KnowRoots Japan explores the Ainu people — Japan's indigenous community — through cultural research and interviews. We move beyond the official institutional narrative to uncover the personal, emotional, and philosophical dimensions of Ainu life today.
The Ainu are the indigenous people of Hokkaido (Japan's northernmost island) and parts of Russia. With a culture rooted in deep reverence for nature — expressed through ceremonies, oral traditions, music, and crafts — the Ainu have one of Asia's most distinctive indigenous heritages.
After centuries of assimilation policies and discrimination, the Ainu were officially recognised as Japan's indigenous people in 2019. Today, they navigate a complex space between cultural revival and modern Japanese identity.
The official narrative covers laws and programmes. Our interviews aim to uncover what institutions cannot: the personal and philosophical dimensions.
Japan's official Ainu documentation focuses on legal milestones, policy programmes, and museum exhibitions. KnowRoots Japan goes further — seeking out community members, elders, artists, and young people to understand what Ainu identity truly means today.
Coordinator Natsuki plans field visits to Hokkaido and engagement with the Ainu Association of Hokkaido as primary points of contact.
Follow our research as it unfolds — interviews, reflections, and dispatches from the communities we work with.
Visit the Library →