 The Matagi live in small hamlets of the mountain beech forests of Tōhoku and engage in agriculture during the planting and harvest season.In the winter and early spring, they form hunting bands that spend weeks at a time in the forest.With the introduction of modern firearms in the 19th century, and the rise of domestic rifle manufacture beginning with the Murata rifle, the need for group hunting for bear has diminished, leading to a decline in Matagi culture.