Creature Cards

These cards depict living creatures that have interesting names that you'd never guess from the Japanese words for them. Learn them all, then quiz your family and friends! You can use them to play concentration and other games – it's entirely up to you.

Match-up Cards

These charming cards present Ainu-language antonyms in an easily understandable way. With them, you can learn everyday words that mean things like "laugh," "cry," "tasty," and "bad-tasting." As you play, you might even start speaking Ainu before you know it!

Weather Cards

Learn weather words as you play the game nisatta sipirka (Will the weather be good tomorrow?"). Sunny cloudy, rain, or snow? Can you answer faster than your opponent? This fun game is sure to generate excitement.

Blakiston's Fish Owl

Blakiston's fish owl, known by such names as kotan-kor-kamuy and kamuy-cikap, is a special kamuy who protects villages. The actual owl is a large bird with a wingspan of close to two meters, but here it has been reduced to a size that you can place on the palm of your hand. Why not display this spirit-deity of protection in your own home?

Animal Blocks

This is a charming paper toy that lets you have fun stacking animals. You can make five kinds of animals from Hokkaido: salmon, crow, fox, Yezo sika deer, and whale. For even more fun, make a whole bunch of these!

Brown Bear

The bear has names such as kimun-kamuy, and is a kamuy whose flesh and pelt are prized. This paper craft project is for making an adorable bear cub. When young, bears are known by names that include heper. The many different names for bears shows just how deep their connection is to the Ainu.

Cise Diorama

In the Ainu language, the houses in which Ainu live are called "cise." The materials used for cise roofs and walls have regional variations. They are selected according to the local environment, and include different kinds of reeds as well as bamboo and tree bark. As you put this together, you'll find out what the dwellings look like inside.

Play Kitchen

This simple paper craft project suggested for small children lets them play at making an Ainu soup called ohaw. Select your favorite ingredients, cut them up, simmer them over a fire to make an ohaw like none other! This is a fun project for parents and children to do together.

Headband

This is a matanpus (headband) decorated with an Ainu design that you can actually wear. You can download a matanpus that you can color yourself and another with a pre-printed pattern. Make it, then put it on and take pictures!
Note: Printing out this paper craft project on regular paper is recommended.

Crossbow Trap

An amappo (crossbow trap) is an animal-hunting device that shoots an arrow automatically. It is set up on trails used by brown bears, Yezo deer, and other prey, and loaded with a poison-tipped arrow. This paper craft project lets you learn about the design of the construction used to shoot the arrow.
Note: This project uses a rubber bands and twine.