Narratives and island heritage representation: Navigating the Ainu exhibitions on Hokkaido

This article examines the museum representation of the Ainu, the Indigenous people of Hokkaido, Japan. Drawing on postcolonial theory, exhibit communication models, and critical museology, it explores how museum narratives reflect and shape public understanding of Ainu history, culture, and identity. It analyzes exhibitions at the Hokkaido Museum, Nibutani Ainu Culture Museum, Kayano Shigeru Nibutani Ainu Museum, Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park, and the Hokkaido Ainu Cultural Center. These range from state-sanctioned and touristic to community-led approaches. The framing of Ainu culture in the past tense underscores the need for deeper engagement with contemporary Ainu communities and global Indigenous resurgence.