Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples [北方民族博物館]

Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples is an only museum in Japan introducing the cultures of Ainu, Inuit, Koryaks and other northern people.

It is near the top of Mount Tento and is located about 0.4 km south of the Okhotsk Ryuhyo Museum.

Originally, several groups of northern people had lived around Okhotsk Sea.
The areas are Hokkaido, Sakhalin Island, Kurile islands, and Kamchatka.

Ainu had mainly lived in Hokkaido.
Because they had lived in very cold area, they were hunting people.
It is said that the total population was tens of thousand.

Since the 19th century, Japan and Russia have governed this area.
Therefore, many of them had been forced to get involved in the modern political system.

Now most of Ainu people have assimilated into Japanese.
But some other northern people are living in the traditional life style.

Their life style is interesting.

The museum was established in 1991.
We can learn their clothing, food and housing, and know their hunting and fishing.

Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples

How to get here

By route bus, about 14 minutes from JR Abashiri station.

Other Tourist Attractions in Abashiri

Moyoro Shell Mound Mount Tento Okhotsk Ryuhyo Museum Abashiri Prison Museum Meruhen no Oka Cape Notoro Lake Notoro Lake Tofutsu & Koshimizu Flower Garden Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park Drift ice (Ryuhyo) cruise

Return to Abashiri city Return to Eastern Hokkaido Return to Hokkaido prefecture