Summary
A two-day festival at Sapporo's Akarenga Hall on March 7 and 8, 2026 will feature screenings of the film Kamuy no Uta alongside Ainu cultural experiences.
The Kamuy no Uta School Project, an Ainu co-existence initiative launched in 2023 by the Town of Higashikawa, will hold a two-day festival at the Akarenga Hall on the second floor of the former Hokkaido Government Office in central Sapporo on March 7 and 8, 2026. The event combines community screenings of the film Kamuy no Uta with hands-on Ainu cultural experiences.
What happened
The festival is organized by the Kamuy no Uta School Project, run jointly by the Town of Higashikawa (Photo Culture Capital “Town of Photography”) and The Hokkaido Shimbun Press. It uses the film Kamuy no Uta, which portrays the life of Ainu culture transmitter Chiri Yukie, as a starting point to introduce Ainu language, oral epic (yukar), food, hunting traditions and Hokkaido’s natural environment to a general audience.
Why it matters
Ainu culture is recognized as a distinctive heritage of Hokkaido and has attracted growing international interest. This festival provides an accessible entry point in central Sapporo, combining film with tactile cultural experiences at a landmark venue, the recently reopened Akarenga (red-brick) building.
Key details
- Dates: March 7 (Saturday) and March 8 (Sunday), 2026.
- Venue: Akarenga Hall A and B, second floor, former Hokkaido Government Office, Chuo-ku, Sapporo.
- March 7 program: Two film screenings with a talk show by photographer Yukinori Otsuka in Hall A; Ainu culture experience corner in Hall B from 9:00 to 17:30.
- March 8 program: Two film screenings in Hall A; Ainu culture experience corner in Hall B from 9:00 to 16:30.
- Admission: Free, though the separate Akarenga building entrance fee applies.
- Organizers: Kamuy no Uta School Project (Town of Higashikawa and The Hokkaido Shimbun Press).
For international readers
The festival is free to attend and is held at a landmark building near JR Sapporo Station. International visitors interested in Ainu culture should note that programming is expected to be delivered primarily in Japanese; visitors may wish to confirm interpretation availability with the organizer in advance.
Source: Hokkaido Tourism Organization announcement. Details: Kamuy no Uta School Festival special site.
Source Details
| Source | Hokkaido Tourism Organization |
|---|---|
| Original Title | 東川町×北海道新聞社2026年3月7日(土)・8(日)赤れんが庁舎で 「カムイのうたの学校フェスティバル」を開催！ |
| Original Published | 2026-02-06 |
| Region | Sapporo |
| Target Reader | general |
| Review Status | reviewed |
| Risk Level | normal |
| Original Source | Hokkaido Tourism Organization |
Editor Note
各回の受付時間と会場（ホールA／B）の入場料区分、赤れんが庁舎の入館料が別途必要である点を必ず本文と一致させてから公開してください。海外読者向けに通訳の有無を主催者へ確認することを推奨します。