Ainu Spiritual Heritage & Upopoy National Ainu Museum in Shiraoi

The indigenous Ainu people are the original inhabitants of northern Japan (*Ainu Mosir*), stewarding Hokkaido’s primeval forests, volcanic lakes, and rocky shorelines for millennia. Ainu culture is fundamentally rooted in a profound animistic philosophy that reveres all components of the natural cosmos as divine deities (*Kamuy*) visiting the human world disguised as flora, fauna, and elements. The mighty Hokkaido brown bear is venerated as *Kim-un Kamuy* (God of the Mountains), the giant Blakiston’s fish owl is worshipped as *Kotan-kor Kamuy* (Protector of the Village), while the hearth fire is guarded by the female deity *Ape Kamuy*. Human life was conducted with profound reverence, reciprocity, and conservation, ensuring spirits returned joyfully to the celestial realm through solemn thanksgiving ceremonies like *Iyomante*. To revitalize and share this living heritage with the global community, the government of Japan inaugurated **Upopoy (National Ainu Museum and Park)** upon the peaceful shores of Lake Poroto in Shiraoi. As Japan’s first national facility dedicated to indigenous people, Upopoy offers deeply moving cultural encounters: guests can experience live UNESCO-inscribed Traditional Ainu Dances characterized by rhythmic bird-mimicking movements, listen to the otherworldly vibrations of the *Mukkuri* (bamboo mouth harp imitating blowing winds and rustling leaves), and be transported by the five-stringed plucked zither (*Tonkori*). Across the outdoor park, visitors wander through an authentic reconstructed village settlement (*Kotan*) framed by thatched houses (*Cise*). Master Ainu elders and artisans demonstrate the weaving of *Attus* textiles crafted from the inner bark of indigenous elm trees, intricate geometric spiral embroidery motifs (*Morew*) designed to ward off malevolent spirits from clothing edges, and delicate ritual libation sticks (*Ikupasuy*). In eastern Hokkaido, the vibrant Akanko Ainu Kotan on Lake Akan further enriches this heritage through theatrical multimedia performances of *Lost Kamuy* and communal feasts of hearty *Ohaw* salmon and mountain vegetable soup.