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Japan House London: Contemporary perspectives of an indigenous people of Japan revealed in UK-first exhibition
LONDON , Sept. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Japan House London is set to reveal the rich cultural diversity of Japan in this UK-first exploration of contemporary Ainu culture, opening on 16 November 2023 .
The Ainu are an indigenous people who have been living in northern Japan , especially Hokkaido and the surrounding islands. In the past, members of this community were not able to fully express their distinct culture – a situation which caused many to fear for its long-term survival. During the 1960s and 1970s Kayano Shigeru, who was born in 1926 in the small village of Nibutani in Hokkaido's Biratori area and was the first Ainu to sit in Japan's parliament, inspired a movement to celebrate, sustain and develop this distinct and lesser known of the Japanese cultures. This movement continues to gather momentum today, in particular among younger members of the Ainu community in Nibutani.
has been curated in collaboration with the people of Biratori, an area located in Saru River basin in the south of Hokkaido . The exhibition explores the significance of Ainu culture for this community and the relationships between its people and their surroundings, as well as revealing some interesting historical links between the UK and Biratori. It offers UK audiences the chance to experience first-hand, examples of Ainu culture as it exists today, highlighting its importance in the wider contemporary cultural fabric of Japan .
Twelve in-depth video interviews provide an intimate visual and oral backdrop to the exhibition's four central themes, which are further brought to life with displays of contemporary Ainu works and film:
Visitors to the exhibition can also discover historically significant connections between the UK and Biratori. Key figures who forged lasting relationships with the Ainu in the region include missionary John Batchelor from East Sussex , who lived and worked with the Ainu community for many years during the late 19th and early 20 centuries, fiercely advocating their culture and way of life. He published the first texts about Ainu language in English, including the first Ainu-English dictionary in 1905. The exhibition also explores travelogues of 19th-century explorer and first female member of the Royal Geographical Society, Isabella Bird , whose northernmost point of travel within Japan was Biratori, where she stayed with the local community leader's family. Lastly the exhibition uncovers the story of Scotsman Dr Neil Gordon Munro , the local physician in Nibutani during the 1930s, whose work there earned him the love and respect of the Ainu population.
Simon Wright , Director of Programming for Japan House London, said:
"This exhibition and the accompanying visits from members of the Ainu community in Biratori is the first time such a major collaborative undertaking with an Ainu community has taken place in the UK. Many, if not all, exhibitions of Ainu culture in museums have focused on the past. Displays are often made up of old ethnographic collections. This exhibition, with a range of materials made especially for this project, aims to be different. For this venture, at Japan House London we want to show how Ainu culture in the rural district of Biratori is expressed today.'
The exhibition is complemented by a rich programme of events covering Ainu dance, language, cuisine, policy and craft and ranging in format from talks and demonstrations to workshops and storytelling. Taking place in November, January, February and March, each event period will feature visitors from Biratori itself, including from the Nibutani Ainu Language School, the Biratori Ainu Cultural Preservation Society and Biratori Folk Arts Association.
Japan House London is a cultural destination offering guests the opportunity to experience the best and latest from
Japan . Located on
London's Kensington High Street , the experience is an authentic encounter with
Japan , engaging and surprising even the most knowledgeable guests. Presenting the very best of Japanese art, design, gastronomy, innovation, and technology, it deepens the visitor's appreciation of all that
Japan has to offer. This year, Japan House London
marks five years of bringing the best of
Japan to the UK and beyond. Part of a global initiative, there are two other Japan Houses, one in
Los Angeles and the other in São Paulo.
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2212016/Japan_House_London.jpg
Photo Caption: The Cipsanke boat festival in Nibutani; (c) Japan House London, Ogawa Masaki
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