Beginning my research...

So I first walked to the North Library at Hokkaido University and got my hands on volumes 2, 4, and 5 of the Chiri Yukie Notebooks. Volumes 4 and 5 contain some long epic-like yukar (or chants). Volume 2 contained some interesting Ainu riddles, so I made copies of this book. I then headed to the main library building to get volumes 1 and 3 (this is the book that contains the two kamui yukar myths I am most interested in). However, these two volumes are not available for immediate use and I had to order them to be prepared for me by tomorrow morning. So I will be back to the library tomorrow wen it opens at 9:00!

Because I could not immediately finish my research, I decided to do some more study/sightseeing this afternoon, to leave the whole morning free tomorrow for the library. So I ate a late lunch and headed to the Hokkaido University Botanical Gardens, where they have not only a small Ainu Museum, but also a section of the gardens dedicated to plant life used by Northern Aboriginal Peoples. I took my time photographing both of these, then enjoyed the rest of the gardens.

I would like to take some time now to note my impressions of both the Ainu Museum and the Northern Peoples Ethnobotanical Garden. The museum, although small, contained clothing, musical instruments, farming and hunting tools, goods used in daily living, personal and ritual ornament, and replica offering stands. This was the first time that I have seen first-hand things such as spring traps, ornamental carved offering sticks, etc. that feature prominently not only in accounts of Ainu culture and daily living practices, but also in their myths.

Being able to see these varied specimens first-hand really helped me solidify my understanding of the connection between the Ainu people, their way of life, their oral traditions, and the nature surrounding them.

Continuing on to the Ethnobotanical Garden, my first impression was that most of these plants just seemed like any other type of grass or tree. Many did not seem to have any distinguishing characteristics that would make them easily identifiable. I was then also impressed with the varied usage of the plants: as food, medicine, housing and furniture, material for weapons or tools, etc. In fact, some plants were used for multiple purposes (such as the leaves being used for food while the stalks or stems were used for tools or clothing). The Ainu were truly a hunting and gathering culture that relied heavily on the indigenous plant life (which I got to sample at the gardens).