Japanese museum to showcase culture of country's indigenous Ainu

Hokkaido's first national park set for April opening, expects 1 million visitors

Artist's rendering of the National Ainu Museum and Park: The opening will follow last year's passage of the first law recognizing the Ainu as an indigenous people. © Kyodo

RYO MUKANO, Nikkei staff writer

January 25, 2020 14:15 JST

SAPPORO, Japan -- Opening preparations are underway for the National Ainu Museum and Park, a permanent exhibition in the northern town of Shiraoi, Hokkaido featuring the indigenous Ainu people.

The open-air museum -- slated to launch on April 24, well before the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo -- has been nicknamed Upopoy, which means "singing together" in the Ainu language.