An old bearded chief and six elderly Ainu women rest before performing traditional Ainu dances, chants and hand-clapping to entertain Japanese tourists on the island of Hokkaido in northern Japan. Only 300 pure-blooded Ainu (pronounced I-noo) were still living when this historical photograph was taken in 1962. Since that time the Ainu have assimilated into Japanese society and their age-old way of life is only glimpsed today in special tourist villages. The Ainu were officially recognized as indigenous people of Japan in 2008.
An old bearded chief and six elderly Ainu women rest before performing traditional Ainu dances, chants and hand-clapping to entertain Japanese tourists on the island of Hokkaido in northern Japan. Only 300 pure-blooded Ainu (pronounced I-noo) were still living when this historical photograph was taken in 1962. Since that time the Ainu have assimilated into Japanese society and their age-old way of life is only glimpsed today in special tourist villages. The Ainu were officially recognized as indigenous people of Japan in 2008.
Size: 3900px × 2050px
Location: island of Hokkaido, northern Japan, East Asia
Photo credit: © Michele and Tom Grimm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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