also: まとぎ
noun
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.
マタギは冬の間、山でクマを狩る。
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.
Dialectal or older reading variant; not common in standard Japanese.
猟師 is a general term for hunter, while マタギ specifically refers to the traditional winter hunters of Tōhoku with unique cultural traditions.
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.