National Ainu museum in Hokkaido to exhibit over 700 artifacts english.kyodonews.net

KYODO NEWS - 2 hours ago - 16:55 | Arts, Lifestyle, AllA national museum dedicated to the Ainu ethnic minority in northern Japan will exhibit more than 700 artifacts, an official said Thursday, as the facility offered a preview to the press ahead of its official opening in April.
The museum, which together with a park will comprise the "Upopoy" complex in the Hokkaido town of Shiraoi, will feature about 10,000 artifacts in its entire collection, according to the official Shiro Sasaki.
In the Ainu language, Upopoy means singing in a large group.
Kimonos and wooden ceremonial artifacts, among others, are displayed in glass cases so visitors can easily grasp the Ainu culture.
A piece from a dugout canoe excavated from the Hokkaido town of Akkeshi during the Edo Period (1603-1868) is considered the highlight of the exhibition, he said.