The Hokkaido Museum, which opened in April 2015, is incredibly popular, having reached 100,000 visitors in just five months.
I had seen comments that it was so crowded for about the first six months after it opened that it was difficult to look around properly, so I had been holding back my desire to go until now.

So, since I was able to take a weekday off, I finally went to the Hokkaido Museum. In this post, I'll share my impressions of the Hokkaido Museum, as well as highlights and exhibits.

<Contents>
1. What is the Hokkaido Museum?
2. Highlights of the Exhibition
[Prologue] The Meeting of North and South
[Theme 1] The 120 Million Year Story of Hokkaido
[Second Theme] The World of Ainu Culture
[The third theme] The secret to Hokkaido's unique character
[The fourth theme] Towards our time
[The fifth theme] The creatures of Hokkaido
Highly recommended! Join the highlight tour!
"Discovery Square" where children can have fun
3. Breaks and meals
4. Access to the Hokkaido Museum

The Hokkaido Museum is a facility that was renovated and reopened in April 2015, integrating two prefectural facilities: the "Hokkaido Development Memorial Museum" and the "Hokkaido Prefectural Ainu Culture Research Center."

The biggest difference from before the renovation is that the exhibits, which were previously displayed as a general history, are now organized by theme.

Rather than simply following a chronological order, the exhibits are designed to deepen understanding of each theme, making it easy to grasp each theme even without following a set route. The exhibits are also designed to allow visitors to learn about history through hands-on experiences.

Based on the concepts of "Hokkaido in Northeast Asia" and "The Relationship Between Nature and People," this book introduces Hokkaido's nature, history, and culture through five themes.

The museum is divided into themes, so you can deepen your understanding even if you don't follow the designated route, but here we will introduce the exhibits for each theme in order.

[Prologue] The Meeting of North and South

As soon as you enter the exhibition room, you'll be greeted by full-body skeletons (replicas) of a Naumann's elephant and a mammoth.

Satellite images are printed on the floor, allowing you to learn what Hokkaido is like through the images.
It seems that mammoths were coming from the north and Naumann's elephants from the south.

You can walk underneath the mammoth elephant. Be sure to look up at it from directly below. You'll really get a sense of its immense size.

[Theme 1] The 120 Million Year Story of Hokkaido

This book introduces the history of Hokkaido and the people who lived there, from approximately 120 million years ago to the end of the 19th century when settlement began.

Here, there's a section called "Let's Touch It!" where you can actually touch a mammoth's tusk.
There's also a corner where you can take a commemorative photo with a mammoth tusk, so be sure to take one!Among the exhibits was the "Hollow Clay Figurine," the first to be designated a National Treasure in Hokkaido. I was surprised, wondering if it was the real thing, but the explanation said it was a replica.

I've seen the actual object once, and it seems to still be on display at the Hakodate Jomon Culture Exchange Center, which is about an hour's drive from the center of Hakodate City, Hokkaido.

[Second Theme] The World of Ainu Culture

This site introduces the present and past of Ainu culture, including the Ainu people's current lives, tools, musical instruments, and songs from the past.

In addition to the videos, visitors can also create Ainu language sentences like a puzzle, and touch and play instruments used by the Ainu people.

I think this is a novel approach that allows people to actually experience and learn about Ainu culture.

[The third theme] The secret to Hokkaido's unique character

This section brings together "Hokkaido-ness" – the essence of what it means to survive in Hokkaido – including local specialties and tips for comfortably enduring the cold winter.

You can learn about representative industries in Hokkaido, from fishing and agriculture to coal mining, processing, and railways.

The life-sized railway diorama recreates the interior of a train between Oshamanbe and Otaru during the Taisho era, complete with sound.

Having a diorama definitely adds to the realism and makes it more interesting.

[The fourth theme] Towards our time

This section explores the progress from the beginning of the 20th century to the present day, and considers what lies ahead. The "Era of High Economic Growth" section featured retro home appliances and automobiles, which I found quite interesting to look at.

I feel very nostalgic for the rotary phone because we had them when I was a child. I think my grandmother still has that really thick calculator...

[The fifth theme] The creatures of Hokkaido

This section looks at Hokkaido from the perspective of living creatures, exploring the connections between them and the relationship between humans and nature.
One of the most popular corners for children here is "Donguri Korokoro" (Rolling Acorns).
This exhibit uses wooden balls shaped like acorns to illustrate the food chain.
When you roll the wooden ball, which is designed to resemble an acorn, it will end up in a different place each time, depending on where it lands: it might be eaten by a brown bear, hidden by a squirrel, or fall into a river.

The children were engrossed in chasing the wooden balls, repeatedly trying to drop them into every single point.

◆ Highly recommended! Join the highlight tour!

From October 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016, a "Highlight Tour" is held daily from 2 PM to 3 PM, where a guided tour staff member explains the highlights of the exhibits in an easy-to-understand manner.

Since participation is free and no prior reservation is required, why not join the highlight tour to deepen your understanding?
They'll answer any questions you have!

<Highlight Tour>
Date: Every day
Hours: 14: 00-15: 00
Admission: Free (Separate admission fee applies to the main exhibition hall)

◆ "Discovery Square" where children can have fun

Outside the main exhibition hall, on the first basement floor, there is a "Discovery Plaza" where children can learn in a fun way.
You can choose from a variety of "discovery kits" displayed on an entire wall and freely try them out.

This section is recommended for children as it allows them to learn about Hokkaido's nature, history, and culture through hands-on experiences.

There is no restaurant inside the building.
The "Museum Cafe," where you can enjoy light snacks such as donuts and coffee, is located at the entrance, but it's a simple space, so if you want to relax, use the rest lounge on the mezzanine floor.

There's a spacious area here, so you can bring your own lunch and eat or take a break.Please note that there is a restaurant in the Hokkaido Historical Village, which is next to the Hokkaido Museum, but it takes about 15 minutes to get there on foot.

[Click here for the article about "Hokkaido Historical Village"♪]
Enjoy a stroll through the Hokkaido Historical Village, a place the whole family can enjoy! [Sapporo tourist spot]

◆Hokkaido Museum
address:53-2 Onohoro, Atsubetsu-cho, Atsubetsu-ku, Sapporo City, Hokkaido
Telephone number: 011-898-0466
Opening hours: 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM (May - September)
9: 30-16: 30 (April-September)
*Last admission is 30 minutes before closing.
Price: (General) 600 yen
(University students and high school students) 300 yen
* High school students get in for free on Saturdays, Children's Day, and Culture Day.
Closed days: Every Monday (If Monday is a public holiday or substitute holiday, the museum will be closed the following day; closed for the New Year holidays from December 29th to January 3rd)
URL:http://www.hm.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/

◆Access by public transport
Get off at Shin-Sapporo Station on the JR Chitose Line (approximately 10 minutes by rapid train from JR Sapporo Station) and transfer to the bus listed below.
・From Shin-Sapporo Bus Terminal, take the JR Hokkaido Bus Shin22 bound for "Kaitaku-no-mura" (Pioneering Village) from platform 10 in the North Lane.
Get off at "Hokkaido Museum" (bus ride time: approximately 15 minutes, bus fare: 210 yen for adults)

<Afterword>

Before going to the Hokkaido Museum, I had a strong image of the full skeletons of Naumann's elephant and mammoth that I often saw in advertisements, and mistakenly thought that there were many fossil exhibits.
In reality, the main focus is on exhibits that showcase history and culture.

As we followed the themes in order, the exhibits in the first half didn't seem to interest the younger elementary school children much, but in the second half, "The Animals of Hokkaido," their excitement levels suddenly rose as they sat on bear-shaped cushions and rolled wooden balls.

When it's crowded, it's not really possible to play freely, but recently the number of visitors seems to have calmed down, so I think it will be fine.
If you're worried, you might want to choose a time when there are fewer people, such as right after the museum opens.

The museum is so extensive that it would take over two hours to see everything thoroughly, so we recommend visiting with plenty of time to spare.

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