Historic Village of Hokkaido

In 1983, the Historical Village of Hokkaido, Kaitaku no Mura, was completed and opened to the public. The point of the village is to provide a realistic understanding of the pioneer time period in Hokkaido. Everything thing in the village is an exhibit and consists of around 60 or so buildings. The structures in the area have either been relocated from their respective sites or were reproduced. The structures are representations of the Meiji Era, when the government feared an invasion from Russia. It prompted a hasty development of Hokkaido and encouraged people from Honshu to migrate to the area. The structures give insight to the lives of the pioneers, who struggled to improve the last frontier in Japan.

The buildings in the village are split up between 4 sections, which are the Town, Fishing Village, Farm Village and Mountain Village. One of the ways to go around this open air museum is by a horse pulled trolley in the summer time or a horse pulled sled in the winter. There are daily demonstrations given to show visitors the work of police officers, the making of straw craftwork, operation of platen press by hand, etc. What is also amazing about this museum is that you are allowed to enter the structures and see the lifestyle the pioneers lived in. The main street of the Town area is lined with old wooden and stone buildings that show Western and Japanese influences in its architectural design. Also, when entering the houses in the village, remember to remove your shoes as it is customary in Japan.