La résilience du corbeau: free Ainu photo exhibition at the Maison de la culture du Japon

If I say Japan, you're likely to say "cherry blossom", "manga" and "gaming" or "onsen". For many, traveling to Japan means going from city to city to discover these places that combine tradition and modernity. But for others, the Land of the Rising Sun is far more complex and diverse than that. So, have you ever heard of the Ainu?

Mainly settled on the island of Hokkaido, Japan's most northerly island, but also in the south of Sakhalin Island and Kamchatka, as well as on the Kuril Islands, this indigenous people is little-known.

But Lorraine Turci, a photographer with degrees from the Beaux-Arts de Nantes and the Université Paris 8, decided to meet them in the dead of winter. The result is a series of images to be admired this spring and summer in Paris. From April 29 to July 31, 2025, the Maison de la culture du Japon invites us to discover its new small exhibition celebrating this indigenous people. Entitled " The Resilience of the Raven ", the installation will be on display for three months in the lobby of the Japanese cultural center.

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" The Resilience of the Raven " explores the contemporary quest of the Ainu people. It's an opportunity to learn more about their culture and traditions, which have faced many challenges imposed by history. But the Ainu have managed to reinvent their identity and heritage.

Come and discover the history of this indigenous people through the free exhibition " The Resilience of the Raven " and the photographs of Lorraine Turci. Note that this small installation is part of a cycle dedicated to the Ainu, proposed by the Maison de la culture du Japon. This spring and summer, the Japanese cultural center will also be hosting an Ainu music show (June 28), conferences and even film and documentary screenings. For the full program of events dedicated to Ainu culture, visit the official website of the Maison de la culture du Japon in Paris.