Ainu Culture Trip | 平取町へ。アイヌ文化へ。

Ainu Culture Trip

Begin Your Visit at Nibutani Kotan

Your trip to explore Biratori’s Ainu culture starts here! Nibutani Kotan is home to many Ainu cultural facilities. There are museums and other facilities, and recreated traditional cise houses.

Discover Ainu Culture

Nibutani Ainu Culture Museum

This museum is dedicated to preserving the culture of the Ainu in Hokkaido for future generations.

Historical Museum of the Saru River

This museum educates visitors about the ancient story of human life along the Saru River through exhibits of artifacts excavated from sites within Biratori, dioramas and more.

Kayano Shigeru Nibutani Ainu Museum

The exhibition is built around more than 1,000 items, including Ainu folk artifacts collected over 40 years by Kayano Shigeru, the first Ainu member of Japan’s national parliament, as well as artifacts and paintings from Indigenous peoples around the world.

Biratori Ainu Crafts and Hritage Center Urespa

Urespa, on the Street of Artisans, is a place promoting Ainu Craft and Tradition.

Cise

In the recreated cise in Nibutani Kotan, from spring through to autumn, visitors can observe Ainu craftsmen and women taking turns to demonstrate the creation of traditional crafts.

Hands-on Experiences

You can take part in the following craft experiences in Biratori Town:

Nibutani Ainu Culture Museum
Advance reservations are required for paid workshops such as traditional Ainu woodcarving and embroidery. For details, please contact the museum directly or visit the official website (Experiences page).
TEL: 01457-2-2892 (Museum)
・Nibutani Ainu Culture Museum Official Website (Experiences page)

Nibutani Craft Center(Located inside the Ainu Culture Information Center)
Woodcarving and embroidery workshops are held on selected days, such as during the summer vacation period and on summer weekends.
・TEL：01457-2-3299

Biratori Ainu Crafts and Heritage Center Urespa
You can enjoy experiences such as laser-engraving traditional Ainu patterns onto tumblers. For availability and details, please contact the center directly or visit the official website. ・TEL：01457-3-7501
・Urespa Official Website

※ Please also check the “News” section of this website and our social media accounts for the latest updates from these facilities.
・NEWS/TOPICS | Instagram | Facebook | X

Important Cultural landscapes

Throughout the town of Biratori, there are landscapes in which the diverse elements of Ainu culture intertwine with the patterns of land-use associated with industries such as agriculture and forestry that have taken place since the pioneering era. These landscapes have been recognized by the government of Japan as possessing particularly valuable cultural significance. In July 2007, the ‘Cultural Landscape along the Saru River resulting from Ainu traditions and modern settlement’ was selected as Japan's third ‘Important Cultural Landscape’. Additional areas were also selected in 2016 and 2018. Walking through Biratori and observing these landscapes allows visitors to gain a deeper feel of Ainu culture.

※ Click the image below to view the map in PDF format.

Hokkaido Biratori "Important Cultural Landscapes" Map

Ainu Cultural Journey Example

The Times given are reference only. Please make up your own plan!

FOOD STAY EVENTS

ACCESS