The first two foals by Equinox  the reigning Longines World's Best Racehorse the daughter of Power was bred by Gestut Karlshof and is a half sister to Prix du Cadran (G1) winner Le Miracle Previous to the birth of her Equinox filly who "looks just like her father" according to Shiraoi Farm's X post the Santa Maria Stakes (G2) winner produced three daughters Camprock was purchased by Katsumi Yoshida and Narvick International for €850,000 from the Coulonces Consignment at the Arqana December Sale at the end of her 3-year-old career Sign up for BloodHorse Daily The fee of Equinox for 2025 was maintained at ¥20 million (about US$126,540) For more European racing, sales, and bloodstock news, visit RacingPost.com These are links for moving within this page President: Toru Nozawa) hereby announces that it has decided to shut down the operation of some of the machines in Shiraoi Mill and Yatsushiro Mill and to launch household paper business in Yatsushiro Mill primarily targeting exports 　In response to the acceleration of demand decline of graphic paper the Company has been working on consolidating production sites and reducing GHG emissions in an integrated manner as well as expanding growth areas such as Daily-Life Products Business by leveraging its existing resources will be shut down around the end of September 2025 the remaining production facilities will be used to expand products other than graphic paper will be shut down around the end of June 2025 No.9 coal-fired boiler will be shut down to reduce GHG emissions eliminating the entire coal utilization at Yatsushiro Mill The household paper business is expected to commence in 2027 　The Company will continue manufacturing the products made with these machines at its facilities including the abovementioned mills The employees involved in the machines that will be shut down basically continue to be employed within their respective mills 　We will take all possible measures to avoid any inconvenience to our customers and other concerned parties and we would like to ask for your continued patronage of our products The facilities to be shut down in the reorganization of production system: Copyright © NIPPON PAPER INDUSTRIES CO. the Upopoy museum complex gives insight into the historical and current lives of the Ainu people one of Japan's least populous minority groups The Ainu hail from the northern islands of Japan The culture is quite unlike that of other regions in the country partly due to the extreme weather experienced so far north The indoor museum explains the unique ceremonies It also contains information about their persecution throughout the history of Japan and how they've worked together with the Japanese government to receive recognition.  In addition to the indoor museum, entry includes access to the theater, where traditional Ainu performances are held, and replica cises, or Ainu houses. Some of the cises can be entered, and performances and talks are sometimes held inside. If you're lucky, you may even get to see someone play a mukkuri, the traditional Ainu mouth harp well-marked walk from the Shiraoi train station The theater performance includes an audio device that can translate to a multitude of languages; however the performances inside of the cise are in Japanese Much of the museum's written content is in both English and Japanese there are several food options with local specialties this museum provides a window into the lives of everyday An incredible collection of Mesoamerican art assembled by one of Mexico's great artists A vast archive of cultural artifacts collected from numerous expeditions across Africa and Asia This Parisian gem is one of the most incredible ethnographic museums in the world these buildings now house exhibits showcasing historical aspects of life in Ireland Fossilized remains tell the story of the region’s past inside this small This high-desert oasis spotlights some of Colorado’s most sacred native plants This small museum inside a larger sports complex honors the first Native American to win an Olympic gold medal for the U.S. formally known as the National Ainu Museum and Park is a comprehensive facility dedicated to Ainu culture The Japanese government has been creating this facility in the town of Shiraoi in Hokkaidō Prefecture The opening of the Upopoy was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic but the facility was opened to local residents to deepen their understanding of it One of the exhibits of the National Ainu Museum is a six-meter open-sea vessel named Itaomachipu thought to have been used during the Edo Period (1603 –1868) There are around 700 other precious historical items on display in the museum including tableware and other household goods and crafts traditional songs and dances are performed on the outdoor stage in the park Upopoy is an Ainu name meaning “singing together.” The experience-based facility set in rich natural surroundings on the banks Lake Poroto was built in line with the new law enacted in 2019 that recognizes the Ainu as an indigenous people Preparations are now being made for the official opening of the facility including measures to prevent COVID-19 infection Created in cooperation with Sapporo Television Broadcasting.) Event Early summer has finally arrived in Hokkaido Many festivals and events will be held under the wide skies that are so characteristic of Hokkaido Here are 10 recommended events to be held in June in various regions of Hokkaido before the full summer begins Image source: Otaru Shukutsu Tanage Association Image source: Chitose Tourism Association Image source: Sapporo Moiwa Mountain Ropeway Image source: Chitose City Environmental Improvement Business Cooperative Association Would you like to share the wonderful activities of those of you who are active in Hokkaido with more people Posting an event on Domingo takes only 5 minutes and is free and easy for anyone to do Not only can you widely disseminate your activities and ideas but you also have the chance to be selected by Domingo to be featured in articles and on street visions in Sapporo If you're a beginner, you can easily get started here Expanding the circle of exchange in Minami-ku a community market created by students together with the local community [Updated for 2025] A complete guide to accessing Daiwa House Premist Dome (Sapporo Dome) and nearby hotels Enjoy seasonal spring gourmet food and Golden Week 10 recommended events in Hokkaido [May 2025] 5 recommended events in Sapporo [May 2nd - 6th 5 easy-to-participate social good events in Hokkaido [May 2025] [2025 Edition] 16 Flower Events in Hokkaido: Cherry blossoms Seasonal “news” of Hokkaido can be checked by category You can check the information of your “town” in one place Events” held throughout the province are easy to find and can be saved This page has been automatically translated by Google Translate service Today's print edition Home Delivery It’s a cold February morning on the banks of Lake Poroto in Shiraoi A white blanket of ice and snow covers the water — only footprints lead toward the center of the lake where holes have been drilled into the frozen surface These are spots for freshwater smelt fishing has been passed down from the indigenous Ainu people who have for centuries called this island home.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Shiraoi’s name also comes from indigenous Ainu language, where shirauoi means “a place of many horse flies.” This small town of around 16,000 residents and one of several active Ainu communities in Hokkaido was also chosen to host the Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park which opened its doors on the shores of Lake Poroto in July 2020 becoming Japan’s only national museum north of Tokyo’s metropolitan area — and the only one dedicated to Ainu culture In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Tokyo Upopoy finally opened on July 12 with a limited number of guests The first national museum in Japan dedicated to the indigenous people of Hokkaido this 8,600 square-metre park is the best place to learn about Ainu life with hands-on activities Upopoy means ‘singing in a large group’ in Ainu and the museum hopes to connect visitors to Ainu history and culture which was unfortunately overlooked for most of Japanese history.  about Ainu artifacts on display around the world.  Visitors can learn about Ainu culture at the open-air National Ainu Park playing musical instruments like the wooden mouth harp mukkuri Families can also experience Ainu life at the Kotan where visitors can respectfully wear Ainu traditional clothing and take part in ceremonies to learn about the community’s deep-rooted culture.  To reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission and encourage social distancing, guests are limited to 2,000 on weekdays and 2,500 on weekends, with online advance reservations required. Currently, online ticket reservation is only available in Japanese Upopoy is one hour from JR Sapporo Station: get off at JR Shiraoi Station take the north exit and walk for about 10 minutes.  Check the Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park website for more information Remember to read our guide on how to go out safely in Tokyo and Japan This new Yayoi Kusama exhibition will feature never-before-seen works of art Japan’s Go to Travel campaign offers up to 50 percent savings on domestic trips JR Hokkaido is offering half-price rail passes until January 2021 Toei Kyoto Studio Park now has a giant Evangelion cyborg that you can ride Please scream inside your heart: Japan's new roller coaster rule becomes motto for 2020 facebooktwitterpinterestinstagramAbout us is a facility where visitors can learn about the culture of the indigenous Ainu people through a variety of exhibits and programs No article or any part there of may be reproduced without the express permission of the Cabinet Office. Copyright inquiries should be made through this form Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report Hokkaido—The skulls of three Ainu individuals were returned from Britain to Hokkaido the third repatriation of the indigenous people’s remains from overseas eight sets of Ainu remains have been moved back to Japan a traditional Ainu ritual of offering prayers to gods was performed at the Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park here on May 3 after the skulls returned by the University of Edinburgh were stored in the Memorial Site at the facility executive director of the Ainu Association of Hokkaido described the remains as “our brethren and ancestors.” When he received the skulls at a ceremony at the University of Edinburgh on April 30 “I was filled with a desire to rightfully take them back to where they were born and raised and console their souls in a dignified manner.” who inhabit the northern part of the Japanese archipelago were collected by domestic and overseas institutions for research purposes the remains of an Ainu individual were brought back from Germany in 2017 and four more from Australia in 2023 The total number of Ainu people’s remains that were taken out of Japan is still unknown a professor of indigenous archaeology at Hokkaido University’s Center for Ainu and Indigenous Studies He said the three skulls returned from Britain are only a small part of them Japan has also been calling on Britain to return three Ainu remains preserved at the National History Museum in London The skulls were kept at the University of Edinburgh’s Anatomical Museum according to the Ainu Policy Promotion Headquarters of the Cabinet Secretariat A catalog of the museum’s collection indicates that the specimens derive from the present-day Urakawa town The remains will be placed in the Upopoy Memorial Site until they are taken over by organizations in Hokkaido A group in the Kushiro area has applied for taking custody of the skull from the area the remains were donated to the university in 1913 by Neil Gordon Munro an anthropologist and doctor who provided free medical care to the Ainu community in the town of Hiratori in Hokkaido Kato said the remains of indigenous populations were collected around the globe for research purposes from the 18th century largely without consent from those concerned He said calls from indigenous groups have led to gradual repatriations to their rightful owners although some institutions are reluctant to give up what they consider research materials The University of Edinburgh returned the skulls of four indigenous individuals to Taiwan in 2023 who attended the April 30 repatriation ceremony “Repatriations are part of the university’s important ongoing work to review its colonial past and we are committed to returning remains in our care to their rightful descendants.” Australia returns to Japan remains of 4 Ainu people EDITORIAL: Time to face up to the past wrongs of robbing the graves of Ainu Let it rot: Ainu totem pole left to decay according to artist’s wishes VOX POPULI: Fire goddess will judge if museum conveys message of Ainu culture Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission Sign In Subscribe Now Quesnel will be getting a new downtown restaurant City council officially entered into a five-year lease with Moonshine Coffee to turn the upper level of Shiraoi House in LeBourdais Park into a coffee roaster and restaurant at their April 6 meeting The upper level of Shiraoi House has been sitting mostly vacant since June of 2019 when the Shiraoi Twinning Society asked to leave the building According to a city report penned by director of community services Jeff Norburn The city funded a business study which ranked a coffee shop as the best potential use of the space the city received a grant to upgrade the utilities at the building to create a better chance of attracting a business Councillors also agreed to a request from Moonshine for reduced rent for the first few months of the lease Moonshine had asked for a six month period but councillors agreed to three on the recommendation of staff mutual interest in this business being successful at this location,” Norburn said Councillor Scott Elliott wanted to grant Moonshine all six months of their request while Councillors Ron Paull and Martin Runge disagreed noting the lease is already cheaper than other businesses in downtown “If they’re asking for rent relief from day one that is a little bit worrying,” Runge said The lease calls for Moonshine to pay $10 per square foot per year which is expected to generate $18,000 in funds for the city Three months at 50 per cent would reduce the city’s expected revenue by only $2,250 “We’ve invited someone to take an adventure with us,” Mayor Bob Simpson said but the finances to an individual starting a business — every dollar counts.” Other councillors were also eager to try and find some way to reduce costs for Moonshine especially considering the COVID-19 pandemic’s affect on restaurants Councillors decided to grant Moonshine their request in part READ MORE: Quesnel council approves new lease agreement for airport lands Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? 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To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines Japan's first national museum dedicated to the indigenous Ainu people of northern Japan opened Sunday after repeated delays due to the coronavirus pandemic The National Ainu Museum in the Hokkaido town of Shiraoi will only accept 2,000 visitors who made reservations in advance on weekdays and 2,500 on weekend days to keep crowding to a minimum and reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission a park and a memorial make up the complex named "Upopoy," which means "singing in a large group" in the Ainu language The ethnic group has lived for centuries in areas that became northern Japan notably on the country's northernmost main island of Hokkaido as well as on neighboring Sakhalin in what is now Russia Beginning with the government's assimilationist policy in the Meiji Era (1868-1912) the ethnic minority suffered discrimination and land dispossession spilling over into ongoing income and educational disparities The Ainu also struggled to maintain their culture due to Japan's assimilationist efforts and were prohibited from speaking their native language The Japanese government only recognized the group as "indigenous people that have their own language aims to attract one million visitors annually once the admission limits are lifted It is expected to contribute to the promotion of the local economy and tourism The park has a hall to show traditional Ainu dance and musical performances a workshop for cooking Ainu cuisine and playing Ainu instruments and a studio for Ainu craft demonstrations It also has an area showing a traditional Ainu village The memorial site has buildings for performing memorial services and keeping displaced remains of deceased Ainu people To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox Simply enter your email address below and an email will be sent through which to complete your subscription Please check your inbox for a confirmation email Thank you for reaching out to us.We will get back to you as soon as possible Hokkaido as a center from which to “revitalize and expand the Ainu culture.” Editorial an Ainu word meaning “singing together in a large group,” is the nickname of a new facility themed on the culture and history of the Ainu an indigenous people of northern parts of Japan Formally named the National Ainu Museum and Park The facility is designed to serve as the “national center” for restoring and promoting Ainu culture as the first language and offers a variety of materials that help visitors to learn about Ainu people’s lives there has been a fresh wave of interest in the Ainu people due partly to “Golden Kamuy,” a manga series about a man hunting for lumps of gold left by the Ainu people a novel about Ainu residents of Karafuto (Sakhalin) The new Ainu museum is receiving many reservations for visits by student groups during school excursions We hope many people will visit the facility while taking necessary precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as well as its website to gain a better understanding about the indigenous people The Ainu were deprived of their own customs language and lands for hunting and fishing under Japan’s policy of forced assimilation for the development of Hokkaido A survey of some 13,000 Ainu residents in Hokkaido conducted in 2017 by the local government found that there remain disparities between the Ainu and Japanese populations The percentage of high school students who go on to college among the Ainu was well below the national and Hokkaido averages nearly 40 percent of the respondents said they had been discriminated against or seen discrimination against other Ainu But another survey has found that many Japanese do not have much knowledge about their fate in the past and present Some Ainu believe Upopoy has been built as a “driver of tourism,” as tourism minister Kazuyoshi Akaba said after inspecting the facility without tackling many issues and challenges concerning the Ainu They tend to be skeptical and wary about the museum and its exhibits But some Ainu people said they did not want the facility to focus on negative aspects of their history In a section to learn about their traditional house “We (Ainu people) now live in cise similar to your (Japanese) houses and lead lives similar to your lives.” This text has been added in response to a proposal by a young Ainu curator This signals Ainu people’s desire to start their efforts to make their culture more widely known by helping visitors to the museum know them as they really are Upopoy should work together with other facilities exhibiting Ainu-related materials in Hokkaido and museums both in and outside Japan to develop human resources necessary to help enhance and upgrade this nation’s policy toward not just the Ainu but ethnic minorities in general Politicians and bureaucrats have a heavy duty to promote the cause described the Ainu as “genjumin” (aborigines) and said there were “various differences in values” between them and Japanese who came to develop Hokkaido as he referred to Ainu people’s suffering in the past But characterizing discrimination as “differences in values” is tantamount to revising history The government needs to step up its policy efforts to promote the rights and cultures of ethic minorities in line with the 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and a related resolution adopted by the Diet in the following year Politics should help build a society where both the majority and minority members can sing together Ainu lawsuit over fishing rights test case for much larger issues 1st national facility to feature Ainu culture open in Hokkaido The Japanese government said Friday that the remains of three Ainu Indigenous people that were kept at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland will be returned to Japan The three skulls are set to arrive in Hokkaido on May 3 after a handover ceremony at the university Wednesday.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); They will be placed in a memorial facility at the National Ainu Museum and Park It is the third time that the remains of Ainu people that were taken abroad for research purposes have been returned to Japan following the 2017 return from Germany and the 2023 return from Australia The remains of the three Ainu people were given to the university in 1913 by a British doctor living in Japan The university's possession of the remains came to light in 2023 Records say that the remains were unearthed in "Okoshi," "Urakawa" and "Kushiro," which the government believes are the locations with the same geographical names in present-day Hokkaido three more sets of Ainu remains and an additional 10 sets that may be Ainu have been confirmed at the Natural History Museum in London The government will continue to call on the museum to accept research on the remains and return them the government released the results of an awareness survey regarding the Ainu that covered 3,000 people in Japan aged 18 or older Only 28.4% of the respondents replied that they have any experience or contact with Ainu people or culture "Keeping Ainu people's sentiment in mind we'll strive to promote related measures steadily," Yoshitaka Ito minister in charge of Ainu-related policies The remains of four Ainu indigenous people have recently been returned from Australian museums and are back in Japan for the first time in about a century Researchers actively excavated and collected the remains of Ainu people from their graves in Japan starting in the Meiji Era (1868-1912) and continued the practice well into the postwar years The four sets of remains had been donated by Japanese researchers to their Australian colleagues at a time when research using the remains of indigenous peoples was drawing international attention During a repatriation ceremony held in Australia a senior museum official reportedly met representatives of the Ainu people and apologized for the pain inflicted on people because the remains were taken Let us look back on the situation in Japan The government has expressed the view that the Ainu remains excavated and collected in the past “likely include those collected against the will of the Ainu people.” There is deep-rooted criticism that many of them were plundered in what is practically tantamount to grave-robbing It has also been learned that many of the remains have been stored in a slipshod manner Such acts of trampling on the dignity and the human rights of the ethnic group should never be forgiven The government has finally set about investigating the matter in recent years and has found that more than 1,900 sets of Ainu remains were stored the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University Some of the remains have since been returned including after Ainu people took the matter to court but similar cases account only for a small fraction The government’s basic policy says the Ainu remains should be returned to their areas of origin The local community does not always want to receive the human remains back even when it is known from where they were excavated to which the remains could have been returned The government has temporarily enshrined some 1,600 sets of the remains Three of the sets of remains returned from Australia have also been laid there The assimilation policy of the modern period coincided with academia disturbing the natural resting places and collecting so many human remains doubtful whether the government and the universities have faced up squarely to the gravity of the matter They have rarely conducted sufficient self-assessment over the development to date been a move involving academic societies for setting ethical guidelines for using Ainu remains in research It is all too natural that the Ainu people embrace a strong distrust of the stance for solely looking conveniently toward the future while being insufficiently remorseful over the past espouses respect for the pride of the Ainu which the law says are an indigenous people it appears appropriate for the government and the universities concerned to apologize for having hurt the dignity of the Ainu people The government of Australia defines the return of human remains to the country’s aboriginal peoples as a step toward healing and reconciliation Now is the time for Japan to learn from Canberra’s stance ASDF accused of appropriating Ainu culture with new logo Works of Ainu woodcarver Fujito featured in Tokyo exhibition Nippon TV chief apologizes to Ainu people over comedian’s slur EDITORIAL: Visit the new Ainu museum for insight into their culture Chances are you haven’t met an Ainu speaker in Japan Google’s Endangered Languages Project puts the number of native speakers at fewer than five But the Ainu people once populated a wide swath of northern Japan A range of forces has pushed the Ainu language to the brink of extinction community groups and citizens to preserve and revitalize it in a race against time Today these include the Symbolic Space for Ethnic Harmony (Upopoy) that opened in Shiraoi in 2020 as well as projects designed to incorporate the language in daily life people can now hear announcements in Ainu on some bus routes in Hokkaido and anyone with an internet connection can access a popular conversational Ainu channel on YouTube.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); A broader long-running effort to protect the cultural identities of indigenous peoples is International Mother Language Day International Mother Language Day sees a variety of worldwide events and workshops conducted to raise awareness of languages and promote multilingualism It is also associated with the United Nations International Decade of Indigenous Languages According to the third edition of UNESCO’s Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger including various Ryukyuan languages and Hachijo in addition to Ainu The Ainu language is the only one designated as being critically endangered where the “youngest speakers are grandparents and older and they speak the language partially and infrequently.” On a five-level scale with five meaning extinct but today UNESCO categorizes the Hokkaido dialect as the sole remaining dialect in existence It is difficult to pinpoint how many people can speak Ainu According to a 2017 survey by the Hokkaido Prefectural Government an estimated 13,118 people in Hokkaido identify as Ainu although the actual number may never be known given that past discrimination forced many to hide their Ainu heritage meaning it doesn’t come from a protolanguage and cannot be linked to any language family It is linguistically distinct from Japanese and traditionally an oral language without an original writing system The Ainu language has become critically endangered today due to various forces that have been in play for hundreds of years the Meiji government officially declared Hokkaido (then known as Ezo) part of Japan (a historical term referring to the ethnic Japanese or non-Ainu people) began moving into Hokkaido in far greater numbers Ainu culture suffered another blow when many Ainu on Sakhalin and the Chishima islands were displaced to Hokkaido with the signing of a treaty between Japan and Russia in 1875 The Meiji government also spearheaded a cultural enlightenment movement throughout Japan in which Ainu customs were regarded as “uncultivated” and many were restricted or prohibited Schools for Ainu children were established to increase their attendance but the Japanese language was given priority While speaking Ainu was not specifically banned using Japanese was expected at schools and government-run facilities While these assimilation policies were intended to “civilize” the Ainu people leading to a precipitous drop in the number of Ainu speakers to the point where the language is now critically endangered The policies undertaken in the Meiji Era (1868 to 1912) to establish a modern nation-state resulted in decisive damage to Ainu cultural heritage and coupled with discrimination from the overwhelming influx of wajin immigrants marginalized the Ainu people and relegated them to poor living conditions This situation started to change in the 1970s when the Hokkaido Prefectural Government began taking steps to improve the living standards of Ainu people with support from the national government These efforts have helped shrink the educational and economic disparities between Ainu residents and the wider communities in which they live in 1979 Ainu youth continued on to high school at a rate 21% lower than peers in their communities and similarly enrolled in university at a 22% lower rate But by 2017 these disparities had shrunk to 3.7% and 12.5% according to a survey by the Hokkaido Prefectural Government The 1997 Act on the Promotion of Ainu Culture and Dissemination and Enlightenment of Knowledge about Ainu Tradition The law’s definition of culture included the language General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 2007 prompting the Diet to pass a resolution in 2008 urging the government to recognize the Ainu people as an indigenous group the government expressed recognition that the Ainu are an indigenous people “with a unique language as well as religious and cultural distinctiveness.” The government subsequently established the Council for Ainu Policy Promotion which laid the foundation for the 2019 passage of the Act Promoting Measures to Achieve a Society in which the Pride of Ainu People Is Respected This act seeks to increase understanding and respect for Ainu culture as part of broader understanding and respect for multiculturalism and coexistence with diverse ethnic groups Government policies under the act will promote Ainu culture not only in Hokkaido but also nationwide in recognition of the fact that Ainu are present in many regions of Japan today Where the government had previously promoted the Japanese language over Ainu it is now supporting efforts to preserve and promote the speaking of Ainu One such effort involves recording the Ainu language a senior specialist for the Japanese language at the Cultural Affairs Agency since 2015 the agency has been spearheading a project to archive Ainu speech recordings The project aims to create a repository of materials not only for academic research purposes but also to build the linguistic infrastructure for people to learn Ainu and pass it down to future generations the Cultural Affairs Agency is digitizing analog voice recordings and providing financial and technical assistance to Ainu communities and other groups that have materials in the language so they can create archival collections as well the project expects to digitize a total of 4,403 hours of analog recordings Some 670 hours of voice recordings are from the former Ainu Museum in Shiraoi The majority contain oral narratives and folklore Much of the remaining recordings consist of interviews where privacy considerations require additional time in the archival process The digitization process is scheduled to continue through 2026 with an eye to transcribing and translating the materials and releasing them as an archive In addition to digitizing and archiving materials the project is creating a searchable linguistic corpus to make it easier for people to look up words and sample sentences in Ainu The corpus can be used by Ainu speakers to build conversational skills as well as create new words in the language It is in fact already being used this way — announcements at Upopoy also known as the Symbolic Space for Ethnic Harmony is designed to showcase and revitalize the Ainu culture As a national center for learning about and promoting Ainu history and culture Upopoy enables people of all nationalities and ages to learn about the Ainu’s worldview and respect for nature It also acts as a symbol of a society based on mutual respect and coexistence passing on and sharing various aspects of a culture that has developed over many years and is influenced by the surrounding nature It opened in Shiraoi in July 2020 on the shore of Lake Poroto which is about an hour from Sapporo and 40 minutes from New Chitose Airport An illustration depicts Upopoy on the edge of Lake Poroto upopoy means “singing in a large group.” | FOUNDATION FOR AINU CULTURE Upopoy consists of the National Ainu Museum the National Ainu Park and a Memorial Site for memorial services Upopoy means “singing in a large group” in the Ainu language Permanent museum exhibits focus on both the traditions and diversity of modern culture work and exchange from an Ainu perspective The outdoor park features a re-creation of a kotan (traditional village) as well as a stage for traditional dance performances and areas for hands-on crafts Ainu people participated in the preparation of the exhibits and workshops at Upopoy and their participation is also a focus of other recent government-sponsored projects the Languages and Dialects in Danger Convention is sponsored by the Cultural Affairs Agency the convention takes up topics related to the eight languages in Japan designated as endangered by UNESCO as well as dialects in regions affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake Participants share their multilingual experiences and how they have promoted both their language and language acquisition in their communities While early conventions were mostly attended by older speakers more recently the convention has attracted a larger number of younger participants including school teachers interested in language acquisition The Languages and Dialects in Danger Convention is held in Amami-Oshima in February 2020 the convention has attracted younger participants in recent years the Foundation for Ainu Culture has been offering Ainu classes for years classes for parents and children and classes for training teachers It has also been working to create Ainu-language teaching materials conversation lessons have been available since 1987 Accompanying textbooks are available for beginner courses and podcasts of the broadcasts can be downloaded from the internet community-based language acquisition focuses on creating more opportunities to hear the language in daily life One innovative initiative launched by Donan Bus Co is broadcasting announcements in Ainu on three bus lines in the town of Biratori where more than 80% of residents have Ainu roots Many passengers have reacted favorably to the announcements and have commented that it seems natural to hear the Ainu language Considering that around 80% of place names in Hokkaido come from Ainu Hokkaido bus announcements may seem an especially natural fit for the language New words were also created for the bus announcements uepekerkampi (leaflet) and tumamkauspe (poster) In keeping with the goal of showcasing Ainu culture both in Japan and abroad the Cultural Affairs Agency exhibited artwork last February on the theme of the sounds of Ainu culture at New Chitose Airport is an immersive sound and light experience incorporating narration in Ainu and music from Ainu instruments and songs people traveling through Sapporo Station can visit the Minapa (“many people laugh”) Plaza which features Ainu art exhibits as well as a big screen displaying the weather forecast in the Ainu language Maya Sekine teaches conversational Ainu on her YouTube channel A modern-day complement to the traditional classes and radio lessons is YouTube video lessons. The Sito Channel (sito is a type of Ainu dumpling made of grain) offers dozens of lessons on conversational Ainu using topics of interest to young people the lessons move on to talking about love interests foods from traditional deer stew to shaved ice animals and everyday experiences like birthdays Comments on the YouTube channel include thanks from people studying Ainu in Japan and around the world Sekine grew up in the close-knit Ainu community of Nibutani Her maternal grandparents and mother are Ainu artisans with Ainu heritage and her father Sekine says she was blessed for being able to grow up around Ainu foods and crafts and to use Ainu words in daily conversation She did not realize at the time how much the culture was a part of her childhood until she left Nibutani to attend junior high school elsewhere she shared that she went through something of an identity crisis in her early teen years But leaving her hometown ultimately gave her a new perspective on her culture and identity which blossomed into pride in being Ainu by the time she entered high school in Sapporo Sekine has become something of a language and culture ambassador for the community through her efforts to broaden awareness of the language she recorded bus announcements in Ainu when she was 18 and hosted Ainu radio lessons with her father Kenji in 2018 Sekine says she senses a shift in how the Ainu culture is perceived today Whereas older generations of Ainu people suffered discrimination today’s Japanese are becoming more accepting of diversity By increasing awareness of the Ainu language she hopes to build acceptance for people from all kinds of identities and communities While diversity is much discussed in society Sekine hopes that showcasing her Ainu background in accessible and positive ways will prompt people to become more open to diversity in general She views her Ainu ethnicity as one part of her identity something that is cool that she wants to share with others The Ainu people faced decades of hardships during which their language and cultural heritage were decisively damaged The language has reached the point of being critically endangered New initiatives launched by the government including Upopoy and the Ainu language archive project are seeking to promote the language and culture with greater grassroots participation by Ainu people for the benefit of their communities There are now more opportunities than ever to see and hear the Ainu language in daily life as well as a new generation of youth taking pride in their cultural heritage and interested in keeping the language alive coming from both the government and Ainu communities offer the best hope yet for the survival of this critically endangered language Respected comic book spurs hope for indigenous tongue This page is sponsored by the government of Japan Download the PDFs of this Ainu language special Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division. 2014All products featured on Bon Appétit are independently selected by our editors we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links and other toppings at Menya Saimi in Sapporo Salmon donbur from Kikuyo Shokudo Honten in Hakodate Vegetable still life at Tempura Tazawa in Hakodate Hairy crab at Takinoya ryokan in Noboribetsu Octopus rice and boiled vegetables at Gohanya Haruya in Sapporo Grilled scamorza at Yakitori Shiro in Sapporo Marinated sea urchin at Uniya Murakami in Hakodate Shrimp and angelica tree-shoot tempura with traditional condiments at Tempura Tazawa in Hakodate Chefs at the author\'s favorite donburi spot Kikuyo Shokudo Honten in Hakodate A regular eating king crab at Kaikoubo in the asaichi (morning market) in Hakodate Chef-owner Eikichi Sakurai of Ebisuken in Hakodate plating a dish script.type = 'text/javascript'; $targets.each(function(ind){ var anchor = $(this) show = ss[ind]; return $(this).after(show); }); return document.body.appendChild(script); }); }(window I have sought out sea urchin like a zombified bipedal sea otter in sushi-speak—alive and wiggling in slow motion from the dock in Santa Barbara and I’ve slurped from split shells in the street markets of Catania I’ve eaten it in $15 panini in Manhattan and off of a trompe l’oeil seashore of frozen rocks and ice in Copenhagen Many times I have heard the sotto voce benediction of “Hokkaido” delivered when the sushi chef hands over that trumping-everything-else piece of uni nigiri and eat that most revered of urchins in full view of the waters from which it was plundered <a href="" id="m1" name="m1"></a> Last winter, I got that chance. To seek out that sea urchin. To suss out Hokkaido as a dining destination. To take my wife and three-year-old daughter, Hazel, to a land where we didn’t know the language__1__ to explore a place for which there was a shortage of reliable English-language information for us to cop our itinerary from To paddle up tributaries of miso ramen broth and portage over tangles of tempura on my way to the heart of sea urchin country with a shape like the profile of a triceratops’s head Skiing types have tried to tell me that the mountains are majestic (Sapporo but I can never really hear what they’re saying sea snails—and those are just the things that start with the letter S It produces dominant amounts of Japan’s wheat Its cuisine is not a thing entirely apart from the rest of Japan’s but a subcategory with its own personality bolstered by the tremendous natural bounty of the landscape Because the island is too big to swallow in one trip I had to trim first and measure my results after I chose to visit the cities of Sapporo and Hakodate which means I missed out on Asahikawa (a big place with a great ramen tradition) and Otaru (small with a terrifically photogenic canal running through it) as well as dozens of more rural destinations Despite the generous number of Michelin stars given to white-tablecloth spots I chose (and would choose again) to eat somewhat closer to the ground <a id="m2" name="m2"></a> I counted uni donburi like sheep as I fell asleep I intended to spend every morning of my trip scouring fish markets for raw uni donburi—it is customary to eat bowls of steaming rice heaped with raw seafood for breakfast But the concierge at the JR Tower Hotel in Sapporo did her best to dissuade me from visiting the city’s fish markets After a couple of mornings of not following her advice I relented: The markets felt more like “attractions” than places that are feeding the city We put all our hope eggs in the Hakodate donburi basket and sought out other delights in Sapporo ready to be swept off course and explore what else the city had to offer my first memorable meal wasn’t seafood at all but a Hokkaido-specific specialty that goes by the not-at-all-Japanese name of jenghiskhan It is lamb cooked on a convex cast-iron grill which apparently resembles the headgear once worn by the Mongols enough to earn the name Advice that my wife got through the friend of a friend led us to Jenghiskhanya Miyashita Shouten The restaurant is hidden in a narrow side alley off of one of the Susukino neighborhood’s covered arcades right near the giant Ferris wheel that lights up Sapporo’s skyline Jenghiskhan is a simple affair: After the grill heats up over charcoal eating it piece by piece with a dipping sauce and sake in the case of this particular establishment.) When the meat is gone the drippings collected in the grill fortify a clear broth with thin wheat noodles—somen—to round out the meal Clouds of billowing lamb fat are not everyone’s speed which is where a grilled-meat meal at Yakitori Shiro comes in handy Vintage Hermès ads hang on the walls; the wine list is compelling All the standards are rendered righteously from packed skewers of crisp and crinkled brown chicken skin to the hulking meatball called tsukune Dried corn kernels brewed into tea and grilled Hokkaido-made scamorza cheese root the restaurant in Sapporo but the hospitality and quality put it in the upper echelon of yakitoriyas anywhere In case you want to rewind for a second there Italian-style scamorza—one of a small but not negligible number of Euro-influenced cheeses—is made in Hokkaido Dairy farms play a large role in the outward face Hokkaido presents: Hypercute images of cows and silos and barns are deployed in all manner of promotional literature on bags of hard little white sweets called milk candy which are to the northernmost island of Japan what Frango mints are to Chicago On the topic of dairy: I knew that my trip wouldn’t be all urchin all the time; man cannot live by uni alone I was eager to detour as often as necessary to get a picture of Hokkaido’s ramen scene home and origin of the now omnipresent miso ramen For reasons I am no longer entirely sure of I was possessed of the misconception that there would be butter and corn on top of every bowl of miso ramen I ate And though it is an iconic and available expression of north country ramen <a id="m3" name="m3"></a> Menya Saimi, the island’s only shop that routinely lands on the national rankings of ramenyas in Ramen Walker magazine__3__ makes a broth that is more like the archetypical embodiment of the Sapporo—and greater Hokkaido—miso ramen style the ramen cooks employ woks (tools I did not see used at the Tokyo ramen shops I’d visited) to stir-fry miso with aromatics (garlic members of the allium family—the mix changes from shop to shop and is closely guarded) perfect-for-the-cold-weather broth is added to the wok and forced into emulsified oneness with the miso Menya Saimi’s broth had a depth and complexity I didn’t find elsewhere and the thimble-size garnish of just-grated ginger added sparkle and verve that helped me power through to the bottom of the very filling bowl it took quite a bit of digging around to find places with the butter-corn topping The best was a four-hour train ride from Sapporo Hakodate is a handsome older city that’s slowly giving way to the modernizing march of progress that turned Tokyo into the world hub that it is and remade downtown Sapporo in the last decade In other words: There’s still plenty of older-school Japan to be explored and enjoyed there a modest and homey ramen shop on a side street off a weathered covered arcade that feels as if it was once the main street of Hakodate <a id="m4" name="m4"></a> After affecting a look of solemn professionalism for a minute, Eikichi Sakurai, the chef, squatted and cracked a handsome smile to welcome Hazel to the restaurant__4__ Sakurai called out “classic” in English when she mentioned the miso ramen with corn and butter His wok technique was precise and conducted partially out of view His noodle-draining technique was transfixing a vigorous vertiginous shake executed with a Chinese spider skimmer I imagined myself attempting such a move and the next-level noodle mess I’d make The results were an idealized cartoon rendering of everything you could want out of a bowl of miso-corn-butter ramen: rich and sweet and not overpowering a melding of flavors Sakurai had been refining for the better part of 50 years The best lead that I got from that Michelin guide was for a one-star place called Tempura Tazawa in Hakodate as he started us off with three courses of raw seafood better than any sushi restaurant I visited on the trip: shrimp with fresh sansho leaves; fluke with yuzu and herbs; Arctic char and sweet bean paste wrapped in a cherry leaf in some sort of gooey seaweed broth burnished copper cauldron that was the focal point of the horseshoe-shaped counter that ringed it Twelve courses of fried food could be purgatorial torture in the wrong hands who has the surgical precision and supernatural communion with his ingredients most often attributed to sushi chefs each a one- or two-bite portion of perfection The tempura parade kicked off with the horned shells of oni ebi so he and a gardener friend worked together to grow asparagus as well as some typically wild spring crops When a young couple asked what conger eel was and he retreated to the kitchen and reemerged with a giant picture book about seafood that was passed around the bar during the course of the night And it was finally in Hakodate that I found what had lured me all this way and my companions and I prissily judged the ikura we sampled scarfing untold quantities of glistening orange eggs looking for the stuff with just the right oily/sweet saline pop and in an oddball dish called salmon oyako bukkake don—a collision a dish I discovered on our last day in town and now will have to fly back around the world to eat again I was surrounded by displays of crab that were profuse and perverse in their abundance The trophy crustaceans were legion and living spindly red arachnid monsters with leg spans as wide as a man There were hairy crabs as hirsute as Brooklyn baristas and as big as dinner plates And it was in the asaichi, not a fancy sushi bar, that I found my apex of uni eating. It was at an unassuming spot called Uniya Murakami the restaurant arm of a nearby uni-packing operation Here’s the thing about perfect sea urchin: Words fail it with a texture like a cloud made out of sex and urchin treated in simple but beguiling ways I have never seen before and may never again constructed with layers of raw-ish sea urchin And though the urchin preparations were novel I was able to quiet down the constantly questing part of my brain which had been hungering for this experience for years I was with my family and friends around a table I was reminded that the reward of togetherness around the table is always greater than the momentary satisfaction of the foods that enable it Whenever a meal triggers that feeling, no matter where in the world it happens—over burgers at a cookout, or a terrace on a hillside in Tuscany, or the back corner of a fish market in Hakodate—I find it unlocks the spirit to adventure further and seek out more good times with more new friends around tables yet unseen. 1 We traveled with friends who acted as our translators. While it is mathematically possible that one could negotiate Hokkaido without knowledge of the Japanese language, it is highly probably that it would be a complete and total drag, like watching a movie through a gauze blindfold. Back to the Story ↑ 2 That said, sitting in a scorching bat of volcanically heated water loaded with stinky but supposedly healing minerals while staring out on a mountainside of snow-covered trees as red foxes dart in and out of view is a very, very restorative way to spend a day. Back to the Story ↑ 3 There is a family of Walker magazines in Japan that exhaustively catalog various pursuits, and the Ramen Walker editions are mind-bogglingly intense soup nerd-outs. They feature pictures of the soup at every shop listed in them, so even if you can't read the text, you can find ramen that looks good to you, then have someone who can read the address poitn you in the right direction. Back to the Story ↑ 4 Every place I took Hazel treated her like a welcome guest at the meal. All—from high-end spots to fish market stalls—had sets of kid's tableware, which pleased her to no end. With patiences and a handle on the word arigato ("thank you"), a kid can do very well for herself in Hokkaido. Back to the Story ↑ Hokkaido--Japan's first national facility devoted to the indigenous Ainu ethnic minority of Hokkaido celebrated its delayed opening to the public on July 12 Staff of the National Ainu Museum and Park here greeted visitors with “Irankarapte” (Hello) in the Ainu language 300 or so people formed a line in front of the complex also known as “Upopoy,” or “singing together” in the Ainu language The facility's opening was postponed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic and came two and a half months behind schedule Visitor numbers will be limited to 2,000 per day for the time being “The Ainu people have the spirit of tolerance,” Tadashi Kato “Upopoy was completed through dialogue and interactions.” a public relations ambassador of the complex “I hope the facility will help people learn about the Ainu’s rich history and hardships they faced and spread the spirit of kindness and mutual respect to the world.” With a goal of drawing one million visitors to the facility annually the government views it as a base for reviving and developing the Ainu culture was at the risk of extinction due to a policy of assimilation that started in the Meiji Era (1868-1912) The Ainu faced decades of discrimination and were reduced to living in poverty after the government in Tokyo forcibly seized control of the main northern island of Hokkaido in the 19th century the government belatedly recognized the Ainu as Japan’s indigenous people Get your art fix at one of these five highly anticipated fairs and festivals Japan is a country that appreciates art, and the thousands of museums and galleries across the country are a testament to that. Art fairs, biennials and triennials have been met with great interest in the past few years, and exhibitions are usually packed with visitors of all ages. Here are five of the must-attend art fairs in Japan in 2022 and early 2023 co-sponsored by the Japan Cultural Expo Learn more about the Japan Cultural Expo via the official website is a town that aims for multicultural coexistence as a land where the indigenous culture of the Ainu people still remains the first national museum dedicated to the Ainu refer to all of the people calling this land home with various events and projects taking place across Shiraoi centering on the rediscovery and reconstruction of Shiraoi’s land and culture Roots & Arts utilizes the vacant stores and spaces as exhibition venues for art that is related to this region and community This year’s plans include a project to bring light back to the defunct Ayoro Hana Lighthouse in the Ayoro district a musician who plays the traditional Ainu stringed instrument tonkori will deliver a talk about the Ainu and music from around the world Learn more via the official Roots & Arts Shiraoi website Go For Kogei (stylized as GO FOR KOGEI) is a festival dedicated to crafts set in not one The exhibitions take place at three temples and shrines designated as Important Cultural Properties Go For Kogei not only works toward innovating crafts but also intertwining them with contemporary art famed for his pioneering work in transforming Naoshima Island into a global arts hub The slogan of the exhibition this year is “Create: the interweaving of land The festival’s arts and crafts are mesmerizing with scores of the best artists creating breathtaking the main program of Go For Kogei will consist of a special exhibition It’s a great chance to travel between the prefectures and visit several spots in one fell swoop You can peek at the Go For Kogei 2021 exhibitions via this online VR experience For more details about the exhibition go to the official Go For Kogei website Photo courtesy of Art Fair Asia Fukuoka 2022 The seventh iteration of the Art Fair Asia Fukuoka (stylized as AFAF) will be held simultaneously at two venues, the Fukuoka International Congress Center and Hotel Okura Fukuoka. Fukuoka takes pride in its legacy as an international port and being the most welcoming startup hub in Japan The art fair similarly aims to be a place of international flavor and facilitate meaningful encounters It’s the only art fair of its caliber in Kyushu The art fair coincides with Art Week in Fukuoka making the city a must-visit for art lovers during this time 2022 (ends on Oct 2 at Hotel Okura Fukuoka) See the full lineup and list of events on the official Art Fair Asia website The Biwako Biennale takes place in two iconic locations in Shiga Prefecture: Omihachiman and Hikone such as that of the universe and the Big Bang; the birth and death of both stars and people Many domestic and foreign artists will explore this theme through exhibitions at 24 venues around Lake Biwa The works will also make sure to connect to the charm and culture of the area a successful strategy of several art festivals in the Japanese countryside making use of abandoned properties and trying to revitalize the area Some of the venues planned for 2022 include a former post office Okishima (a small island in Lake Biwa) and Hikone Castle Be sure to book your spot at popular events in advance through the official Biwako Biennale event website The artists participating in the 2023 event will study the relationships between society Exhibitions will take place across several facilities including unique venues in Osaka and feature dozens of artists from Japan and abroad The goal is to launch a world-famous international art festival in Osaka This event will be a part of the build-up to Osaka Kansai International Art Festival 2025 which will take place at the same time as Expo 2025 Osaka the cultural event aims to welcome artists from 150 countries Learn more about this event via the Osaka Kansai International Art Festival website Top image courtesy of Art Fair Asia Fukuoka 2022 A court ruling that the Raporo Ainu Nation does not have an Indigenous right to freely catch and sell salmon caught in local rivers presents the Japanese government and the courts with tough questions about what activities count among an Indigenous people's inherent legal rights to preserve and promote their culture and traditions While the Sapporo District Court ruled on April 18 that the Ainu people have been salmon fishing in the Urahoro area since the 17th century and have a right to continue their culture the judge also ruled that the plaintiffs' rights as an Indigenous people did not extend to having an inherent right to fish for commercial reasons as part of their economic livelihood.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); the rights issue facing Ainu people echoes that of other Indigenous groups abroad Vox Populi Vox Dei is a daily column that runs on Page 1 of The Asahi Shimbun who runs a traditional Ainu wood carving workshop in Nibutani still remembers one night from his long-ago childhood He and his younger brother were sitting before a heater and chatting about their fishing plans for the next day "Whatever you say before the goddess of fire will all be repeated to the fish so you won't be able to catch any tomorrow." She is the subject of a wood sculpture Kaizawa was commissioned to create for display at the National Ainu Museum and Park (Upopoy) which opened to the public on July 12 in the town of Shiraoi "There are deities galore in the natural world of the Ainu culture," Kaizawa explained Her face is framed by powerfully carved flames soaring to heaven and intricate Ainu patterns are seen between the flames A closer look also reveals tattoos around her mouth and on the back of her hands The government in the Meiji Era (1868-1912) aggressively pursued a policy of forced assimilation of the Ainu population outlawing tattoos for women and earrings for men Ainu were also banned from engaging in their traditional livelihoods such as fishing and hunting forbidden to speak their language at school and had their ancestors' remains dug up from their graves in the name of "research." It was not until 2008 that the government finally bowed to international public opinion and acknowledged the Ainu as an "indigenous people." The Upopoy national facility was established to revive the Ainu culture But some are accusing the government of "promoting tourism at the expense of the Ainu people," while others are angry that the government has not done anything to restore their indigenous rights Kaizawa carved his Apehuchi Kamuy from elm bog wood believed to be more than 400 years old which has been in danger of being snuffed out for the last 150 years Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture lit in islands containing artifacts and video installations the voice of tenacious rights activist Shigeru Kayano croaks out words in the threatened language of Japan’s northern indigenous people The exhibition at Japan House London displays Ainu life in a manner unlike previous official presentations Titled “Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River,” it opened at the state-funded facility in November and focuses on a single community in Biratori The exhibition will continue until April 21 This is not the first presentation of the Biratori Ainu in London; a delegation was brought to the city in 1910 for a very different display of Japanese culture a new national museum devoted to Ainu affairs opened in Shiraoi But this event still represents a departure in their depiction not least for the involvement of the Biratori community “It’s a wonderful thing I think,” said Atsushi Monbetsu a member of the Ainu community who attended the launch event rather we mainly received discrimination.” The Ainu are an indigenous people of Japan who once formed the principal community in Hokkaido and northeast Honshu They coexisted and at times had confrontations with the seat of Japanese power in Tokyo before being decisively brought under its control at the turn of the 20th century The experience of Japanese settlement radically altered their way of life and policies of forced assimilation endangered their culture The starting point of the exhibition at Japan House London is the present with Japan’s highest percentage of Ainu residents has become bolder in advancing its heritage The exhibition introduces practices in food Allowing the community members to speak on their own behalf was at the center of the curation according to Japan House Director of Programming Simon Wright “It was important to have their voices so people can hear for themselves what they want to say and what needs to be said.” A common criticism of previous presentations of Ainu culture is that much was left unsaid members of this community were not able to fully express their distinct culture,” say introductory materials for the exhibition without mentioning why this was the case with Kayano’s activism as a dominant feature does not hide the fact that rights had to be fought for “A series of policies designed to assimilate and ostensibly protect the Ainu resulted in discrimination,” say the text notes “Exhibitions in Japan have tended to present timelines and not address problems and issues in how we live,” said 23-year-old Riku Yuki Since the settlement of Hokkaido from the south control over Ainu identity has been contested with its emphasis on the Ainu describing who they are contrasts with the presentation of them at another Japanese cultural display more than a century ago held roughly 3 kilometers from the current Japan House site contained pavilions with demonstrations of Japanese strength in technology and the arts It also included reconstructed villages that showed Japan as an imperial power with Ainu from the wider Biratori region brought in to populate one The display of the Ainu in such circumstances was meant to highlight the comparative civilization of the new Japanese state and to resonate with Britain in its age of empire Japan House London is the modern counterpart of such state-led efforts to present Japan overseas the facility only now has mounted a major presentation of one of Japan’s minority communities the representation of uncomfortable topics and histories is one of the hardest challenges it can take on But Wright rejects any notion of a coming of age “I suppose I was a little brave in broaching the subject It is something that was thought about right from the beginning.” the Japanese Embassy in London said: “The aim of the exhibition is to enable people in the U.K. to experience firsthand the diversity of Japan and the appeal of the region to reaffirm the splendor of Ainu culture.” and the Biratori community is the focus of the exhibition it ultimately makes a statement about identity in Japan today The capacity of the country to include indigenous peoples within its presentation of itself was a challenge also addressed at the Tokyo Olympics held a year behind schedule in 2021 because of the pandemic While reviews of such past efforts have been mixed the opinions of residents attending the London exhibition launch were positive moved to Biratori and organizes a small tour business “It is hard to change from the inside” she said “If it could be known from outside Japan that the Ainu are alive today that the culture continues and was under threat Will Blathwayt is a staff reporter at The Asahi Shimbun’s London Bureau Ainu woman fights Sugita’s discriminatory remarks Nippon Paper Industries has announced measures to reorganise its production platform The company will permanently shut down some of the machines at its Shiraoi and the Yatsushiro mills in Japan reducing printing and writing paper capacity by nearly 300,000 tpy This step is Nippon Paper’s response to the decline in graphic paper demand in Japan: Graphic paper deliveries in the country have dropped from 9.68 million tpy in 2018 to 6.51 million tpy in 2023 Nippon Paper will shut down the fine paper machine PM 8 at the Shiraoi mill at the end of September 2025 The machine has a capacity to produce 64,000 tpy of fine paper and bleached kraft paper The remaining facilities will be used to expand production in areas other than graphic paper Nippon Paper will cease production of machine N2 at the end of June 2025 a coal-fired boiler at the site will be shut down marking the end of coal use at the Yatsushiro mill Newsprint and fine paper production from the discontinued machine will be transferred to other facilities Nippon Paper will start up the production of household paper at the Yatsushiro mill Production is expected to commence in 2027 Nippon Paper did not disclose the planned capacity for household paper production at the site The move is part of Nippon Paper’s strategy to expand the production of products for daily use The company has already commissioned new tissue capacities in Japan in 2023 and 2024 Service Customer Service+49 7224 9397-701servicenoSpam@GO-AWAYeuwid.de Editorial Team+49 7224 9397-0papernoSpam@GO-AWAYeuwid.com Get the latest news about developments and trends in the industry sent to you once a week free of charge by newsletter Sign up for our newsletter We use cookies and external services on our website others enhance your user experience or help us improve this website You can change your privacy settings any time by clicking privacy policy Necessary cookies are required for the correct functioning of the website Content from video platforms and map services is blocked by default. 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You can find more information on the individual external services in our privacy policy please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent Hokkaido — The Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park has attracted a total of 198,485 visitors in the six months since its opening in mid-July Although the initial target had been set at 1 million visitors per year said at a press conference that it “highly evaluated the figure considering the number of visitors has been limited due to the coronavirus crisis.” crafts studio and an area modeled after a traditional Ainu village The Ainu word upopoy means “singing together in a large group.” 2½ months later than initially planned due to the virus outbreak The museum and hall require advance reservations in order to limit the number of visitors at one time the average daily number of visitors during the six-month period was 1,177 on weekdays and 1,509 on weekends and holidays the number halved to 28,795 in November when infections once again started surging and dropped even more sharply to 8,305 in December This is mainly because of a series of cancellations of school trips and other educational trips the number of visitors to Upopoy as part of educational trips totaled 48,532 from 603 schools over the six-month period it has already received reservations from 422 schools that are expected to bring 50,320 visitors The foundation believes that teachers among others in educational fields “show great interest in the facility as a place to learn about the Ainu culture.” In order to attract more visitors while implementing measures against the virus Upopoy later this month will start a service that can produce smartphone pictures in which visitors appear as if they were wearing Ainu folk costumes It will also start a program that allows visitors to simulate traditional Ainu hunting and games The museum plans to replace items on display in the special exhibition room every two months The foundation said it hoped many more people will learn about the Ainu culture and how wonderful it is through hands-on programs while taking thorough measures against the virus “Although there are some issues to be dealt with we are grateful for the efforts being made to revive the Ainu culture amid the ongoing pandemic,” said Tadashi Kato former executive director of the Ainu Association of Hokkaido Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun Financially struggling Hokkaido Railway Co (JR Hokkaido) is offering a six-day unlimited ride pass for express and regular trains and some bus services at half the normal cost Making use of subsidies from the Hokkaido government to counter the sharp drop in travel demand amid the novel coronavirus pandemic It can be purchased from ticketing machines and ticket offices at JR Hokkaido’s major stations between one month before and the day before the first day of use Sales will be suspended if the upper limit of the subsidies is reached “We want passengers to use the bargain-priced ticket to go around places and find new attractions of Hokkaido,” a company representative said Pass holders can use express and regular trains as well as JR buses (except city-to-city services) and can take reserved seats on an express train up to four times The special pass costs less than the regular fare of 14,520 yen for a round trip between Sapporo and Obihiro stations in a nonreserved seat on an express train The pass is also bundled with perks for renting a subcompact at shops inside or near JR stations for between 2,970 yen and 5,190 yen for 24 hours (including the collision damage waiver) JR Hokkaido also offers a commemorative ticket to celebrate the July 12 opening of the National Ainu Museum and Park (aka Upopoy) Japan’s first national facility devoted to the indigenous people of Hokkaido in Shiraoi which covers a round trip between the nearest Shiraoi and Sapporo stations on a nonreserved seat on an express train which is 1,800 yen cheaper than the regular fare Accompanying elementary and junior high school students will be charged 500 yen each Ticket buyers are required to present admission tickets or other documents to confirm their reservations to visit Upopoy JR Hokkaido posted an operating loss of 42.6 billion yen in the year ending in March 2020 its seventh straight year of record losses It expects a decrease of up to 40 percent in railway earnings in the year ending in March 2021 due to the pandemic and is seeking support from the central government Global warming pushes Gifu sake brewer north to Hokkaido town Study: Hokkaido dinosaur likely came to Asia from Alaska Hokkaido emerging as an unexpected hub for esports Deer indigenous to Hokkaido found thriving in northern isle Please view the main text area of the page by skipping the main menu. The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser Japanese version outdoor camping Camping is a classic outdoor activity to enjoy the magnificent nature of Hokkaido you can enjoy an extraordinary experience in the scenery of each of the four seasons we will introduce 21 campgrounds with excellent facilities for families in the Goshi area near Lake Toya A campground where visitors can learn about the benefits of forests and the joy of growing trees It is popular as a place to enjoy even when it rains as it has a barbecue corner in the cooking house you can enjoy the view of magnificent volcanoes and mountains such as Lake Toya This campground is located at the back of Lake Poroto making the most of Shiraoi's rich natural environment The exhilarating feeling of greeting the morning with the sound of birdsong is unique to this campground is a great place to experience and fully enjoy the great outdoors The campground is equipped with a barrier-free administration building cooking facilities using spring water from Mt Mori no Furusato Forest Park is a vast park consisting of four areas: Ikoi no Mori Unique facilities such as wooden playground equipment are provided according to each theme centering on "Ikoi no Mori," which includes campgrounds This is the most recommended park in Rusutsu Village located behind the 230 Rusutsu Roadside Station The facilities include a "day campsite" where you can set up tents and place tables and benches a park road where you can take a walk in the virgin forest Furusato-no-Oka Campsite is a nature-rich campground equipped with a barbecue corner and bungalows There is a cooking area and a barbecue house and enjoying jingisukan (Japanese mutton barbecue) surrounded by the great outdoors is exceptional Visitors can relax on the grassy lawn or stroll along the walking trail and enjoy forest bathing while interacting with wild birds and animals and free sites are spaciously arranged on a large The spacious sites are designed so that there is no interference with neighboring sites making for a comfortable camping experience All car sites and bungalow sites are equipped with running water Iwanai Auto Campground Marine View features large grassy sites with plenty of room to pitch your tent Marine View boasts log cabin-style cottages with an appearance reminiscent of a vacation home Shiraoi Camping Field ASOBUBA is an outdoor camping facility based on the concept of "Let's play for real The concept of Shiraoi Camping Field "ASOBUBA" is "Let's play seriously" The aim is to liberate adults through "play" and you can use it in luxurious ways such as bushcraft The camp can be used for everything from solo camping where you can face yourself to gulp camping where you can enjoy with your family and friends Eruption Bay and the coastline with beautiful sunsets stretch out before your eyes making it a fun place for the whole family Green Stay Toyako is a full-fledged auto campground with 100 sites lodges and one-box type accommodation cabins There is a center green in the center of the campground where small children and adults alike can play in a spacious area Located in the Tsukiura district of Toyako Town the campground is named "Moonlight Campsite" because of the natural phenomenon of the moon reflecting off the lake and appearing as a path of light The campground is located on a hillside with a great view of the lake and the gentle murmur of trees and the scent of nature fills the air It is equipped with superb dinners where you can fully enjoy the bounty of nature and comfortable tents with full facilities Visitors can enjoy the quiet and gentle flow of time while feeling close to nature Toyoura Seaside Park is a park where visitors can bathe in the sea and a lawn area can be used as a campground Fishing can also be enjoyed at the jetties surrounding the beach Relaxing in the adjacent natural hot spring is also recommended On a vast site overlooking the Sea of Japan Visitors can enjoy outdoor life to the fullest with walking trails recommended for forest bathing an impressive sunset over the Sea of Japan and stars so bright they can almost be caught in your hands A sports center and barbecue house are also available this beautiful campground offers a panoramic view of Lake Toya In addition to sites where you can pitch your tent right on the shore of Lake Toya there is also a second campsite where you can bring your car and pets A campground surrounded by greenery and mountains It is conveniently located for nearby tourist attractions such as Lake Toya Three town-managed hot springs are located in the nearby area and can be used at reasonable rates Zaita Campground is a base base for getting close to the water and enjoying the greenery With a center house equipped with shower rooms and coin-operated laundry facilities as well as a multipurpose sports plaza with a running track and soccer field the campground can be used not only for leisure activities but also for sports camps This campground is popular as a hole-in-the-wall for outdoorsy types You can enjoy camping surrounded by the sounds of nature this campground offers an outstanding location The campground is popular among camping beginners and families This is a handmade campground built by professional lumberjacks who work in the forestry industry The ground is made of volcanic gravel and has excellent drainage The surrounding facilities are also excellent making it a convenient base for sightseeing Why not enjoy a bonfire in the quiet forest All information is current as of April 2024 Please check the official website for details and Kamikawa Area: 22 Campgrounds Recommended for the Year 2024 Camping in contact with nature and animals Recommended 13 campsites near Hidaka and Erimo Kushiro Campgrounds: 23 recommended campgrounds in the Kushiro and Nemuro areas for 2024 The 21 recommended campsites in the suburbs of Rumoi and Soya area for 2024 Camping to enjoy the ocean and spectacular views all around The 20 best campgrounds in the Tokachi area near Obihiro Camping to see the star-filled sky from the vast land Spots 1Sapporo Jozankei Nature Village (Sapporo City) Taking advantage of its favorable location this is a spot where visitors can experience a variety of nature and outdoor activities in each of the four seasons The "stone kiln cooking experience" and "forest craft workshop" are also available for families to enjoy 2Snow Peak Tokachi Porosiri Camp Field (Obihiro City) The campground offers a variety of facilities including 24-hour free showers and hot water at the cooking area Shovels and snow brushes are available for rent free of charge and the pathways to the tent sites are plowed so that you can stay comfortable even in winter 3Buubetsu no Mori Campsite (Shiraoi Town) This year-round campground opened in 2020 in Shiraoi It is a handmade campground rich in nature built by professional lumberjacks who work in the forestry industry Visitors can spend a relaxing time in the quiet forest and by the campfire This is a year-round campground located in the Onuma National Park area in southern Hokkaido and is a good place for winter camping beginners 5Makari Campfire Campsite (Makari Village) The standard style of camping is "empty-handed camping," so you don't have to worry about setting up a tent or cleaning up afterwards you can enjoy a relaxing time with a view of Mt This campground offers a variety of ways to enjoy the season The warm center house with wood stove is an attractive place to cook A wide range of rental items are available so you can enjoy the campground even if you don't have anything to rent This is a popular campground where you can enjoy nature and relax in the highland forest and there is a one-day hot spring on the premises 8Family Park Oiwake Campsite (Akihabara-cho) this campground attracts many campers on weekends even in winter There are also dog-run sites available for private use so you can enjoy winter camping with your dog On-site hot spring facilities are available as well as heated accommodations such as cottages and bungalows Rates are reduced during the winter months A spacious site with excellent facilities for camping in the snow so please check the official website in advance All information is current at the time of publication in January 2023 [7 minutes walk from Sapporo Station] Enjoy hot springs A comfortable stay at the 605-room "Sapporo Hotel by Granbell" "So cute it's unfair" - Feel the healing power of a sleeping miniature horse [Information on the early opening on April 25th] Sapporo Odori's newest attraction Floor details and highlights of "4PLA" opening in summer 2025 A hotel in the center of Sapporo with a superb sauna and large public bath Experience the warmth that is unique to Hokkaido at "Danyuki Sapporo" [2025 Edition] 7 recommended cherry blossom spots in the Kitami and eastern Hokkaido areas Enjoy cherry blossom viewing in the great outdoors