00:00 [Music]
00:16 [Foreign Language]
00:31 [Foreign Language]
01:00 [Music]
01:06 [Foreign Language]
01:29 [Music]
01:54 [Foreign Language]
02:03 [Music]
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02:20 [Music]
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02:37 [Foreign Language]
02:39 This is a bear caught in this area.
02:41 If you touch it, you can see that the one here was captured in the summer,
02:46 and the other one was captured in the winter.
02:49 This distinction is made based on the bear's fur.
02:52 The summer-captured bear has a softer, fluffier coat.
02:57 [Foreign Language]
03:07 The ages are different, but in the case of summer, the fur is stiff but allows good airflow.
03:15 In contrast to the winter fur, it is soft and appears to have insulating properties.
03:20 [Music]
03:22 [Foreign Language]
03:31 [Music]
03:33 [Foreign Language]
03:40 [Foreign Language]
03:49 In the past, matagi, a traditional Japanese hunter, used to go to the mountains with Akita dogs to catch bears.
03:57 When the Akita dogs passed away, there were limited options.
04:00 So, they would consume the meat of the large Akita dogs, drink to the river for hydration,
04:07 and use their fur for clothing before entering the mountains.
04:10 This practice continued for a long time.
04:13 [Foreign Language]
04:31 [Foreign Language]
04:57 [Music]
05:06 [Foreign Language]
05:18 Yes, what we have here is a bear trap, also known as a bear box.
05:25 Here, some bear cages are packed.
05:29 One, two, three, four, five. We have five.
05:33 Five.
05:35 These were used as bear traps that would go down the mountain and go to the city.
05:42 The bears would go down the mountain more often.
05:50 It's metal.
05:53 There are also times when the residents would attack the bears, even though it was not done by them.
06:00 That's why they would put bear traps that the bears could pass through before reaching the communities.
06:09 Yes, there is a white bucket here. We place bait in it.
06:17 We use honey, bee hives, apples, rice bran, and sometimes sake or other alcoholic beverages as bait.
06:26 [Music]
06:29 [Foreign Language]
06:37 We set the traps upon sighting. If we find out that there are traces of a bear, then we will set them.
06:47 [Foreign Language]
07:06 [Music]
07:08 Bear hunting is legal in this area, including the eating of bear meat.
07:14 Until now, I used to encounter bears outdoors about one to two times a year.
07:20 However, this year, the encounters have been exceptionally frequent, happening more than ten times already.
07:27 In my hunting club, the goal used to be capturing ten bears throughout the year, but now we've already hidden sixty bears.
07:35 So the situation is about six times more encounters with bears than usual.
07:39 [Music]
07:41 [Foreign Language]
07:52 Yes, so the direct trigger was the search of the beech nuts, which bears particularly like to eat last year.
08:03 This led to changes in the behavior of individual bears, causing a decrease in the density within the mountains
08:11 and an unusual increase in the number of bears venturing outside their normal habitat.
08:17 Essentially, it was a year of poor harvest.
08:20 So the nuts were not harvested much the previous year, and a cumulative effect contributed to the large number of bears appearing this year.
08:28 [Music]
08:32 Dr. Komatsu clarified that it was not because of humans that the beech nuts, which bears like to eat, were decreasing.
08:41 It was the natural cycle of the ecology, which is why it was decreasing over time.
08:51 [Music]
09:01 What is the chance that I will see a bear looking for food?
09:06 This is what I was thinking while preparing to go hunting with Hideyuki.
09:14 I'm wearing this knife.
09:18 Just in case we really see a bear.
09:27 And then, he was asking me, "What is this for?"
09:31 This is a real bear fur.
09:34 What for? What is the purpose?
09:38 To avoid getting your butt wet when you sit.
09:43 He's wearing it.
09:45 So your butt doesn't get wet when you sit down.
09:48 Protection from the wet.
09:51 Look.
09:54 This is a hiking stick.
09:57 Okay.
09:59 We might get caught here.
10:02 Our hiking stick can also be used as a gun.
10:07 And as a hunting tool.
10:13 I'm excited and also scared.
10:17 Are you okay? Let's go.
10:20 I'm following you.
10:23 [Music]
10:24 Okay.
10:26 The hunters always pray before going to the jungle.
10:34 Before entering the mountains, I am using the smoke of a plant called morobi to purify us.
10:46 [Music]
11:02 At this point, I feel mixed emotions.
11:06 On one side, I want to see a wild bear and how a hunter hunts a bear.
11:15 But I'm also worried about the possibility of a bloody encounter.
11:21 I need to follow the lead of the hunter.
11:26 He's walking in a wide area.
11:30 So there's a high possibility that he'll run into a bear.
11:34 If you come across a bear, avoid making loud noises or running
11:39 as this may provoke the bear and lead to a pursuit.
11:43 Instead, assume a defensive posture as bears may feel threatened and exhibit aggressive behavior.
11:50 It's crucial to be cautious and avoid provoking or startling the bear to ensure a safe encounter.
11:58 Bears tend to avoid human interaction, but if they feel threatened, they might react defensively or flee.
12:06 But there's a small mistake.
12:10 [Speaking in Tagalog]
12:13 [Speaking in Tagalog]
12:17 [Speaking in Tagalog]
12:37 [Music]
12:44 When we entered the forest, it started to get cold, so the surroundings became colder.
12:52 Deyuki became serious and quiet.
13:06 [Speaking in Tagalog]
13:08 [Speaking in Tagalog]
13:11 He's careful to avoid getting close to the bear.
13:20 He's holding his shotgun in his hand.
13:24 He also has a knife in his left hand.
13:35 As I was entering the forest, I quietly planned my next move.
13:43 What would I do if I suddenly came across a bear?
13:52 In this city, I met Hideo Suzuki, a veteran hunter.
14:05 Like Hideo, he's used to showing respect to the goddess of the forest before hunting.
14:14 He asked me not to enter the shrine.
14:19 Hideo himself built this shrine.
14:33 It's a place for hunters to use.
14:37 Why is it that ladies cannot go there inside the shrine?
14:44 We offer prayers to a female goddess.
14:49 However, the mountain goddess, not being particularly attractive,
14:53 becomes jealous of ladies with a pleasing appearance like yourself.
14:57 Moreover, we refrain from talking about girls inside the mountain.
15:02 The gate of the shrine has signs that show that not only people visit this shrine.
15:14 I set it up with my friends, so there was a bear bite on this.
15:23 The bear was so big that it bit the wood.
15:32 The goddess is jealous of the people who care for the environment.
15:37 She also says that she can come and go as she pleases.
15:42 This forest is a different kind.
15:49 I'm a father of two children.
15:54 Mr. Suzuki is one of the oldest hunters in their area.
16:00 Old pictures show that his father and grandfather were also hunters.
16:11 That's why he says that he has seen the culture of the Matagi, which says that the nature is deep.
16:19 They don't overdo it in getting the forest's wealth.
16:29 They should just get what they need.
16:39 It seems that we are receiving abundant blessings,
16:42 but our community, while living by respecting nature and cherishing the gifts of the mountains,
16:48 takes only what is necessary for ourselves.
16:51 We don't simply go out to hunt bears or gather wild vegetables.
16:56 Rather, we take only what is necessary for ourselves.
17:00 They also consider the food that the forest gives them as a blessing.
17:08 Yes, the Matagi have a remarkable history.
17:11 They express gratitude for the blessings of the mountains,
17:15 particularly in the context of bears, considering them as gifts from the abundant nature.
17:22 You can see in some of Mr. Suzuki's pictures how their group distributed the bear meat.
17:33 The bear's insides were also believed to be the source of the disease.
17:39 He said that this is a gallbladder or abdomen of a bear.
17:44 It's like a medicine.
17:47 It can be used for fever, cough, stomachache, and many other things.
17:54 Now, it's in powder form.
17:57 Can I taste it?
18:00 As you wish, Ma'am.
18:03 A little bit. I'm scared.
18:06 Take this.
18:08 Okay.
18:10 The bitter taste is stronger.
18:20 It's so bitter.
18:22 It's very bitter.
18:24 And that's just a little bit.
18:28 I need water.
18:30 And because it's so bitter,
18:33 Like this.
18:35 he made capsule form, the powder made from the abdomen of a bear.
18:40 He says that he drank this when he was young, but not in his younger generation.
18:46 It's very difficult to get sick there.
18:50 I believe our village has been sustained by bears,
18:55 providing assistance in times of need.
18:58 In the past, the entire village relied on the mountains,
19:02 utilizing all parts of the bear for medicinal purposes to heal local community.
19:08 Bear gallbladders no longer hold much value, and they are quite abundant.
19:14 We reflect on this with a sense of regret,
19:17 as their utility has been diminished significantly.
19:21 The history of bear hunters is believed to date back to the 8th century.
19:26 At the Bear Museum in Kitaakita City,
19:32 you can see some of their ancient tools,
19:38 and how they gradually changed from traditional swords and knives
19:45 to the use of bear gallbladders.
19:50 Some bears were also caught by bear hunters.
19:54 Throughout the history of bear hunters,
20:07 it's a pleasure to know some of them in this place.
20:12 Hideyuki says that he was not the only one who was caught by bear hunters.
20:19 Others were also caught, like the rabbit.
20:23 He taught me how to set up a trap to catch rabbits.
20:45 Then he tied it to a tree, and hid the trap in the leaves.
20:50 Then, if you leave it overnight, by the next morning you might find a captured rabbit.
21:12 As we continued our search,
21:15 in a part of the forest, a bear hunter suddenly grabbed his gun.
21:24 He quietly walked, while someone was watching.
21:38 Could he be blessed by the goddess of the forest,
21:42 to catch him on this day?
21:46 While we were walking, I couldn't help but admire the beauty of the surroundings,
21:57 even though the weather is cloudy.
22:01 This is like a spring from the mountain.
22:03 It's very clear.
22:05 Japanese black bear is what bears are called,
22:13 found in Akita Prefecture, in the Honshu region of Japan.
22:18 They grow from 1 to 1.5 meters in size,
22:24 and weigh 60 to 100 kilograms.
22:29 They have a white crescent-shaped mark on their belly.
22:33 Some hunters I met believe that bears are still in their area.
22:42 Just this January, the Ministry of the Environment released a report
22:48 that there are bears spotted in various parts of Japan,
22:52 which are more than 90 percent of the population.
22:57 The Ministry of the Environment has also reported that
22:59 there are more than 19,000 Asian black bears in Japan
23:03 from April to October 2023, compared to 18,000 in 2020.
23:09 Bear hunting in Japan is legal but regulated, depending on the area.
23:17 But their training also includes avoiding extreme harassment.
23:24 Matagi hunters want to convey that we have a deep appreciation for bears.
23:28 Our sentiment is rooted in the genuine fondness for bears,
23:32 and we don't hunt them out of pleasure in killing.
23:35 Bears are highly respected in Matagi culture as being living in the harsh mountains,
23:41 considered messengers of the mountain gods due to their large size
23:46 and ability to endure the challenging mountain environment.
23:51 Bears and humans are often found in the wild due to the so-called human expansion.
23:58 The direct and immediate cause of the bears being classified as protected species
24:07 was not directly related to the cultural factors.
24:10 Instead, it was primarily due to the habitat loss resulting from human activities.
24:15 The expansion of human activities, such as creating golf courses or ski resorts,
24:20 led to habitat loss for bears.
24:22 And in the encounter of humans and bears, there is a chance that one should be lost.
24:30 My grandfather instilled in me the importance of not letting my guard down in difficult situations,
24:37 especially when dealing with bears.
24:39 He advised me to retreat without lowering my guard until I confirmed that the bear was subdued.
24:47 The Matagi hunters say that they do not make it difficult to hunt.
24:51 Specifically when delivering the final shot, the aim is at the head region.
24:59 It is crucial to target the area around the temple, typically where the ear is located.
25:04 However, as the bear tends to move quickly, the challenge lies in precisely hitting this spot
25:10 in a brief moment for an effective and humane outcome.
25:14 We walked in the forest for a long time.
25:17 Not far from us, we spotted a bear trail.
25:24 There is a bear's pathway, so we will enter on the left side of this bear trail.
25:29 What is the sign?
25:31 It looks like somebody stepped on the plants.
25:34 That branch has fallen.
25:36 I think there is a bear down here.
25:40 He asked us to stay away from the bear if it has already fallen.
25:44 After a few minutes of inspection on the bear trail, we were finally able to reach it.
25:50 It is likely that the bear is already far away.
25:53 We walked again outside the forest, but it seemed like somebody was going to step on it.
25:59 The bear trail is too slippery because of the snow.
26:07 We will eat here.
26:11 We will camp here.
26:14 Until we reach a campsite.
26:18 I'll help you make the fire.
26:21 This is a very old style of campfire.
26:26 We will make a fire here.
26:31 We will put this here.
26:38 We will eat here for lunch.
26:47 We will eat the meat of a Japanese black bear that was caught by Hideyuki.
26:52 They caught it last week.
26:58 If you like camping, you will surely enjoy this place.
27:02 You are surrounded by a growing tree.
27:07 You are embraced by the cold wind.
27:11 You are being formed by a unique experience.
27:17 Along with that experience is a traditional Japanese culture.
27:25 This is a traditional Japanese culture.
27:28 This is a traditional Japanese culture.
27:37 Let's eat.
27:40 I will taste the food now.
27:51 This is my first time tasting bear meat.
27:55 It's delicious.
28:09 It's like beef, but it has a different taste.
28:17 I thought it would be hard, but it's soft.
28:21 It's like it's been boiled for a long time.
28:25 I noticed that Hideyuki is proud to share his knowledge with us.
28:33 He was able to pass it on to the hunters who were his first.
28:39 But Mr. Suzuki was left to take care of the next generation of old hunters that he was counting on.
28:49 How can he pass on to the next generation his deep spiritual connection to the mountains?
29:01 For the hunters, as long as the mountains are rich, their culture will remain.
29:09 If not, it's for their own good if they don't finish this gift.
29:18 Good evening, I am Sandra Aguinaldo.
29:26 Please give me a lot of gifts.
29:31 This is what's not in the city.
29:33 Thank you very much.
29:35 Is this the first time you've met?
29:37 Where are your parents?
29:39 For a long time,
29:41 I just passed through this intense training before a hovering.
29:46 You accompanied me to IWINX.
29:52 I was able to learn a lot.
29:56 I was able to learn a lot.
29:59 I was able to learn a lot.
30:03 I was able to learn a lot.
30:07 I was able to learn a lot.
30:11 I was able to learn a lot.
30:15 I was able to learn a lot.
30:20 [MUSIC]
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