Kotan means village and community in the Ainu language. The Akanko Ainu Kotan’s history began when Mitsuko Maeda, the third-generation owner of Maeda Ippoen, provided land to the Ainu people for free to preserve the Ainu lifestyle. Ainu people from all over Hokkaido moved here and formed a community. Many of them still live here today, continuing their crafts of wood carving. You can also find many souvenir shops selling beautiful and unique pieces.

The village is protected by the Owl God, known as Cikap-kamuy or Kotan-kor-kamuy in the Ainu language. He is usually represented as a great owl, and you can see him at several places, from the airport to the Ainu Theater and at the entrance of the village. The Ainu believed the owl watched over the mosir (country) and local kotan (villages).

We had the chance to talk to a few people from the community. Although it was not easy for them to leave their birthplace and come here, it was a way to make a living at the time. Since they came from many different communities, it was sometimes hard to get along and agree on some points, so conflicts happened. But in such a small community, they would quickly reconcile and continue working together.

Today, people from the community show the Ainu culture through music and dances at the Ainu Theater, organize tours around the nearby forests to depict traditional lifestyle, continue the craft of wood carving, and prepare Ainu-style food at the restaurants. They embody tradition and innovation, incorporating modern elements to help promote their culture, like the digital art in Lost Kamuy.