On July 2-3, visitors to the House of Histories, a branch of the National Museum of Lithuania (NML), are invited to take a deeper look into Ainu traditions, history, efforts to preserve the culture and the ways this ancient Indigenous people continue to shape their identity today. Representatives from Upopoy National Ainu Museum (Japan) will present a three-part lecture series, complemented by screenings of two remarkable documentaries.

Untold Stories, Shared Firsthand

The Ainu Culture Days will begin on the afternoon of July 2 with a screening of the documentary “Ainu: Indigenous People of Japan” at 16:00. The film follows four members of the Ainu community living on the island of Hokkaido, documenting their efforts to revive the Ainu language and safeguard their cultural heritage by passing it on to future generations.

Following the screening, visitors can attend two lectures at 17:30 and 18:30 Sayaka Kawakami, a researcher at Upopoy National Ainu Museum who has been immersed in Ainu art and culture since childhood, will introduce the work of the museum’s Upopo Team, highlighting its research into traditional Ainu singing techniques and the ongoing process of reviving them. The lecture will explore how musical traditions once on the brink of disappearing are finding new life within the community today.

Later that evening, Masahiro Nomoto, Director of Upopoy National Ainu Museum, who was born into an Ainu family in the town of Shiraoi, will share the story of his homeland, the former Poroto Kotan Ainu Museum, and the journey toward the creation of today’s national Upopoy museum. His lecture offers a personal perspective on one of Japan’s most significant initiatives dedicated to preserving Ainu culture.

The second day of the program, July 3, begins at 14:30 with a screening of the documentary “Ripples of Physis”, followed by a conversation with the film’s producer, Sanae Kawai. The documentary introduces audiences to the more than 400-year-old Japanese tradition of karakami decorative paper, revealing its intricate production process while exploring the connections between natural patterns, cultural heritage and human creativity.

The event series concludes at 16:30 with a lecture by Masato Tamura, a researcher at Upopoy National Ainu Museum, focusing on ethnographer Bronisław Piłsudski and the Ainu community of Sakhalin. Having spent many years working in the Historical Archives of the Russian Far East in Vladivostok and studying Piłsudski’s manuscripts, Tamura will present the ethnographer’s enduring legacy and his invaluable contribution to the study and preservation of Ainu culture.

All events are free of charge and no registration is required. The Ainu Culture Days accompany the international exhibition “A Soul Between Worlds: The Ainu People of Northern Japan and Ethnographer Bronisław Piłsudski”, currently on view at the House of Histories. Until August 2, visitors can explore Piłsudski’s research, discover the history and culture of the Ainu people, and gain insight into contemporary Ainu identity.

For more information about the event: click here.

For more information about the exhibition: click here.