Lake Akan Ainu Kotan

Lake Akan Ainu Kotan is located by Lake Akan. Ainu Kotan means a village where Ainu, the native tribe of Hokkaido, live. There are the reproduced old folk houses and about 130 Ainu people living in this village. You can see the Ainu traditional dance that is the only significant intangible folk cultural asset in Hokkaido and is also designated as an UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. You can also buy Ainu crafts of woodcarving work and embroidery work.

(Source: toratora / PIXTA(ピクスタ) )

Ainu Living Memorial Hall

Ainu Living Memorial Hall in Lake Akan Ainu Kotan is a recreated old folk house called Ponchise ("small" in Ainu language) that Ainu people used to live in. Ainu people's daily life objects and clothing are exhibited so that you can learn about their life and culture.

(Source: とっちい / PIXTA(ピクスタ) )

Enjoy Shopping and Ainu Cuisine in Shopping Streets on the Site

On the location of Lake Akan Ainu Kotan, there is a shopping mall of about 30 folk craft shops, where Ainu wood carving and embroidering works are for sale. There are some restaurants of Ainu cuisine, too. Folk art cafe "Poronno" has venison soup, rice with beans, or other interesting menus made with Hokkaido's abundant produce.

Ainu's Traditional Dance

There is Lake Akan Ainu Theater Ikor in Lake Akan Ainu Kotan where you can see the Ainu's traditional dance. This dance played a vital role in their life to express their feelings of joy and sorrow through dance and song. This was quite an important part of life and you must't miss it!

Resonant Traditional Musical Instruments Throughout the Theater

Iomante-no-Hi-matsuri (Iomante Fire Festival) is performed in Lake Akan Ainu Theater Ikor, where you can enjoy the magnificent Ainu traditional dance emblazoned by fire and the resonant sound of "Tonkori" that is a traditional Ainu musical instrument.

Experience Ainu Heritage

Lake Akan Ainu Kotan has various activities to experience Ainu culture: wood carving, embroidering, making Ainu traditional musical instrument "Mukkuri" and taking a lesson to play it. Of course, you can bring your work home. Why not join in and create personal memories of the trip?

Address

4-7-84 Akanko-onsen, Akancho, Kushiro-shi, Hokkaido

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Contact No.

+81-154-67-2727

Access

From Kushiro Station on JR take bus bound for Akan-ko Bus Terminal for 2 hours and get off at the last stop, followed by a 15-min walk

Opening Hours / Holidays

Irregular closing days Performing times at Ainu Theater Ikor are subject to change depending on the seasons and contents.; please refer to the website for the details.