Sapporo Ainu Culture Promotion Center
Being there
Sapporo Pirka Kotan is an open-air museum and cultural centre introducing the traditional life, culture and history of the Ainu, the Indigenous people of Hokkaido. Traditional buildings, tools, clothing and other exhibits illustrate everyday life and crafts, with demonstrations and cultural activities sometimes held on site.
The story
The Sapporo Ainu Culture Promotion Center (札幌市アイヌ文化交流センター, Sapporo-shi Ainu Bunka Kōryū Sentā), also known as Sapporo Pirka Kotan (サッポロピㇼカコタン) or "Beautiful Village", opened in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan, in 2003. Dedicated to the Ainu people, their history, culture, and way of life, the museum has some three hundred artefacts on display and there is also a traditional-style cise (dwelling).