UPOPOY (National Ainu Museum and Park) will be born, as a base reviving and building 'Ainu' culture, an important piece of Japanese cultural heritage.
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- National Ainu Museum and Park ”UPOPOY”
*Sponsor: Agency for Cultural Affairs (The image is for illustration purposes only.)
Upopoy serves as the national center for the revival and development of Ainu culture - an invaluable culture in Japan that’s on the verge of extinction.
Visitors can appreciate the rich culture of the Ainu amidst the natural splendor of the Lake Poroto area.
Upopoy is an Ainu term meaning “singing in a large group.”
Major facilities of Upopoy
Exterior view of the museum *Sponsor: The Foundation for Ainu Culture
National Ainu Museum
The National Ainu Museum will become the first national museum in Hokkaido and the northernmost national museum in Japan. Shifting away from an exclusive focus on traditional Ainu culture, the museum will also highlight the diversity of contemporary Ainu culture and people from various perspectives.
The mission of the National Ainu Museum 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.
Cise (outside) *Sponsor: The Foundation for Ainu Culture
National Ainu Park
Participatory open-air museum Immerse yourself in the culture of the indigenous Ainu people, which has been cultivated amidst nature.
The National Ainu Park is an open-air museum where visitors can experience various elements of Ainu culture—a culture that has been cultivated amidst nature. Here, visitors can watch traditional dance performances and participate in wide-ranging hands-on programs. The park is also a place where visitors can relax and appreciate Ainu culture amidst natural splendor.
Iomante (ceremony) *Sponsor: The Foundation for Ainu Culture
Traditional arts and dancing, musical instrument performance
Traditional Ainu dance *Sponsor: The Foundation for Ainu Culture
Still from dance performance *Sponsor: The Foundation for Ainu Culture
Still from dance performance *Sponsor: The Foundation for Ainu Culture
Visitors can come together and enjoy the performances of "Ainu ancient rite dancing", the mukkuri (mouth harp), and the tonkori (five-stringed instrument) designated as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. In the experience exchange hall, you can see Poroto Lake and the traditional Ainu village past the glass windows that form the backdrop to the stage, and the rich nature around UPOPOY and seasonal scenery really add to the performances.
Performing arts
Mukkuri performance experience *Sponsor: The Foundation for Ainu Culture
Visitors can try playing traditional Ainu musical instruments, such as a mukkuri (a kind of mouth harp) and a tonkori (a five-stringed instrument), in order to enjoy their sounds.
Craft-making
A mukkuri-making activity *Sponsor: The Foundation for Ainu Culture
Visitors can try their hand at woodcarving and at embroidering Ainu patterns.
Meal experience
Meal experience *Sponsor: The Foundation for Ainu Culture
Visitors can learn the depth of the food culture of Ainu people through food-processing and cooking activities, as well as by eating traditional Ainu dishes.
* Some activities may be temporarily discontinued or subject to alteration.
Business periods and hours / Admission fees
Business periods and hours
| April 1 - April 26, 2024 May 7 - July 19, 2024 September 1 - September 13, 2024 September 17 - September 20, 2024 September 24 - October 31, 2024 |
9:00a.m.-6:00p.m. |
|---|---|
| April 27 - May 6, 2024 July 20 - August 31, 2024 September 14 - September 16, 2024 September 21 - September 23, 2024 |
9:00a.m.-8:00p.m. |
| November 1,2024 - March 31,2025 | 9:00a.m.-5:00p.m. |
Closed
Admission fees
| Adult (Individual) | 1,200 yen |
|---|---|
| Adult (Group of 20 or more) | 960 yen |
| High school student (Individual) | 600 yen |
| High school student (Group of 20 or more) | 480 yen |
| Junior high school student or younger | Free |
*incl. tax
Parking inside and outside of the park charge：1 time 500 yen for a standard size car
Access
Great access, approx. 1 hour from Sapporo and approx. 40 minutes from New Chitose Airport by JR !
2-3, Wakakusacho, Shiraoi, Shiraoi gun, Hokkaido
10 minute walk from the Shiraoi Station.
