Lake Akan Ainu Kotan

Hokkaido's largest Ainu village: wood-carving shops, a small museum and dance at the Ikor theatre.

Lake Akan Ainu Kotan is a lane of around 30 shops and homes at the western end of the Akanko Onsen hot-spring town, home to Hokkaido's largest Ainu community. Carvers work in open-fronted studios making owls, bears and tableware, and craft shops sell embroidered textiles and mukkuri mouth harps; a small free museum house shows a traditional chise dwelling. The Lake Akan Ainu Theatre Ikor at the top of the lane stages traditional Ainu dance (¥1,500), part of UNESCO's intangible heritage list, and the multimedia Lost Kamuy show (¥2,200). Check the day's schedule, as daytime performances are limited and evening shows are too late for most ships. The village is about 1.5 hours from Kushiro by car, so combine it with the Lake Akan boat cruise and lunch in the onsen town; try a bowl of venison or wakasagi (pond smelt) at one of the Ainu-run restaurants.

Getting there from the port