Ainu people

The Ainu (pronounced {{IPA|/?ainu/}}, "eye-noo", are an ethnic group indigenous to Hokkaido, the northern part of Honshu in Northern Japan, the Kuril Islands, much of Sakhalin, and the southernmost third of the Kamchatka peninsula. The word "ainu" means "human" in the Ainu language; Emishi, Ezo or Yezo (蝦夷) are Japanese terms; and Utari,ウタリ, (meaning "countrymen" in Ainu) is now preferred by some members. There are over 150,000 Ainu today, however the exact figure is not known as many Ainu hide their origins or in many cases are not even aware of them, their parents having kept it from them so as to protect their children from racism.

Related Topics:
Pronounced - Indigenous - Hokkaido - Honshu - Japan - Kuril Islands - Sakhalin - Kamchatka peninsula - Ainu language - Emishi - Ezo - Yezo - Japanese - Utari

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