also: まとぎ
matagi; traditional winter hunters of Tōhoku
Refers to the traditional bear and game hunters of the Tōhoku region, especially in Akita and Aomori, with distinct cultural practices and rituals.
Matagi hunt bears in the mountains during winter.
彼の祖父は秋田のマタギだった。
His grandfather was a matagi in Akita.
Katakana spelling is common; usually written in kana; preferred headword.
Hiragana spelling; also common.
Ateji kanji spelling; rarely used in modern writing.
Dialectal or older reading variant; not common in standard Japanese.
The origin is uncertain; possibly from Ainu or from the verb またぐ (to step over), referring to traversing deep snow. The kanji 又鬼 are ateji.