Working is my hobby – I am a hobbyist

In 1952, I became interested in Ainu’s everyday tools, and I collected old everyday tools around Nibutani.
In 1972, I opened the Nibutani Ainu culture museum exhibiting 160 Ainu everyday tools. In 1992, the collection had increased to 340 items.
I donated these items, with new tools that I made, to Biratori town. The town built a building and the exhibits were moved to the new building. In 1992, the transportation was finished and this Ainu culture museum was opened and run by Biratori.
The name of museum changed to Shigeru Kayano Ainu museum and was restarted. The writings which are exhibited here are the transcripts of the recrodings that I collected by visiting old residents in the neighboorhood.
Looking back, I have been involved with Ainu culture for 50 years. These exhibits were registered and became national tangible cultural properties and the museum was established. I decided to work hard to collect artifacts of indigenous people from around the world to be included with Ainu items for the second museum.
If you have unnecessary foreign souvenirs, please bring them to us. We will look after them with great care.
I am a man who likes to take good care of old things and have spent 50 years with everyday tools.
Shigeru Kayano.