Upopoy (National Ainu Museum and Park)

Upopoy (National Ainu Museum and Park) opened in July 2020 in Shiraoi, Hokkaido, as Japan's first national facility dedicated to the Ainu people, the Indigenous inhabitants of northern Japan. The complex spans approximately 10 hectares along the shores of Lake Poroto and serves as a center for the revitalization and development of Ainu culture. The facility was established following the 2019 Ainu Cultural Promotion Act, which officially recognized the Ainu as an Indigenous people of Japan for the first time in national law.

The National Ainu Museum forms the core of the complex, presenting the history, language, and traditional practices of the Ainu people through interactive exhibits and displays. The museum houses a collection of over 10,000 artifacts, including traditional clothing, ceremonial items, and everyday tools that illustrate Ainu life and spiritual beliefs. Visitors can explore exhibits explaining the Ainu language, their animistic worldview, and their historical struggles and resilience. The adjacent National Ainu Park recreates a traditional kotan (Ainu village) with several thatched-roof dwellings called chise, where cultural demonstrations take place throughout the day.

Visitors can participate in various cultural experiences including traditional Ainu music and dance performances, craft workshops, and storytelling sessions. The park features regular demonstrations of mukkuri (Ainu mouth harp) playing and traditional embroidery techniques. Several walking trails around Lake Poroto allow visitors to appreciate the natural environment that shaped Ainu culture. The facility also includes a memorial site honoring Ainu ancestors and a research center supporting ongoing cultural preservation efforts.

Upopoy is located in Shiraoi, approximately 40 kilometers south of Sapporo. The nearest station is Shiraoi Station on the JR Muroran Line, just a 10-minute walk from the facility. From Sapporo, the journey takes roughly 40 minutes by express train. Admission costs ¥1,200 for adults, ¥600 for high school students, and ¥400 for elementary and junior high school students, with children under six entering free. Advance online reservations are recommended, particularly during peak seasons.