National Ainu Museum — Local services in Shiraoi

Visiting the National Ainu Museum was an eye-opening journey into the rich culture and history of the Ainu people. The exhibits provided a deep understanding of the Ainu worldview, their harmonious relationship with nature, and the challenges they faced under historical oppression. This experience truly emphasized the importance of embracing cultural diversity.

The museum features not only extensive artifacts and visual displays but also interactive areas where visitors can immerse themselves in Ainu life. These hands-on experiences, such as traditional crafts and daily life activities, were both engaging and educational, offering a tangible connection to their unique lifestyle.

One of the highlights was the Ainu singing performance. The performers conveyed profound cultural depth through their captivating voices, leaving a lasting impression. I highly recommend attending this performance—it’s an unforgettable experience that should not be missed.

Additionally, the staff were incredibly welcoming and attentive, always ready to answer questions and guide visitors through the exhibits. Overall, this visit was not just an introduction to Ainu culture but also an opportunity for meaningful reflection on cultural diversity. I strongly recommend it to anyone interested in history and cultural...

Absolutely loved visiting this museum. Had options for multiple languages and the staff was very accommodating, showing us where and how to access the best English options. The Japanese was also relatively easy on most displays to understand for intermediate speakers. Had so many options to learn about history and culture, from short films, theatre performances, on hands interactive portions and many informative displays. I wish we had gone earlier in the day so that we could spend longer looking at all the information it had to offer. Another element that was super fun is they gave us a lantern to carry around that was interactive and lit up the main display. We were here for a couple hours in the exhibition but could have easily spent more time here with the performances. It was not busy, so I hope that more tourists end up going here because it deserves to be seen. I hope to come back here the next time I am in Hokkaido. A small note: the transit to get here can be limited and expensive. We were staying in Chisote, so thankfully the limited express was still running but the rest were cancelled. If there is lots of snow be prepared for your train to be late or get canceled. IC cards also don’t work at the Shiraoi station so you will need to purchase a...

Very nice museum with so much to do. So many of the staff spoke to us in English and were very welcoming too. Other than the exhibition building, there's a theater hall, workshops, reconstructions of traditional housing and even a small library corner. The whole complex is quite large, with nice views on small hills and a lake. We spent there six hours. There are cultural performances, Ainu language mini classes, numerous workshops and theater shows throughout the day. Some of them depend on the day of the week, so it might be good to check the website beforehand, to know what to expect on the day of your visit. Right outside the paid area there was a cafe with meals, so it's really easy to plan a whole day here. You can ask the staff to give you a return ticket, so that you can leave the paid area, eat in the cafe outside, and later come back into the...