POROTO KOTAN, THE SHIRAOI AINU MUSEUM, HOKKAIDO, JAPAN

アイヌ民族博物館 . 아이누민족 박물관 . 爱努民族博物馆


(A sightseeing stop in the Hong Thai Travel 7D Hokkaido Package Tour, my first packaged tour experience.)


After visiting Lake Shikotsu, our next stop was Poroto Kotan, the Shiraoi Ainu Museum.
It is one of Hokkaido's better Ainu outdoor museum, showcasing various aspects of Hokkaido's indigeneous people. In Ainu language, "Poro" means large, "To" means lake, and "Kotan" means village.

 

Right at the entrance, we were greeted by a big statue of the Chief. Then, we walked towards the Fore House to watch the performance.



The Kotankorkur statue

View of Lake Poroto






Inside the Fore House, there were a lot of salmon fishes hung on the ceiling. Mr. Tour Guide said that it's their culture to smoke-dry the fishes inside the house, with the smoke from the fireplace helping to dry them. We were treated to 15-min traditional Ainu folk dance and some Japanese commentary on the village (which Mr. Tour Guide helped to interpret).

 

Next stop was the Ainu Museum which showcased the material and cultural heritage of the Ainu people. What was interesting to me were the cages next to the museum that held captive 3 large bears and 2 Hokkaido dogs.


For a few hundred yen, we can buy some biscuit to feed the bears, but Mom did
not feel it was right to do so. Instead, an aunty gave me some to feed the bears.

I hope they are well looked after. The bear's growl was so loud!

We ended our visit with a look at the 3 shops at the entrance selling Ainu cultural goods and Japanese souvenirs.

 

Read about our next stop - Noboribetsu Jigokudani.
Read about our previous stop - Lake Shikotsu.