The skulls of black bears are lined up atop wooden fence posts in an Ainu village on the island of Hokkaido in northern Japan. The Ainu (pronounced I-noo) worship the bear as their most revered god and believe that displaying their skulls will bring good fortune to the village. Prior to when this historical photograph was taken in 1962, bears raised in the village would be slaughtered during an annual festival. Bear festivals continue today for tourists but the animal is no longer sacrificed. The Ainu were officially recognized as indigenous people of Japan in 2008.
The skulls of black bears are lined up atop wooden fence posts in an Ainu village on the island of Hokkaido in northern Japan. The Ainu (pronounced I-noo) worship the bear as their most revered god and believe that displaying their skulls will bring good fortune to the village. Prior to when this historical photograph was taken in 1962, bears raised in the village would be slaughtered during an annual festival. Bear festivals continue today for tourists but the animal is no longer sacrificed. The Ainu were officially recognized as indigenous people of Japan in 2008.
Size: 4800px × 2103px
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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