Whaling Culture and Whale Graves in the Hokkaidō and Tōhoku Regions

Abstract

This chapter first investigates the whaling culture of the Ainu people in Hokkaid{\={o}}, who went through similar plights in the early history of Japan to those of indigenous peoples in North America. Although they do not have a written language, they have preserved a rich culture distinctive from that of Honsh{\={u}} (the largest island of Japan), including whaling culture. This chapter next looks at whaling culture and memorial rites for whales in the T{\={o}}hoku Region (northeastern Honsh{\={u}}). Most of the coastal communities in the region were destroyed by the East Japan Massive Earthquake/Tsunami of March 11, 2011, and field research for this project includes Rikuzen-Takata, one of the hardest-hit areas, where much of the destruction remains today. The field research extends to Ayukawa, a small fishing town, one of the few communities in Japan that legally engage in small-type coastal whaling today.