Illustration of the Holy Priest Genyo of Higashi Hongan-ji Temple on His Path Around Hokkaido in Meiji 3 – Kunnui area

Utagawa Kuniteru II

1871 (Meiji 4)

Donated by Tanba Tsuneo 

For the Ainu people, bears are worshiped as a supernatural spirit, like a god. In this illustration, we can see a bear’s skull being displayed, seemingly portraying the Ainu religious ceremony known as Iomante.