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The members of the Ad Hoc Committee of the UPD Programang Pagpapamana ng Dunong Katutubo mula sa mga Tagapag-ingat ng Kalinangan / UPD Culture Bearers-in-Residence Program (CBiR) conducted consultations and benchmarking visits with Hokkaido University (HU), UPOPOY National Ainu Museum, and Temple University in Tokyo from February 23 to March 2, 2026.

The CBiR team met with Dr. Yoji YAMASAKI, Director of HU’s Center for Ainu and Indigenous Studies (CAIS), on February 24, 2026. The team presented the current status of the program, highlighting plans to upgrade it into a center called the UPD Center for Indigenous Knowledge and Local Cultures.

HU currently hosts various programs emphasizing its commitment to safeguarding, protecting, and welcoming Indigenous Peoples, especially the Ainu, the original inhabitants of Hokkaido Island. Besides serving as an academic center, HU is also dedicated to building a community that recognizes and respects the Ainu people by establishing the Office for Ainu Relations and Initiatives (OARI), which conducts projects and programs both within and outside the university to promote mutual understanding and respect between the Ainu and other university members.

Figure 1. Meeting with Prof. Yoji YAMASAKI, Director of CAIS
Figure 1. Meeting with Prof. Yoji YAMASAKI, Director of CAIS

Figure 2. Meeting with Prof. Yoji YAMASAKI, Director of CAIS
Figure 2. Meeting with Prof. Yoji YAMASAKI, Director of CAIS

Figure 3. Meeting with Prof. Yoji YAMASAKI, Director of CAIS
Figure 3. Meeting with Prof. Yoji YAMASAKI, Director of CAIS

Figure 4. Meeting with Prof. Yoji YAMASAKI, Director of CAIS
Figure 4. Meeting with Prof. Yoji YAMASAKI, Director of CAIS

Figure 5. Meeting with Prof. Yoji YAMASAKI, Director of CAIS
Figure 5. Meeting with Prof. Yoji YAMASAKI, Director of CAIS

Figure 6. Meeting with Prof. Yoji YAMASAKI, Director of CAIS
Figure 6. Meeting with Prof. Yoji YAMASAKI, Director of CAIS

On February 25, the team visited the Shiraoi district to meet with officials from UPOPOY National Ainu Museum and Park (UPOPOY). UPOPOY officials welcomed the team with a tour of the museum, which concluded with a meeting with UPOPOY’s Administration led by its Executive Director, Mr. NAMOTO Masahiro. A potential Memorandum of Agreement between the team and UPOPOY was discussed. Afterwards, the team met some members of the Ainu community at the Cultural Hall and the Ainu Village.

Figure 7. The main gate of UPOPOY National Ainu Museum and Park
Figure 7. The main gate of UPOPOY National Ainu Museum and Park
Figure 8. A special tour with Ms. Queralt Prado, Junior Research Fellow at the UPOPOY
Figure 8. A special tour with Ms. Queralt Prado, Junior Research Fellow at the UPOPOY

Figure 9. Meeting with Mr. NAMOTO Masahiro, the Director of the UPOPOY Museum
Figure 9. Meeting with Mr. NAMOTO Masahiro, the Director of the UPOPOY Museum

Figure 10. Meeting with Mr. NAMOTO Masahiro, the Director of the UPOPOY Museum
Figure 10. Meeting with Mr. NAMOTO Masahiro, the Director of the UPOPOY Museum
Figure 11. Meeting with Mr. NAMOTO Masahiro, the Director of the UPOPOY Museum
Figure 11. Meeting with Mr. NAMOTO Masahiro, the Director of the UPOPOY Museum

Figure 12. The final leg of our special tour with Ms. Queralt Prado
Figure 12. The final leg of our special tour with Ms. Queralt Prado

Figure 13. Meeting with an Ainu performer at the Cultural Exchange Hall of the UPOPOY
Figure 13. Meeting with an Ainu performer at the Cultural Exchange Hall of the UPOPOY
Figure 14. An Ainu leader and performer demonstrating the use of their traditional sword
Figure 14. An Ainu leader and performer demonstrating the use of their traditional sword

Figure 15. An Ainu family demonstrating traditional songs
Figure 15. An Ainu family demonstrating traditional songs

Figure 16. Photo opportunity with an Ainu elder
Figure 16. Photo opportunity with an Ainu elder
Figure 17. Photo opportunity in front of a Kota, a traditional Ainu house
Figure 17. Photo opportunity in front of a Kota, a traditional Ainu house

In Tokyo, the team met with Mr. Matthew Wilson, President of Temple University Japan (TUJ), on February 27. President Wilson graciously guided the team around the campus and delivered a short presentation.

Figure 18. Meeting with Temple University Japan Campus President/Dean Matthew Wilson
Figure 18. Meeting with Temple University Japan Campus President/Dean Matthew Wilson

Figure 19. Meeting with Temple University Japan Campus President/Dean Matthew Wilson
Figure 19. Meeting with Temple University Japan Campus President/Dean Matthew Wilson

Figure 20. Meeting with Temple University Japan Campus President/Dean Matthew Wilson
Figure 20. Meeting with Temple University Japan Campus President/Dean Matthew Wilson
Figure 21. Special Tour at Temple University Japan Campus with President Wilson
Figure 21. Special Tour at Temple University Japan Campus with President Wilson

Figure 22. Meeting with Temple University Japan Campus President/Dean Matthew Wilson
Figure 22. Meeting with Temple University Japan Campus President/Dean Matthew Wilson
Figure 23. Meeting with Temple University Japan Campus/Dean Matthew Wilson
Figure 23. Meeting with Temple University Japan Campus/Dean Matthew Wilson

Finally, on February 28, the team held discussions with experts on indigenous knowledge and cultural preservation in Nikko, home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site collectively known as the Shrines and Temples of Nikko. The discussions focused on traditional techniques, materials, and original designs that current community members in Nikko use to preserve the integrity of 17th-century Edo-period structures.

Figure 24. Nikko cultural tour - learning about Indigenous Practice in Architecture
Figure 24. Nikko cultural tour – learning about Indigenous Practice in Architecture

Figure 25. Nikko cultural tour - learning about Indigenous Practice in Architecture
Figure 25. Nikko cultural tour – learning about Indigenous Practice in Architecture

Figure 26. Nikko cultural tour - learning about Indigenous Practice in Architecture
Figure 26. Nikko cultural tour – learning about Indigenous Practice in Architecture

Figure 27. Nikko cultural tour - learning about Indigenous Practice in Architecture
Figure 27. Nikko cultural tour – learning about Indigenous Practice in Architecture

Figure 28. Nikko cultural tour - learning about Indigenous Practice in Architecture
Figure 28. Nikko cultural tour – learning about Indigenous Practice in Architecture

SDG 4
SDG 8
SDG 16