See, Taste and Experience. Spots to Experience Ainu Culture in Shiraoi Town
Shiraoi Town is the town where "Upopoi (symbolic space for ethnic coexistence)", the Ainu cultural promotion center, opened in 2020. The town is a place where the culture of the Ainu people has been handed down, and there are many spots in the town where you can feel the Ainu culture rooted in daily life. Properties where you can see, touch, and experience Ainu culture, and stores where you can enjoy the charms of Shiraoi while interacting with local people are introduced here.
1Upopoi (symbolic space for ethnic coexistence)
Experience the history and culture of the Ainu people
A center for Ainu culture opened in July 2020. On a large site facing Lake Poroto, the National Museum of the Ainu People, Japan's first national museum, and the National Ethnic Symbiosis Park, an Experience-type field museum, are being developed to deepen understanding of Ainu culture and history. In addition to historical materials, the National Museum of the Ainu People displays many reconstructed materials created by modern craftsmen and others, which are well worth seeing. The museum store on the first floor of the museum and the store in the entrance building sell Ainu crafts and original Upopoi goods. You can get souvenirs that you cannot find anywhere else.
Experience traditional life and performing arts, and be intoxicated by the stage of sound and light
Upopoi" means "to sing (in large groups)" in Ainu language. The word "Upopoi" means "to sing (with many people)" in Ainu language, and it expresses the wish for a society in which diverse people can live together.
The vast property is dotted with many Properties where visitors can Experience the traditional lifestyle and performing arts of the Ainu people. Visitors can enjoy unique experiences such as watching traditional Ainu dances, watching craftspeople demonstrate their skills, and cooking Ainu dishes. Reservations are required for admission to Upopoi and the National Museum of the Ainu People, and numbered tickets or additional fees may be required for some Experience programs. We recommend that you check the official website in advance.
- Upopoi (symbolic space of ethnic coexistence)
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2-3 Wakakusa-cho, Shiraoi-cho, Shiraoi-gun, Hokkaido MAP
10 minutes walk from JR Shiraoi Station
9:00-18:00 (closing hours may vary depending on the season)
Mondays (closed the following weekday if Monday is a national holiday), year-end and New Year holidays
Adults 1,200 yen, High school students 600 yen, Free for junior high school students and younger
0144-82-3914
Charged
You can purchase "Upopoi Admission Ticket" and reserve "Museum Entrance Order Ticket" on the official website.
2Rempei Mizuno
Workshop and gallery run by up-and-coming traditional Ainu craftsmen
This is the workshop and gallery of Nerihei Mizuno, who in 2011 became the youngest person ever to be certified as a traditional Ainu craftsman. Along with the production site where lumber and carving knives are lined up, visitors can see his works such as ita and makiri (small knives), which are daily tools of the Ainu people. The intricate and delicate patterns, and the rich textures created by the use of soot and oil are in the traditional Ainu style. Mizuno says, "I am fascinated by the sensitivity of the Ainu people, who create beautiful patterns not for display but on tools they use themselves. The artist's spirit, which naturally resides in his work, is what captures the hearts of people today, even though he sticks to traditional methods and does not make modern arrangements.
Enjoy coffee delivered by ita and friendly conversation
The gallery is an artistic space created in collaboration with Wada Masaki, a mortar sculptor who lives in the town. The harmony of stuffed Ezo sika deer and Steller's sea eagles with wood carvings is strangely calming. The gallery also has a café, where coffee and beer are served on ita. It takes about a year from the time of order to obtain a piece of Mizuno's work, but small items such as wood-carved coasters and pin badges are available for purchase on the spot. It is fun to choose a one-of-a-kind souvenir while chatting with the friendly Mr. Mizuno.
- Rempei Mizuno
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- 2-4-8 Higashimachi, Shiraoi-cho, Shiraoi-gun, Hokkaido MAP
- Approx. 6 min. walk from JR Shiraoi Station
- 13:00-17:00
- Mon.
- Free of charge
3Kafu Pirasare
Enjoy the taste of mother's cooking passed down to the Ainu people
The Shiraoi Ainu Association opened this Ainu culture transmitting cafe in 2019. At lunch time, you can taste the traditional Ainu food "Ohau". Ohau is a soup made by stewing Ezo deer, fish, wild vegetables, and vegetables available in each region and seasoned with salt, and is said to be the root of Hokkaido's local dish, Sanpeijiru. Pirasare'ohau is a dish made with a large fillet of local salmon and root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, radishes, and burdock root, carefully cooked to prevent them from falling apart. The gentle flavor and hearty portions will satisfy both your stomach and your soul.
Disseminating the traditional culture passed down to the Ainu people
Pirasare" means "spread" in Ainu language. The word "pirasare" means "to spread" in Ainu language, and it expresses the hope that the circle of people will expand with Ainu culture at its core. The restaurant's interior, decorated with Ainu costumes and goza (straw mats), has a heartwarming atmosphere. Ent tea, a herbal tea that the Ainu people used to drink, is served free of charge, making it a relaxing place to sit back and unwind. There is also an exhibition and sales corner of small embroidered goods and wood carvings made by members of an Ainu embroidery circle in Shiraoi Town, offering a glimpse into the handicrafts rooted in the daily lives of the Ainu people.
- Kafu Pirasare
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- 1-1-1 Honcho, Shiraoi-cho, Shiraori-gun, Hokkaido MAP
- 8 min. walk from JR Shiraoi Station
- 10:00-13:30
- Mondays, Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays
- 090-1384-0141
- Free of charge
4Arai Kogei Kan
A one-of-a-kind worldview filled with overwhelming originality
The store specializes in creative wood carvings and boasts the largest lineup of wood carvings in Shiraoi Town. The previous generation ran a wide range of businesses, including inns, kappo restaurants, and a folk craft trading company, soon after the war. Mr. Shuji Arai, who inherited the business from his father, is self-taught in wood carving techniques. His style is a mixture of the vitality of African art and the precision of Ainu art, and is free-spirited and full of originality. Arai's style is to face the wood and carve the image that comes into his mind without drawing. That is why no two pieces are alike, and each piece has a mysterious power as if it has its own soul.
The history of the Ainu people is everywhere
Since his predecessors, Arai Kogei Kan has employed Ainu wood carvers to produce wooden bears and nipopo (dolls) as souvenirs for tourists. The Ainu people deeply trusted Arai because of his respect for the Ainu culture rooted in Shiraoi and his attitude of treating the Ainu people without dividing them. The museum still sells Mr. Arai's works as well as many other wood carvings made by Ainu people. Visitors can lose track of time by taking a closer look at each piece, which varies from creator to creator, such as the fur of the bear and the expression on the nipopo's face. The space where passion for wood carving that transcends ethnic boundaries swirls around you may be considered a unique work of art in itself.
- Arai Craft Center
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- 3-3-26, Omachi 3-chome, Shiraoi-cho, Shiraoi-gun, Hokkaido MAP
- 4 min. walk from JR Shiraoi Station
- 10:00-16:00 (subject to change)
- Year-end and New Year's holidays
- 0144-82-2823
- Free of charge
5Shiraoi Iolu Office Chikisani
Many Experience programs to learn about the traditional Ainu living space
This Experience Exchange Property conveys Ainu traditions and culture in an effort to revitalize the iol (traditional living space) of the Ainu people, who lived in harmony with nature. Chikisani" is an Ainu word meaning "haru elm tree. At Chikisani, various Experience programs based on the Iol of the sea, river, and mountain are held throughout the year. Visitors can experience the traditional lifestyle of the Ainu people by gathering, cooking, and tasting wild vegetables associated with Ainu culture, catching salmon using traditional Ainu tools, and making salmon skin shoes called "cheㇷkekökö" ( çeㇼçakö ).
See, touch and feel the depth of Ainu culture
Inside the Property, Ainu crafts made by people in Shiraoi Town, restored traditional wooden boats, and plants deeply related to Ainu culture are on display. The museum also has a wide range of materials including books and DVDs related to the Ainu people, and the compact space is packed with a dense amount of information.
Chikisani plans to continue its efforts to make visitors feel more in tune with nature. For example, they are planning a long-lasting program that allows visitors to experience everything from planting plant seeds to collecting, processing, and making handicrafts. Experience programs require advance reservations. Please call for details.
- Shiraoi Ior Office Chikisani
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- 2-6-4 Suehiro-cho, Shiraori-cho, Shiraori-gun, Hokkaido MAP
- 14 min. walk from JR Shiraoi Station
- 9:00-16:00
- Mondays (closed the next day if Monday is a national holiday), Year-end and New Year holidays
- 0144-82-6301
- Free of charge
- Experience programs require advance reservations by phone.
6Shiraoi Challenge Shop
Shiraoi's fascinating Ainu crafts
This is a challenge store where local businesses selected through public solicitation by the town of Shiraoi work to promote the charms of Shiraoi. Three stores started operation in the building adjacent to the tourist information center "Poroto Mintara" near "Upopoi" in the spring of 2022. One of them, "pon epere," sells sundries produced by people engaged in Ainu crafts in the town. Visitors after visiting Upopoi are said to be surprised to find here what they saw at the National Museum of the Ainu People.
A wide variety of items featuring beautiful Ainu patterns for daily use
The lineup includes tote bags, coasters, T-shirts, and accessories decorated with Ainu patterns, and many other items that allow visitors to enjoy the beauty of Ainu patterns in their daily lives. There are also key chains remade from old wood carving crafts found in the warehouse of a closed-down folk art store, perfect for those who want to find a unique souvenir. In addition to Pon et Pere, the Shiraoi Challenge Shop features Shiraoi Placenta, which sells beauty salon products and marine products using placenta extracted from the placenta of Shiraoi cattle, and KINKA, an esthetic salon that can be used with pets.
- Shiraoi Challenge Shop
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- 1-1 Wakakusa-cho, Shiraoi-cho, Shiraoi-gun, Hokkaido MAP
- 4 min. walk from JR Shiraoi Station
- 10:00-17:00
- Mon.
- Pont Epere：090-9515-3327
Shiraoi Placenta: 080-1976-6433
KINKA：090-6264-5882 - Free of charge
7Rana Pirica
A wide variety of unique works by handmade artists living in Shiraoi
Shiraoi Placenta" sells placenta-based beauty products and marine products, and "KINKA" is a pet-friendly esthetic salon. the café sells handmade goods and other items made mainly by artists active in the town. A wide variety of items are on display, ranging from traditional Ainu embroidered kimonos, tapestries, and other large works of art, to small embroidered items with a modern twist on Ainu patterns, ceramics, delicate hand-carved accessories, and other miscellaneous goods. Looking at the items one by one, it is clear that the handcrafts cultivated through the history of the Ainu people have taken firm root in the daily lives of Shiraoi people from generation to generation.
A space where people naturally gather with the friendly owner.
The café space is decorated with Ainu kimonos, gozas, carved wooden bears, antique sundries, etc., which were given to the owner by an acquaintance, and also offers Chinese tea, coffee, and lunch. The sight of people relaxing while chatting with the friendly owner suggests that this store is widely loved by the locals. Ranapirika" sounds like an Ainu word, but it is the scientific name of the owner's favorite frog, the Ezo red-legged frog. In Shiraoi, Ainu culture has always been close to home. I want to introduce the good things of Shiraoi, including Ainu folk art and crafts as well as others.
- Rana Pirica
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- 2-1-4 Omachi, Shiraori-cho, Shiraori-gun, Hokkaido MAP
- Approx. 6 min. walk from JR Shiraoi Station
- 10:00-16:30
- Mondays, Sundays, national holidays (occasional holidays)
- 0144-61-1733
- None
MAP
- Hoshino Resorts facilities nearby
