the ainu people

Japan has finally agreed to officially recognize the Ainu people of Hokkaido as an indigenous people "with a unique language and culture." For centuries, they have been repressed and neglected and many had to hide their identities so they would not face discrimination. Originally they inhabited the Sakhalin Peninsula and Kurile Islands (currently part of Russia), Hokkaido, and the northern part of the main island of Honshu. Today, they only occupy the southern part of Hokkaido.

Genetically, the Ainus are very different from the Japanese. They have fairer skin and to put it bluntly, are hairier. They almost look native American. Some scholars have even speculated that they are the descendants of the Jomon People. 

I was first introduced to their culture back in 2002 when I took a trip to Sapporo, Japan in Hokkaido. I went to a store that sold goods made by Ainu people and was startled by the similarities between them and the native Americans. I even found out that the city of Sapporo is the Ainu word for village of much dryness. (It's been modified of course to fit the Japanese tongue, but in the original Ainu language Sapporo was pronounced Satporo kotan with the word kotan eventually being dropped.) So the next time you drink a bottle of Sapporo Beer, remember the Ainus and their contribution to the world.