About the Akanko Ainu Kotan

Welcoming you with the six senses of Ainu culture

In Ainu culture, the number six is important; along with its numerical value it also means “many”. One of the largest Ainu kotan (settlements) in Hokkaido, the Akanko Ainu Kotan spreads the Ainu culture through six senses—interacting, making, eating, inheriting, unleashing and living with nature—based on the Ainu belief that souls reside in all things.
The kotan began when Mitsuko Maeda, the third-generation owner of the Maeda Ippoen Foundation, provided free land to protect the lives of the Ainu people, who had been living through severe hardships. Ainu from all over Hokkaido moved here.

The area is home to various facilities including craft shops, restaurants, an indoor theater dedicated to Ainu culture, a museum and a gallery with a collection of artworks. It is visited by many tourists who come to learn about Ainu history and culture.

The Akanko Ainu Kotan is a space for the promotion of Ainu culture where traditional culture is preserved while a unique culture and new value are born.