National Ainu Museum

The National Ainu Museum (国立アイヌ民族博物館, Kokuritsu Ainu Minzoku Hakubutsukan) is a museum located in Shiraoi, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is situated within the grounds of Upopoy (ウポポイ), a park complex that serves as a "symbolic space for ethnic harmony".^[1] The museum's mission is "to promote a proper understanding and awareness of Ainu history and culture in Japan and elsewhere out of respect for the dignity of the indigenous Ainu people, while contributing to the creation and development of new aspects of Ainu culture".^[2]

National Ainu Museum
国立アイヌ民族博物館
National Ainu Museum and Park
General information
Address	2-3-4 Wakakusa-chō
Town or city	Shiraoi, Hokkaidō
Country	Japan
Coordinates	42°33′41″N 141°22′01″E
Opened	12 July 2020
Website
Official website

History

The museum was originally scheduled to open on 24 April 2020. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this was rescheduled several times. It officially opened on 12 July 2020.^[3] It serves as one of the three main facilities of Upopoy (Ainu: "singing together in a large group"^[4]), alongside the National Ainu Park and a memorial site on high ground on the east side of Lake Poroto (ポロト湖), where Ainu services are held.^[2][5]

The national museum supersedes and replaces the former Ainu Museum, which closed on 31 March 2018.^[6] The former museum was nestled beside a traditional Ainu village, known as a kotan. This traditional village remains in place on the west side of the grounds, for visitors to experience traditional Ainu life.

Timeline

• 2007: The United Nations General Assembly adopts the "Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples".^[7]
• 2008: The House of Representatives and House of Councilors unanimously adopt a "resolution calling for the Ainu people to be indigenous peoples".^[7]
• 2009: Proposal made for the development of a "space that symbolizes symbiosis with the people" in the report of the Advisory Panel on Ainu Policy.^[7]
• 2014: Cabinet decision made on "Basic policy on the development and management of a space that symbolizes symbiosis with the people" in Shiraoi, Hokkaido.^[7]
• 2015: The Agency for Cultural Affairs formulates the National Ainu Cultural Museum (tentative name) basic plan.
• 2016: Establishment of a public–private support network to promote exchanges that symbolize ethnic symbiosis.^[8]
• 2017: Publication of outline of the basic design of the National Ainu Museum.^[9] Designation as the operating entity of the Ainu Culture Promotion and Research Promotion Organization.^[7]
• 2018: Ainu Museum (Porotokotan) closed.^[10] Ainu Culture Promotion and Research Promotion Organization merged with Ainu Museum, with name being changed to Ainu Culture Foundation.^[7] The nickname for the symbolic space for ethnic symbiosis was decided to be "Upopoi".^[11]
• 2019 (first year of Reiwa era): Enforcement of the "Act on Promotion of Measures to Realize a Society in which the Pride of the Ainu People is Respected". Completion of memorial facility.^[12]
• 2020: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the commemorative ceremony was held on 11 July, after two postponements;^[13][14][15] official opening on 12 July.^[16][17] A TV commercial sung by KOM_I of Wednesday Campanella was aired.^[18]
• Shiraoi selected as one of the stops along the 2020 Summer Olympics torch relay route.^[19]

Exhibits

Exhibits are displayed according to six principal Ainu themes: language, history, views of the world, livelihoods (hunting, gathering, fishing, farming), lifestyles (food, clothing, shelters, music, dance), and trade and exchange with surrounding peoples, including projected "multicultural coexistence" in the Japan of the future.^[2]

Access and parking

The museum is located about one hour by car from Sapporo and about 40 minutes from New Chitose Airport. It has a guest parking lot.

• Get off at the Donan Bus "Upopoy Mae" bus stop
• About ten minutes on foot from the north exit of Shiraoi Station.

Gallery

• 
  Ainu kotan (village) by Lake Poroto
• 
  Ainu cise (hut)
• 
  Fireplace within cise
• 
  Exhibits within National Ainu Museum
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

See also

• Nibutani Ainu Culture Museum
• Historical Museum of the Saru River
• Hakodate City Museum of Northern Peoples

References

1. "About Upopoy". Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park. 1 November 2024. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
2. "Upopoy" (PDF). The Foundation for Ainu Culture. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
3. "Important Announcements – National Ainu Museum to open on July 12". National Ainu Museum. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
4. "Facility Information". ainu-upopoy.jp. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
5. 国立アイヌ民族博物館 [Ainu National Museum] (PDF) (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
6. "Ainu Museum". Ainu Museum. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
7. "ウポポイについて". ウポポイ(民族共生象徴空間). Retrieved 30 June 2020.
8. "民族共生象徴空間交流促進官民応援ネットワーク | AKARENGA(あかれんが)". Retrieved 30 June 2020.
9. "国立アイヌ民族博物館建設(北海道白老町)/基本設計完了、17年度着工へ". 日刊建設工業新聞. 日刊建設工業新聞社. 31 March 2017. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
10. "ポロトコタン・アイヌ民族博物館 休館のお知らせ" (PDF). 一般財団法人アイヌ民族博物館. 1 June 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
11. "アイヌ文化との共生拠点、愛称は「ウポポイ」". 朝日新聞デジタル. 朝日新聞社. 12 December 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
12. "ウポポイ(民族共生象徴空間)慰霊施設". 北海道開発局. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
13. "「民族共生象徴空間」(愛称: ウポポイ)の開業及び開園記念式典の延期について" (PDF) (Press release). 国土交通省. 7 April 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
14. "「民族共生象徴空間」(愛称: ウポポイ)の開業及び開園記念式典の延期について" (PDF) (Press release). 国土交通省. 8 May 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
15. "「民族共生象徴空間」(愛称: ウポポイ)の開業及び開園記念式典について" (PDF) (Press release). 国土交通省. 19 June 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
16. "菅氏、3カ月半ぶり出張 アイヌ文化で観光アピール". 朝日新聞デジタル. 朝日新聞社. 11 July 2020. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
17. "アイヌ文化施設「ウポポイ」開業 宇梶剛士もPR". nikkansports.com. 日刊スポーツ新聞社. 共同通信社. 12 July 2020. Archived from the original on 12 July 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
18. 「ウポポイ、ウポポイ〜」と歌うウポポイ(民族共生象徴空間)のCMソングは? – CDJournal(2020年10月6日)2020年10月21日閲覧
19. "聖火リレー、公募に延べ53万件応募". 日本経済新聞. 27 September 2019. Archived from the original on 27 September 2019. Retrieved 27 September 2019.^{[dead link‍]}

External links

• (in English) Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park // (in Japanese)民族共生象徴空間
• (in English)The Foundation for Ainu Culture // (in Japanese)公益財団法人 アイヌ民族文化財団