Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido is a must-see tourist destination for millions across the region, but not many know about its ancient inhabitants — the indigenous Ainu people. Singaporean scholar Peter Lee travels to the land of the Ainu, with its scenic landscapes and abundant natural resources, to learn more about how this resourceful people survived and thrived off the land. Along the way, he meets Ainu artisans who make textiles out of treebark. He visits a traditional Ainu Kotan, or Ainu village, and goes on a hike in the majestic Shiretoko Peninsula, on the search for wild bears.