[42]
Japan's eased rules on bear shootings in populated areas go into ...
Sep 1, 2025 · The changes to the law allow local government heads to approve emergency shootings of brown and black bears in populated areas, provided other ...
[43]
Japan relaxes bear-shooting laws amid rise in attacks - The Guardian
Dec 23, 2024 · Japan is to relax its strict hunting laws to make it easier to shoot bears, amid a rise in dangerous encounters with the animals in built-up areas.
[44]
Rising bear attacks in Japan prompt new shooting rules, but hunters ...
Oct 9, 2025 · Ministry of Environment-approved, first-grade game shooting licenses for those wishing to hunt in Japan by using bullet-loaded guns stood at ...
[45]
Project - Matagi - OAK Stories
Since their origins, in the mid-16th century, they have survived thanks to the consumption and selling of meat, skins and other products derived from hunting.
[46]
Rising bear attacks prompt new shooting rules, but hunters dwindle
Ministry of Environment-approved, first-grade game shooting licenses for those wishing to hunt in Japan by using bullet-loaded guns stood at 500,000 in 1976 but ...
[47]
Protect People from Bears, but Not Just By Shooting | JAPAN Forward
Aug 30, 2025 · Traditionally, police have responded to urban bears by ordering hunters to fire on a bear only when it represented a clear and imminent danger.
[48]
[PDF] (4) The issues concerning the control of bear hunting
As a premise, we report on illegal import of bear gall bladders to Japan and demand and marketing in Japan. We also consider the problems of Capture and.
[49]
Bear attacks are rising in Japan. Aging hunters are on the front line.
Dec 3, 2024 · A gunshot rang out on a recent morning in a meadow in northern Japan. · A record 219 people were victims of bear attacks, six of them fatal, in ...
[50]
Bears kill seven people in Japan this year as attacks hit record high
Oct 16, 2025 · Seven people have died since April this year - the highest number since figures started being recorded in 2006, officials say.
[51]
Bear Attacks Claim Record 7 Lives in Japan So Far in FY 2025
Oct 15, 2025 · Tokyo, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)--Japan has recorded seven bear-related deaths so far in fiscal 2025, which started in April, the highest since ...Missing: Asiatic black
[52]
Japan to beef up measures to control bear population
Oct 18, 2025 · Japan designated bears as a species for population control in April 2024, but sightings and attacks have surged, with seven people killed ...Missing: Matagi | Show results with:Matagi
[53]
Why a Bear Meat Vending Machine Could Be a Good Thing - Astray
Oct 16, 2024 · In an attempt to control these damages and protect human safety, a set number of bears are allowed to be hunted every year, with Matagi hunting ...<|separator|>
[54]
https://japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/12/09/japan/crime-legal/hokkaido-bear-hunters/