Bears and Humans: 15 Masterpieces of Past and Present Based on True Stories Approach! Publication of 'Scary Bears'

Yama-to-Keikoku-sha Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Hirofumi Ninomiya), which handles media business in the mountain and nature fields within the Impress Group, has published "Scary Bears: Masterpiece Anthology" (Edited by Yama-to-Keikoku-sha).

"Wounded Bear / Blizzard" by Tamotsu Konno, from "The Mountain Where the Brown Bear Roars" (Yamakei Bunko)

"Kohei" by Akira Yoshimura, from "Brown Bear Hunting" (Chikuma Bunko)

"First Matagi" by Kei Kaizaki, from "The 14th Generation Matagi: The Life of Tokiyuki Matsuhashi" (Yamakei Bunko)

"The Vengeful Bear" by Takao Kudo, from "Strange Tales of the Matagi" (Yamakei Bunko)

"Death Match Between Brown Bears" by Takeshige Nishimura, from "Mountain Scenery" (Kawade Shobo Shinsha)

"Taki" by Tamotsu Konno, from "Arashi" (Yamakei Bunko)

"It Rains When You Kill a Bear" by Kei Endo, from "It Rains When You Kill a Bear" (Yama-to-Keikoku-sha)

"Defeating the Giant Brown Bear That Ravaged the Ranch" by Takeshige Nishimura, from "Hunters of the North Sea" (Yamakei Bunko)

"Brown Bear Wind" by Yukio Togawa, from "Yukio Togawa Animal Literature Anthology 4: The Tale of the Takayasu Dog" (Shufu to Seikatsu Sha)

"The Attacked Cowshed" by Shunji Kubo, from "Brown Bear Hunting" (Shogakukan Bunko)

"The Unthinkable Event: Attacked by a Bear" by Yasushi Yamanoi, from "Alpinism and Death" (Yamakei Bunko)

"The Hidaka/Mount Kamuiekuuchikaushi Brown Bear Attack Accident" by Osamu Haneda, from "Bears That Attack Humans" (Yamakei Bunko)

"The North Chishima Man-Eating Bear Incident and I" by Moritake Kimura, from "Brown Bears: What You Want to Know" (Kyodo Bunka Sha)

"The Inherited 'DNA' of the Man-Eating Bear: The Kitami Serial Man-Eating Bear Incidents" by Shigedai Nakayama, from "Revenge of the Gods: The Hokkaido Pioneer History of Man-Eating Brown Bears" (Kodansha)

"The Death of Michio Hoshino" by Stephen Herrero, from "Bear Attacks 2" (Hokkaido University Press)

Tension, conflict, fierce battles, tragedy—this book compiles a total of 15 works, including non-fiction that records the history of bears and humans across the ages, where life and death reside side by side, as well as novels based on true stories.

Postscript Essay / Ichi Sawamura

〇 Content Introduction

Despite paying such careful attention, the old man carelessly leaned forward, following the trail of blood on the ground with his eyes. When he saw that it suddenly ended, the old man sensed a strange presence and quickly pressed himself against a large tree nearby. At that moment, he received a fierce blow to the back of his head and stumbled forward. — "Wounded Bear"

Kohei closed his eyes. The bear's body was pressed tightly against his back. The bear's head was looming over the side of his face. He was seized by the terror that at any moment his skull would be crushed by the bear's strong, sharp teeth. — "Kohei"

When attacked by a bear and trapped in a helpless predicament, Tokiyuki felt the confidence he had possessed being blown away without a sound and crumbling. What Tokiyuki was shown in that moment was completely different from the Matagi world in the village where he had lived and observed up to this day. — "First Matagi"

When Torazo had a drink at home and was about to go to sleep, his wife made a creepy face and said, "I feel like someone is walking around the house. I hope it's not a thief." When he strained his ears, he could indeed hear the sound of someone walking. Moreover, the breathing was heavy. — "The Vengeful Bear"

One summer, I went to a deep ravine up the Mataochi River to fish for Yamabe (cherry salmon) and stayed overnight. Immersed in a state of selflessness, I was rejoicing alone after catching a large, silvery, energetic Yamabe. There was a huge rock jutting out at a certain spot. Just as I unconsciously tried to pass a curve in the river, I was suddenly struck hard on the side of the face, and I staggered sideways before being knocked down onto the riverbank. — "Death Match Between Brown Bears"

Barking shortly with a "Gau, Gau," the red-haired bear swung its front paws sharply, sending one of the dogs flying. For a moment, the dogs' attack was disrupted, and in that opening, the red-haired bear clung to a nearby tree and began climbing desperately. The dogs bit into its rear and hind legs, planting their feet on the tree trunk and pulling it downwards. — "Taki"

The legend that "it rains when you kill a bear" is still alive among the Matagi today. The elders call it "the Mountain God washing away the blood." It is explained that the Mountain God is angered by the pure mountain being stained with blood, and thus makes it rain or snow to wash the blood away. However, another theory suggests that bears have a habit of feeding heavily before the weather deteriorates, which is why they are often shot during these times. — "It Rains When You Kill a Bear"

The family members immediately found their father lying there and were so surprised they almost lost their legs. Thanks to their immediate and various nursing efforts, he barely regained his breath, but he was severely injured. His flank had been torn open, he was covered in fresh blood, and he was barely breathing. — "Defeating the Giant Brown Bear That Ravaged the Ranch"

In his case, the act was requisition, not plunder. All the food in his territory belonged to him. That is why he did not sneak around like a fox or a raccoon dog, nor was he fearful. He was merely exercising his natural right, and as far as he was concerned, it was a perfectly justifiable act from any perspective. — "Brown Bear Wind"

Deep within its black eyes, anger gleamed blue. The color of that anger was not directed at me. It was irritation at its own body that would not move as it wanted. The low growl was not the pain of the wounds it had received, nor was it a growl to intimidate those approaching.