The Last Hunters of the North (Matagi Bear Hunters)

Japanese History Junk Food

Nick and Stephen, two hombres with little expertise but lots of passion, are back and recording remotely to bring you the tale of the Matagi Bear Hunters, a quickly vanishing group of Japanese woodsmen in the rural north!

“Red spots of blood flower in the virgin snow as the bear’s dead body is dragged to a nearby plain to be gutted and dismembered using a traditional Matagi knife. Part of the bear’s intestines are left as an offering to the mountain goddess.“. They cut off the bear’s paws before gutting and skinning the rest of its body.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/proof/2017/11/matagi-hunting-tradition-japan/

Currently there are still some Matagi communities in the Tōhoku region (Aomori, Akita, Iwate, Yamagata, Niigata and Nagano). There are no more full time Matagi hunters anymore because of hunting restrictions so most of the remaining Matagi are elderly farmers or foresters in the offseason.

There is a Matagi museum in Akita. https://visitakita.com/en/sightseeing/history-culture/213/

Matagi Documentary on NHK WORLD: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/ondemand/video/3016051/