Abstract
In Shiraoi, Hokkaido, there were several kotan (villages) in which cotton garments known as ruunpe were made and worn. In “shiraoi kotan,” a variety of patterns and forms of ruunpe have been passed down to the present day, as Ainu culture has been introduced to people visiting the region through tourism projects since the Meiji period. This article focuses on the ruunpe tradition of the Shiraoi region and the items in our museum’s collection, as well as interviews with the families of the makers and wearers of these garments among others. From this survey, we considered what characteristics are considered to be typical of the “ruunpe of the Shiraoi region” and how they were inherited through the activities of the former Ainu Museum (otherwise known as Porotokotan). The influence of changes in clothing culture are also considered. The article describes the identities of the makers and how ruunpe, which are considered to have been protected by the region as a whole, are being produced today.
