10th Thematic Exhibition Kere Yan, Nukar Yan, Nu Yan — Touch, Look, Listen: National Ainu Museum 2

The National Ainu Museum will present its 10th thematic exhibition, "Kere Yan, Nukar Yan, Nu Yan — Touch, Look, Listen: National Ainu Museum 2", opening on March 14. The exhibition is designed to be accessible and engaging for all visitors while offering a deeper understanding of the museum’s permanent displays. It is the second installment following a similar exhibition held in 2021. The title, Kere Yan, Nukar Yan, Nu Yan, comes from Ainu-language expressions meaning “Please touch”, “Please look”, and “Please listen”.

At Upopoy, the museum continues its mission to preserve and celebrate Ainu culture. The exhibition highlights these efforts and features hands-on displays, allowing visitors to handle everyday tools from the permanent exhibition. Tactile experiences are designed to provide new insights and foster greater awareness of Ainu life and traditions. Explanatory materials in Braille and sign language will also be available.

The exhibition is organized around tchree sensory-themed chapters. The first chapter, Kere (Touch), focuses on clothing and ritual practices, with embroidered garments and replicas of inau-kemakiri – small knives used in crafting ritual inausticks – available for handling. The second chapter, Itak (Speak), introduces the Ainu language, inviting visitors to speak, write, and listen to Ainu words. The third chapter, Nu (Listen), emphasises auditory and olfactory experiences, presenting songs, food culture, and exchanges between people and objects, allowing visitors to hear sounds and experience scents firsthand.

This exhibition offers an interactive and multi-sensory approach to learning, reflecting the museum’s commitment to preserving and sharing Ainu culture with a wide audience.