Haibun “Bears and
Human Lives”
Hidenori Hiruta
President
of AIHN
熊の毛皮
Bear Fur
Bear
fur was very durable and highly valued. It was in demand as a large piece of
material that could keep the back warm and protect against the cold. It was
used as a mat in the living room of an ordinary private home. It was large
enough for about four children to sit on, and the bear fur was about 5 cm long
and smooth, making it ideal for making mats and keeping warm. Today, it is used
as decoration in guesthouses and souvenir shops.
熊の皮敷きし横座や冬至の来 秀法
Bear fur spread
on the household head’s spot
the winter solstice
熊の皮敷きし座敷の花菖蒲 田中冬二
Irises
in the tatami room
with bear fur put
昨日獲て秋日に干せり熊の皮 相馬遷子
Bear fur
caught yesterday
dried in the autumn sun
熊の胆
Bear Bile
Bear
bile (yutan) is an animal-derived herbal medicine derived from bears. It is
also called bear bile (kumanoi). It is made from dried bear bile.
The
effects and uses of bear bile were introduced to Japan from China, and bear
bile, which is said to have begun to be used in the Asuka period, was even
collected as a "cho" (a type of tax) in Etchu during the Nara
period.
It is
used as a medicine for the digestive system in general, with stomachic and
choleretic effects. It has a strong bitter taste. It is also used as an
ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine.
During
the Edo period, bear bile became widely used as a prescription drug, and
various feudal domains in the Tohoku region set official prices for it, while
the Akita domain made efforts to sell it as medicine.
However,
due to the revision of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law in 1971, hunters are now
unable to trade as they once did.
風呂吹や火棚に吊す熊の肝 菅原多つを
The bathtub
bear liver hanging
on the fire shelf
Bear
bile refers to the gallbladder, a bag-like structure that stores bile (liquid).
The gallbladder is removed carefully so as not to rupture it, and the top is
immediately tied tightly with hemp thread.
It is
then hung over the hearth or bathtub fireplace to dry. Once semi-dry, it is
sandwiched between boards to shape it, tightly tied with string, and left to
dry indoors for the final product. It takes just over a month to produce the
finished product.
熊の胆を嘗め越中の寒きかな 旭
Tasting the bear bile
during the cold winter periods
in Etchu
大寒や苦き熊の胆乗り越える 秀法
The coldest winter days
overcoming it
with bitter bear bile
熊の胆の少し売らるる霧の小屋
北見さとる
A misty hut
selling
a little bear bile
Bear
bile is considered the highest quality of traditional Chinese medicine. Its
efficacy in treating chronic gastrointestinal ailments, food poisoning,
fatigue, hangovers, and other ailments has long made it a valuable source of
income for bear hunters.
阿仁マタギ
Ani Matagi hunters
Ani
Town, Kitaakita City, Akita Prefecture, is an area that holds great
significance for Matagi hunters throughout Japan. Discovered in Ani in 1309
(the second year of the Enkei era), the Ani Mine (which closed in 1978) once
boasted the largest copper production in Japan, and it is said that this copper
was also used to make the Great Buddha of Nara. While the area flourished as a
mining town, producing gold and silver in addition to copper, the area was also
dotted with settlements where hunters made a living in the deep mountain
valleys. These were the Ani Matagi hunters.
The
Matagi Museum is located next to Utto Onsen Matagi no Yu. The museum displays
many items such as Matagi costumes, hunting equipment, and peddling equipment,
which have been designated as Important Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan,
making it a must-see for anyone wanting to learn about Matagi culture and beech
belt culture.
Here is
a copy of the Matagi secret scroll that traveling Matagi always carried with
them.
The Ani
Matagi are revered as the "main family" by fellow Matagi throughout
the country. They were not village Matagi, whose hunting activities were
limited to the areas surrounding their residential areas, but rather traveling
Matagi, who traveled to faraway places such as Aomori, Iwate, Fukushima,
Yamagata, Niigata, and Nagano. Since the early 1800s, Ani Matagi have settled
down as adopted sons-in-law in their travels, forming hunting groups in the
villages they visited as branch families.
There
are also many cases of Matagi migrating to areas where there was no local
Matagi, and passing on Matagi culture to those areas. In this way, the Ani
Matagi are known as Japan's leading hunters, active throughout eastern Japan.
巻物の教えを胸に旅マタギ 秀法
Traveling matagi
with the teachings
in the scroll
kept in mind
There
are several Matagi settlements in Ani. The most representative are Nekko, Utto,
and Hitachinai. There are slight differences in hunting methods. Nekko and Utto
are said to have originated from the Heike refugees, while Hitachinai
originated from Matagi who came from Nikko. Nekko, the birthplace of Matagi,
had the largest number of Matagi, followed by Utto and Hitachinai.
After
climbing the hill and passing through the 576m-long Nekko Tunnel, which is only
wide enough for one car to pass through, you will arrive at Nekko village. It
is truly a hidden village.
Once
you leave the narrow, dark tunnel, the view suddenly opens up and the hidden
village comes into view. You will notice that it is very similar to the world
of "Shangri-La" created by Tao Yuanming over 1,600 years ago. Nekko
has been selected as one of the "Top 100 Villages of Japan"
(sponsored by Asahi Shimbun /Forest Culture Association).
In
Matagi villages, farming for self-sufficiency was an important job mainly
performed by women. Other important tasks for women included gathering wild
vegetables in the spring and mushrooms in the fall, and gathering and
processing nuts.
Men
mainly hunted during the hunting season from winter to spring, but in summer
they often fished in the rivers, and some even went out selling medicines such
as bear bile. Now that hunting has declined, many men are focusing on forest
work or, where conditions are favorable, farming.
熊撃ちに行くとふ微笑髯の中 遠山陽子
In the smiling
beard
a matagi going
to hunt bears
Until
World War II, Ani Matagi traveled not only throughout the Tohoku region, but
also as far as Niigata, Nagano, Gifu, Toyama, and Nara in search of bear and
chamois. Traveling Matagi would travel in groups of several people for periods
of one to three months.
熊撃ちの近寄りがたき傲りかな 山口冬男
Bear matagi
with such pride
unapproachable
When
they reached the local mountains, they would build a hunting hut, and when food
became scarce, they would descend to the nearest village every 10 days or so.
They would replenish their supplies of rice and miso paste from farmers and
others in exchange for the meat and gall of their game. The private homes that
provided such convenience were called "matagi lodgings."
ひとり煮て熊鍋妻子なかりけり 石川桂郎
Cooking bear stew
by himself
with no wife or
children
According
to records from 1932 in the Nekko village, out of the 84 households, 76 men went
out to peddle bird and animal furs and bear gall during the farming off-season.
Their destinations were as far as 20 prefectures, with some even going as far
as Sakhalin. It is said that the whole village was enriched by the Matagi.
熊撃のはにかんでゐる春炉かな 茨木和生
The bear matagi
smiling shyly
at spring furnace
An
elder who remembers those days says, "In the old days, every man in the
village would disappear in the winter. There used to be 50 to 60 Matagi, but
only about 10 would remain in the village."
Traveling
Matagi chose places where there were few skilled hunters and there was plenty
of game. If all the skilled Matagi were to hunt in the local area, where there
was a concentration of them, it would lead to overhunting and the game would
quickly disappear, which was a major reason for setting out on the journey.
共存
Coexistence
熊の出る村まさかりの幟立つ 萩原麦草
A village
where bears appear
with flags of axes raised
蜂蜜を熊にとられな冬仕度 龍岡晋
Ready for winter
not to let the bears
steal honey
熊出るといふ立札の新しく 関口美子
A new signpost
standing
announcing bears
熊よけの鈴を響かせ登山帽 安部恵子
A mountaineering hat
with a bear bell
ringing
迷ひ熊一村湧かす木の芽晴れ 林民子
Stray bear
the village lively and excited
a clear day like buds coming out
熊除けの鈴高らかに登校児 和田和子
Children to school
ringing bells
to repel bears
校庭を熊が眺めてゐたりちふ 相生垣瓜人
BEAR looking at the schoolyard
they say
熊除の鈴打ち鳴らし下校の子 大島鋸山
School children home
with ringing bells on their way
to ward off bears
村営バス揺るたび熊除け鈴鳴れり
高澤良一
Every time
the village bus sways
a bear repellent bell ringing
熊がでて仕事にならぬ杣飯場 田島緑繁
A bear stopping
workers duty
a logging camp
熊でるまではなんでもなき山路 大塚信太
ORDINARY mountain path
before a bear appearance
熊出でて村に夜番の組まれけり
芝山喜久子
A bear appearance
with a night watch set up
in the village
落葉にさまよふ子熊人里に 秀法
Young bear
wandering among fallen leaves
to the village
柿の木に居座る子熊柿を食ふ 秀法
A bear cub
staying and often eating persimmons
on a persimmon tree
木枯らしに子熊さまよい公園に 秀法
The cold wintry wind
young bear wandering
to the park
冬眠や倉庫の隅に潜む熊 秀法
HIBERNATION
a bear hidden in the corner
a warehouse
除雪中物置小屋に眠る熊 秀法
Snow removing
a bear sleeping in
a store shed
ベルリンの熊
Bears in Berlin
Berlin,
the capital of Germany, is nicknamed "Bear City," and its symbol is
indeed a bear. The city's flag and coat of arms feature a bear, the logo of
Berlin's staple beer, Berliner Pilsner, also features a bear, and the top prize
at the Berlin International Film Festival is a golden bear.
The
symbol of Berlin is a bear, and the most popular theory about its origin is
that it comes from the fact that the German word for bear, "Bär" or
"Bärin," sounds similar to Berlin.
熊の文字ベルリンの名に残りけり 秀法
The word “bear”
used in the name
of Berlin
from its old term
Around
the 13th century, bears replaced eagles in the city's coat of arms, and since
then, bears have appeared in many places as a symbol of Berlin. There is a
large bear figurine at Berlin Central Station, and now the city's image is a
bear. Berlin is also known as "Bear Village," and bears are a beloved
animal. Walking around the city, you can come across unique bear objects (Buddy
Bears) that could be called pop art everywhere.
ベルリンの昔日偲ぶバディベア 秀法
Buddy Bears
talking on the old
days
of Berlin
ベルリンの守護神のごとバディベア 秀法
Buddy Bears
protecting the
great city
of Berlin
Nowadays,
with the development of Berlin, the bear has become more widely recognized as
the city's guardian animal, and has become a beloved animal. Bear statues
called "Buddy Bear" have been installed all over the city, and they
serve as mascots to welcome tourists. For the people of Berlin, bears represent
their very identity, but the reality is that bears are extinct in Germany.
参考文献
・マタギ資料館
（北秋田市観光文化スポーツ部観光課
森吉山推進室／
マタギの里観光開発株式会社）
・「俳句季語一覧ナビ」季語／
熊を使った俳句
・全国マタギの本家「阿仁又鬼（マタギ）」
（森と水の郷・あきた森づくり活動
サポートセンター 総合情報サイト）
・伝説のマタギの素顔とは？
故・松橋時幸さんの信条／
秋田県阿仁マタギ本家
（男の隠れ家デジタル）
・日本最後の縄文人「マタギの里 阿仁」
（「司馬遼太郎の街道をゆく」を旅する）
・ベルリンのシンボルが
熊なのはなぜなのか。
（レファレンス共同データベース・
提供館岡山県立図書館）
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