noun
the Sanka; mountain nomads of Japan
Historical term for groups of itinerant people in mountainous regions of Japan, often associated with river work, hunting, and seasonal movement. The reading さんわ is rare and archaic.
山窩はかつて日本の山間部を移動しながら生活していた人々を指す言葉だ。
Sanka is a term that once referred to people who lived while moving through mountainous areas of Japan.
民俗学の資料で山窩
I researched the customs of the Sanka in folklore materials.
Katakana spelling sometimes used in modern academic or explanatory contexts.
The exact origin is uncertain. The kanji 山 (mountain) and 窩 (den, hollow) suggest 'mountain den,' possibly referring to their transient dwellings. The term itself is historical and not commonly used in modern everyday language.