Shinhidaka Ainu Museum, Folk museum in Shinhidaka, Japan.
The Shinhidaka Ainu Museum is a folk museum dedicated to the indigenous Ainu people and their heritage in Hokkaido. It displays traditional clothing, hand tools, and everyday objects alongside materials recovered from local archaeological digs.
The institution was founded in 1983 under the name Shizunai Ainu Museum and changed its name after a 2006 administrative merger. This change marked a new chapter in how the local community identified its cultural institutions.
The exhibits feature labels in the Ainu language alongside artifacts such as swords and iron vessels from the region. Visitors can see how these objects reveal the values and daily practices of the indigenous people.
The museum is conveniently located in Shinhidaka, Hokkaido and can be reached by public transportation. Allow a couple of hours to view the exhibits at a comfortable pace.
The museum houses a skull of the now-extinct Ezo wolf, designated as a Municipal Cultural Property. It also presents accounts of Shakushain's 1669 revolt, which arose from disputes over fishing rights in the Shizunai River.
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