Last chance: Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River

Experience Ainu culture as it exists today in this exploration of the contemporary lives of this indigenous people of northern Japan in Japan House's current exhibition, Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River.

Historically, members of the Ainu community were not able to fully express their distinct culture, however a movement to celebrate and sustain the Ainu language, textiles, crafts and traditions continues to gather pace, in particular among younger members of the Ainu community.

Image: Ainu embroidery. Imagove above: Ainu Stories – Kaizawa Yukiko weaving bark-cloth (attus).

Ainu Stories is a collaboration with the people of Biratori, an area located in the Saru River basin in southern Hokkaido. Through intimate video interviews and displays of contemporary Ainu works, the exhibition explores four central themes of contemporary Ainu culture: the critically endangered language; society and the preservation of the environment; Ainu textiles, song and dance; and woodcarving and tourism.

Nibutani Attus – fabric woven from bark
Ainu song, dance and ceremonies are typically performed in robes, amip, decorated with distinct patterns, the designs of which vary from region to region. These days amip are primarily made of cotton textiles; however, historically clothing made of attus, fabric woven from the inner bark fibres of elm and linden trees, was commonplace in Ainu communities. This type of fabric is particularly associated with Nibutani, as the necessary raw materials grow in abundance in the Saru River basin. The arduous production process involves many days of splitting the bark into threads before weaving on a backstrap loom; it continues to be practised today by a few attus weavers in Nibutani, like Kaizawa Yukiko, who are ensuring this Ainu craft lives on. Attus production has been named an ‘Officially Designated Traditional Craft’, one of only two in Hokkaido, with the other being the carving of Nibutani ita, carved wooden trays. Kaizawa herself has won many awards, including recognition as ‘an excellent craftswoman’ by The Ainu Association of Hokkaido in 2011. More recently in November 2023 she was awarded The Order of the Sacred Treasure, Silver Rays by the Japanese government.

The exhibition also reveals surprising historical links between the UK and Biratori, telling the stories of British travellers who forged lasting relationships with the Ainu.

Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River is on until 21 April at Japan House, London. 

Find out more:
www.japanhouselondon.uk/whats-on/ainu-stories-contemporary-lives-by-the-saru-river