Get Hands-On with Inidigenous History at the Ainu Culture Promotion Center

The Ainu Culture Promotion Center, also known as the Sapporo Pirka Kotan (which means “beautiful village in Sapporo” in Ainu), is a hands-on facility where visitors can learn about the lifestyle, history, and traditional art of the Ainu, Hokkaido’s indigenous people. The Culture Promotion Center hosts exhibitions featuring the art, crafts, and clothing of the Ainu people. Visitors can get up-close and personal with most of the exhibits, with over 300 cultural artifacts available to touch and hold. The Ainu Association of Hokkaido (Sapporo Branch) frequently organizes cultural workshops at the center that teach Ainu embroidery and how to craft a mukkuri, a traditional Ainu bamboo instrument.