Kawamura Kaneto Ainu Museum
The Kawamura Kaneto Ainu Museum houses a vast selection of Ainu artwork, tools, weapons and other artifacts. It also features recreations of the daily life of the Ainu back in the days before they were reduced to being a minority on this great island. One of the most impressive aspects of the museum is the wall lined with photographs that visually document the Ainu in their realm as an unassimilated people in their beautiful traditional garments.
This wall of photographs is located in the performance hall adjacent to the room containing the majority of the artifacts. Concerts are occasionally held in the performance hall but such well-known Ainu musicians as Oki. Oki has become famous for "rediscovering" and integrating the traditional Ainu stringed instrument, the tonkori, into rock or "Dub" music. Fresh off of a tour of Europe, Oki performed a solo tonkori concert here in October 2007 and was later accompanied by women from the Ainu community who sang and played the mukkuri (Ainu jaw-harp).
Outside there is a recreation of an Ainu house as well as several souvenir shops offering up a good selection of Ainu keepsakes.
There is a lot to be discovered at the museum and the place is a must see for any visitor to Asahikawa, which was at one time one of the major Ainu settlements in Northern Hokkaido.
• Address: Hokumoncho 11-chome （北門町１１丁目）
• Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• Cost: General 500Yen, High School and Junior High School 400Yen, Children 300Yen
• TEL: 0166-51-2461
Take the #24 bus from the 1-jo-dori 8-chome bus stop in front of JR Asahikawa station and ride for 20 minutes. Get off at the Ainu Kinenkan-mae stop.
