The "Matagi," master bear hunters who live in the mountains, originated in Kitaakita City, the home of the Ani Matagi! [Akita Prefecture]

The Ani region (Kamikoani Village, Kitaakita City, Akita Prefecture) , which is home to the Jomon period Isedotai ruins its stone circle that is registered as a World Heritage Site is said to be the birthplace of Matagi

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

The Isedotai Ruins are a mysterious site registered as a World Heritage Site! [Akita Prefecture]

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/29223

The Isedotai Ruins are a Jomon period site located in Kitaakita City, Akita Prefecture. Its most notable feature is the presence of four stone circles. Due to its well-preserved state, the site has been designated a National Historic Site and registered as one of the World Heritage Sites, "Jomon Sites in Hokkaido and Northern Tohoku." Stone circles are common throughout the world and were places of prayer at the center of settlements. The Isedotai Ruins are notable for the four stone circles found in the same square. This is the only place in Japan where four such circles have been found in the same location. Stone circles are a circular arrangement of stones, and are common throughout the world...

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Matagi are people who live by hunting, strictly adhering to the rules of the mountains and upholding traditional traditions and etiquette

The word "Matagi" is often written with the kanji characters "又鬼," and its etymology is uncertain. Nowadays, it is almost always referred to simply as "Matagi"

The word "matagi" first appeared in written records during the early Edo period, in the diaries of the Nanbu Domain (Iwate Prefecture) and the Tsugaru Domain (Aomori Prefecture) in the late 1600s

It is said that the name started being written in katakana sometime after the Meiji era, but the exact details are unclear. It seems that the people of Ani had been calling themselves "Ani Matagi"

Tohoku's forests are ideal for hunting

"Matagi," or "making a living by hunting animals ," is an activity that has been practiced by humankind since its inception.

Before agriculture, such as rice cultivation, was introduced from the continent during the Yayoi period, the staple food during the Jomon period consisted of fruits such as acorns and chestnuts, and men's work was hunting

The reason why so many Jomon period archaeological sites have been discovered in the Tohoku region is said to be because this area is covered in deciduous broadleaf forests, and in the autumn, the trees bear fruit, and when the leaves fall, visibility improves, creating ideal conditions for hunting

During the Yayoi period, agriculture flourished in the plains, and hunting became a pastime for those living in mountainous areas. As a result, the number of hunters decreased, but the tradition of the Matagi (traditional Japanese hunters) was passed down

Neko village, said to be the birthplace of Matagi

The Ani Matagi were based on the settlements they lived in

• Nekko Matagi
• Uttō Matagi
• Hitachinai Matagi
• Yagisawa Matagi (traditional hunters)
• Hagi-gata Matagi

They are known by various names. The number of Ani Matagi is 37 (as of 2023)

They have become a precious presence

Neko, in Kitaakita City (formerly Ani Town), is said to be the first place in the Ani area where matagi (traditional Japanese hunters) settled. Neko is a mountain village in the southern part of Kitaakita City, along the Ani River, and the matagi of this area are called Neko matagi

It is said that people began to live in Neko after the Genpei War, and there are two theories: one that descendants of the Minamoto clan settled there, and the other that refugees from the Taira clan settled there. The origins of the area are unclear

While there is farmland within the settlement, many matagi (traditional Japanese hunters) lived in the mountainous areas. The matagi lived a traditional hunting life in the mountains, following old rules, and made a living by selling "kumanoi,"

It is said that they sometimes settled in the regions they visited to sell bear bile, and became local hunters (matagi)

The extinct Yagisawa Matagi and Hagigata Matagi

Both Yagisawa and Hagigata Kami-Koani Village , which is adjacent to Kitaakita City where the Neko settlement is located . Matagi (traditional Japanese hunters) migrated to these two settlements from the Neko settlement, and many Matagi once lived there.

However, in 1966, the Hagigata Dam was constructed in Hagigata, causing the settlement to sink to the bottom of the lake and forcing the residents to relocate elsewhere

In Yagisawa, the last remaining matagi (traditional hunter) surrendered his hunting license in 2009, and now there are no more Yagisawa matagi left. It's sad, but perhaps you can't fight the tide of time

Nekobanraku is a nationally designated intangible folk cultural asset

Nekko Bangaku passed down in Nekko , is a type of mountain ascetic kagura (sacred dance) that is said to have been brought over by former retainers of the Minamoto clan or refugees of the Taira clan who settled in Nekko village. It features both spirited warrior dances and quiet, classical dances.

Previously, there were 20 performances in total, 12 of the main dance and 8 of the hidden dance, but they have fallen out of favor over time, and currently, 9 performances in total are preserved, 8 of the main dance and 1 of the hidden dance

It is designated as an important intangible folk cultural property of Japan and will be performed on August 14th at the Neko Banraku Tradition Hall

Utado Matagi Village, where Matagi-related facilities are gathered

Utto village (Ani Utto, Kitaakita City) is the setting for Tatsuya Kumagai's novel "Kaiko no Mori" ( Forest of Encounters Tomiji Matsuhashi, a legendary matagi ( traditional hunter) to the early Showa period. The novel won both the Naoki Prize and the Yamamoto Shugoro Prize in 2004. At the time, it was said that more than half of the households in the village were engaged in matagi as their family business.

This area is the central hub for the Ani Matagi (traditional Japanese hunters) the "Matagi Museum" and "Kumakumaen, the Matagi Village Bear Ranch," the hot spring accommodation "Utto Onsen Matagi

The "An-no-Taki" waterfall , a two-tiered waterfall located in the forest where the Matagi hunters ventured, one of Japan's Top 100 Waterfalls . You can also enjoy doburoku (unrefined sake) which is specially permitted to be available there.

The nearest station "Ani Matagi Station" on the Akita Inland Railway .

The Matagi Museum displays numerous Matagi (traditional Japanese hunters) costumes and hunting tools

the Hidden Land Inn Utada Onsen Matagi no Yu , displays many Matagi costumes and hunting equipment, which are designated as Important Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan.

A rare "doburoku" (unrefined sake) that has been granted permission for small-scale production in the "Ani Matagi Special Zone"

The Ani district of Kitaakita City (formerly Ani Town) has been designated an "Ani Matagi Special Zone" by the Cabinet Office

"Matagi no Yu," a secluded inn in Utto Onsen , you can enjoy a rare type of doburoku (unrefined sake) brewed from their own rice, which can only be tasted here.

Matagi's Village Bear Farm "Kumakumaen"

Bears were an important source of food and income for the Matagi (traditional Japanese hunters). "Kumakumaen" is a facility where you can observe Asiatic black bears that live on Honshu and brown bears that live on Hokkaido.

Visitors can feed the Asiatic black bears with food that is available for purchase, and for a limited time, they can even interact with bear cubs

"Michi-no-Eki Ani Matagi no Sato" is located in the Hiranai Matagi no Sato area

Anichitachinai is a settlement located between Neko and Utto, and is known as the home of

The village is home to the Akita Inland Railway's Hitachinai Station. "Michi-no-Eki Ani Matagi no Sato," , you can enjoy dishes made with local specialties from the Ani region.

NORIJUN

My love of travel led me to work for a travel magazine some time ago, and now I work as a travel writer for an online publication. I have visited all 47 prefectures in Japan, focusing on the Tohoku region, and I enjoy soaking in hot springs and experiencing traditional Japanese culture, including old townscapes, lifestyles, and performing arts and crafts