Culture & Heritage
Immerse yourself in art and culture nurtured by abundant nature
Visiting the many art facilities in Hokkaido is one of the most exciting things you can do. Some facilities have extensive outdoor exhibits, where you can stroll through the spacious grounds and admire art in an open atmosphere. You might even discover something new by looking at the facilities themselves as art, with their effective building and art arrangement. Hokkaido also offers many unique opportunities to experience the culture of the Ainu people. The National Museum, which opened in 2020, lets you look into the lives of the Ainu people and how they lived in harmony with nature. You can see this from their traditional dances, music, art pieces that use their traditional patterns, and orally passed down stories. Despite its image, Hokkaido is home to six historical sites included in the Jomon Archaeological Sites in Hokkaido and Northern Tohoku, which was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2021. These sites are attracting attention again as cultural heritages providing a clear view of life in the Jomon Period that lasted 15,000 to 10,000 years ago.
