Hokkaido Official Tourism Site HOKKAIDO LOVE!

Lake Akan Ainu Kotan, located in a corner of the Lake Akan Onsen district in Akan-cho, Kushiro City, is Hokkaido's largest kotan (settlement) where about 120 Ainu people live while passing down traditional culture. Within the kotan, shops selling wood-carved folk crafts and embroidered textile products line the streets, and the sound of craftspeople carving wood by hand and Ainu language conversations heard from storefronts echo through the settlement. The scent of wood carving mingles with the aroma of ingredients from restaurants offering Ainu cuisine, creating a unique atmosphere.

At the permanent theater "Ainu Theater Ikor," performances of "Ainu Classical Dance," recognized as a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property and UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, are held. Drum rhythms and singing voices resound, and the stage woven by the powerful movements of dancers and traditional costumes is spectacular. At the art museum "Onne Chise," exquisite wood carvings and beautifully embroidered costumes are housed, allowing you to feel the history and artistry of the Ainu people who have coexisted with nature. Walking through the settlement, you can witness firsthand a life where traditional culture breathes in daily life, experiencing a one-of-a-kind space where the inheritance of Ainu culture and modern life harmonize.