Ainu Thanksgiving Festival to Be Held in Tokyo with Performances from Ainu, Other Indigenous Groups

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:05 JST, November 7, 2025

The Ainu Thanksgiving Festival will be held at the Curian civic hall in Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo, on Nov. 15.

Ainu people will perform songs and dances at the festival, which will also include performances by indigenous people from various parts of the world.

Participating at the event will be Peure Utari no Kai, a group dedicated to raising public awareness of the situation faced by the Ainu people.

Recitations of “yukar” heroic epics, considered the essence of Ainu culture, along with sword dances and the “tapkar” stomping dance are among the performances scheduled for the event. Artist Yoshitomo Nara will also take the stage to discuss his feelings about the Ainu people.

Additionally, Nga Hau e Wha, a Maori cultural performance group based in Japan, will perform songs and dances, while Kacalisian, an indigenous Paiwan artist group from Taiwan, will perform traditional music.

For ticket reservations and inquiries, contact the Ainu Thanksgiving Festival Secretariat (ainukanshasai@gmail.com).