About
Materials related to the Northern Territories - including documents and photographs - are searchable and viewable by era, region, and category.
Information on daily life, culture, and industries in the Northern Territories in the prewar period is presented through archival materials and maps.
Storytelling
Information on the way of life, culture, and industries in the Northern Territories in the prewar period is presented through historical materials and maps.
On Shikotan Island in the Northern Territories, 206 households, totaling 1,038 residents, prospered through whaling and fishing, once reputed to be the largest in Asia. This story traces the memories of former islanders who lost access to their homeland.
This story traces life in the Northern Territories through the postal system. It depicts the dedicated efforts of those who delivered mail by dogsled and on skis, braving the snowbound winters.
The culinary scenes are explored here. From communal cooking along the Rubetsu River to crab dishes prepared on the coast of Tennei district, these glimpses of mealtime reveal a life shaped by the island's abundant natural surroundings.
Etorofu Island in the Northern Territories is home to landscapes of striking beauty and grandeur. From the open plains with views of Mt. Hitokap to the wetlands of Naibo, the sweeping scenery from mountains to sea unfolds together with traces of the lives once lived there.
Database
Materials related to the Northern Territories - including photographs, objects, documents, and videos – are searchable by era, location, or category and more.
Today’s Highlights
Knowledge
The four northern islands east of Hokkaido (Habomai, Shikotan, Kunashiri and Etorofu) remain occupied by Russia without legal grounds. “The Northern Territories” refers to these four northern islands, which are part of Japanese territory.
Learn moreThe Northern Territories issue refers to the fact that four northern islands (Habomai, Shikotan, Kunashiri and Etorofu) of Japan were invaded by armed forces of the Soviet Union at the end of World War II and remain occupied by Russia without legal grounds.
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