Japan: Akita Nairiku line 2

Wednesday, 11 March 2015

Akita Nairiku line 2

The mountain area between Kita Akita and Senboku cities (though local government area would be a more apt translation than city) is traditionally a place for hunting civilization as opposed to the more "traditionally" Japanese cultivation based civilization. The hunters who were known for hunting bears, tend to be more closely connected culturally to the Ainu than the rice farmers of the plains. But I don't know much about it. Hiro also doesn't know much about it, though from memory he went to school with people from bear hunting families. He says quite a few of the place names there are remnant Ainu names, such as Ani Matagi. (Matagi being the name of the bear hunting people. ) Wikipedia has a little on them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matagi

There are a lot photos, but it's stunning winter scenery.