Enjoy a short performance of regional Ainu dance celebrating the opening of Japan House London’s new exhibition Ainu Stories.
Learn about the Ainu woodcarving industry in Nibutani, both its historical development and the carvers keeping its traditions alive today, by joining a themed guided tour of Japan House London’s exhibition ‘Ainu Stories’.
During this special tour, Japan House London Programming Director Simon Wright is joined by special guests Kaizawa Tōru , a prominent Ainu artist and master woodcarver based in Nibutani and Kato Hirofumi, Professor of Archaeology at the Centre for Ainu & Indigenous Studies, Hokkaido University.
The tour shines a spotlight on Ainu woodcarving featured in the exhibition including Nibutani ita, carved wooden plates or trays which have been named an ‘Officially Designated Traditional Craft’, one of only two in Hokkaido, and are characterized by decorative Ainu patterns. During the tour, guests can learn about the growth of the Ainu woodcarving industry in Nibutani and the influence of tourism as well as contemporary approaches.
The tour will last 45 minutes and will begin in front of the Gallery on Japan House London’s Lower Ground floor promptly at the start time.
The exhibition Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River is on display in the Gallery at Japan House London from 16 November 2023 until 21 April 2024.