I made a mistake in the title of the previous review. It's not Utonai, it's Upopoy, I'm sorry. It didn't take me 15 minutes to walk from Shiraoi Station to the entrance of Upopoy. The interior space is much larger and more beautiful than I expected. After walking a slightly longer path, you arrive at the entrance. There are souvenir shops and cafes at the entrance where you can purchase tickets. Inside the facility, there are various buildings such as the National Ainu Museum, Experience Exchange Center, Learning Hall, Workshop, Traditional Kotan, Chikisan Plaza, events at Poroto Lake, and more. There are so many activities going on that you would need more than a day to see everything. I decided to explore the facilities on the right side first and save the other side for next time. However, things didn't go as planned. There were singing, dancing, blowpipe experiences, storytelling in old Ainu houses, and educational sessions about the Ainu culture. Everything was interesting, and although there were some waiting times, they weren't too long. I considered delaying my train but decided against it. I had to skip the Ainu Museum visit, bought some souvenirs, and enjoyed coffee from the museum. Upopoy is a wonderful place with plenty of cafes and food stalls. The cookies I bought were surprisingly good. If I lived nearby, I would visit again and again. But it was time to head back to Shiraoi Station and on to Chitose.

I came to the museum shop in Shiraoi, and the weather is changing constantly. Last year, I came at the last minute and was told that I couldn't enter the museum without a reservation, so I gave up. But this time, with two people during the Obon holiday, we can enter without a reservation. However, it says that we have to wait for "over an hour and a half" to see the traditional craft performance once inside, which I think is not very considerate. Despite this, my companion wants to wait, so I decide to go along. While waiting, I decide to browse the shop, which seems to have interesting items. It's a nice place with a view of the lake for those who have bought tickets, leaving others feeling a bit excluded. I have a coffee at the shop, which seems to have increased in price from 200 yen to 250 yen. The coffee machine dispenses a decent cup of coffee, but be careful not to press the button twice as it will overflow. After feeling a bit better, I decide to take a walk before watching the performance at 4:30 pm. Please note that this is just a story, so don't take it too seriously.

I received a souvenir, which was a Haskap cookie. It was a fairly large cookie. It was soft like a Country Ma'am cookie. I forgot what Haskap tastes like, but it had a fruity flavor.

"Exploring Shiraoi" Shiraoi Town, located in the southwest of Hokkaido, has a rich history built on the foundation of its Ainu population. The greeting "Iran Karapte" in Ainu language means "hello" and can be heard throughout the town. The highlight of my trip was visiting "Upopoi," a facility opened in 2020 dedicated to reviving and promoting Ainu culture. I was looking forward to this the most. The National Ainu Museum showcases the lives and culture of the indigenous Ainu people through comprehensive exhibits. There are also facilities to watch traditional performances such as the Ainu traditional dance, registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, and performances of the Mukkuri (mouth harp). I made sure to watch these performances from the front row. "Upopoi" means "singing" in Ainu language.

Opened in 2020 as a hub for the revitalization of Ainu culture, Upopoy consists of the National Ainu Museum, training facilities such as Chise group and experience exchange hall, and a park where you can enjoy the views of Lake Poroto and Mt. Tarumae. On weekends in the summer, you can enjoy projection mapping at night, so we decided to visit Upopoy in the evening. On this day, in addition to the permanent exhibition, a special exhibition themed on beads was being held, and my wife and children were very satisfied, saying "It was incredibly satisfying!" The projection mapping that I was looking forward to was a bit disappointing, but the night view of Upopoy, beautifully lit up with the light reflecting on Lake Poroto, created a fantastic atmosphere that stayed in my heart. In the museum shop, they sold coffee, water, juice, as well as souvenir sweets developed by the local Ainu association. As it was quite cold in October, I bought coffee from the coffee server during the waiting time to warm up. The sablé I bought as a souvenir was eaten with my family later, and it had a simple yet irresistible taste that made us reach for more pieces at once. It seems that a hotel of the Star Resort will be built nearby next winter. It seems like a luxury hotel, but I definitely want to visit there as well.