This wonderful complex in Shiraoi, which opened in 2020, is the northernmost of Japan’s national museums and serves as the center for the revival and development of Ainu culture. It was opened following the 2019 passing of an act in the Diet, the national legislature, that finally legally recognized the Ainu to be an indigenous people of Japan.
National Ainu Museum
The flagship at Upopoy (ウポポイ) is the impressive National Ainu Museum, charged with establishing an accurate and educational understanding of Ainu history and culture. This well-funded, special place somewhat glosses over the fact that the Ainu suffered through more than a century of forced assimilation and discrimination that saw their culture and language almost totally disappear. That said, it’s extremely well done at Upopoy and very heartening to see large Japanese school groups coming in to learn about Ainu history and culture. There is growing enthusiasm for an Ainu renaissance.
On the 1st floor of the well-designed museum building, you’ll find digital displays giving an overview of the museum in Ainu and other languages. A Guide to the Land of Ainu Culture on screen provides information on the museum and park and where to experience what. Visitors can learn more about the Ainu in different parts of Hokkaidō using a huge touchscreen panel, while the theater introduces various aspects of Ainu culture through short films. The library is an open resource, with information on the Ainu and other indigenous peoples around the world. There is also an excellent museum shop here selling Ainu crafts, books and original Upopoy merchandise.
The museum’s real drawcard, however, is the permanent exhibition on the 2nd floor. The large hall is fascinating, focusing on various themes, including Ainu history, beliefs, work, language and daily life. Give yourself plenty of time to view the fascinating exhibits.
Lake Poroto & the Kotan
Outside at Upopoy, the landscaped park sprawls around the southern end of attractive Lake Poroto, where you can watch a dugout canoe demonstration on the lake. The park features more than 40 species of trees with connections to Ainu culture, along with various wildflowers. Throughout history, the Ainu have collected plants for a wide range of uses, including as tools, ceremonial objects, and as food and medicine.
At the eastern end of the park, there’s a kotan (village) of reconstructed thatched cise (houses), where you can experience a traditional Ainu living space. Explore the inside of the buildings, listen to talks about the lives of the people, and even try on Ainu clothing. There are friendly Ainu staff on hand to learn from.
At the Crafts Studio, watch traditional performances and learn to play the mukkuri (mouth harp). There are also daily programs such as musical, woodworking, embroidery and Ainu language workshops.
Outside the ticket gates, at Gateway Square, at the entrance to the park, there are a number of restaurants offering Ainu cuisine and shops selling Ainu handcrafts.
Ainu Memorial Site
If you’ve got wheels, head 1.3km north of Upopoy, up the hill to the Memorial Site, free and open to the public. The 27m-high monument to the Ainu people is inspiring, meeting its goal of looking to the future without forgetting the past. Remains of Ainu people and related burial items that have been stored at institutions all over Japan are returned here and the monument symbolizes the site’s mission to handle such remains in an appropriate manner.
