Abstract

The Ainu are a group of populations settled on the Kamchatka Peninsula, on the island of Sakhalin, in the Kurils and in Hokkaidō. I will examine the Ainu of the island of Hokkaidō. During the Tokugawa (1603-1868) and Meiji (1868-1912) periods, the Japanese imposed reforms and forced assimilation, depriving them of their cultural heritage. Initially labeled as "last", over time the Ainu have been invited to folklore along with a slow restitution of their cultural tradition, albeit with some compromise. In this way, tourist centers have most likely become the main gateways to a universe still pervaded by mystery. This article explores the changes in religious tradition, starting with the cosmogonic world, passing through ceremonies in their most traditional form, to examining how such ceremonials have been transformed for tourism purposes.