This space evokes both the cage that contained a bear and the cave where the ritual of sending off the bear was performed. It portrays the brief journey of a bear, disoriented by extreme hunger, as it transitions from life to spirit.

The setting is Rausu Town in Shiretoko. Nestled between the mountains and the sea, this small town is home to bears, deer, foxes, and humans, all living in harmony with the scent and sound of the ocean.

After the bear was captured and placed in a trap, I entered the cage myself. At 165 cm tall, I had to crouch to fit inside. The cage was small, situated near a patch of butterbur and a small stream, just seconds away from the sea. This location is believed to be part of the bear’s usual path between the mountains and the sea. The bear’s canine tooth was broken from gnawing on the iron bars in an attempt to escape, and its claws were deeply scratched from digging at the ground through the gaps.

At the back of the exhibition, a video of the sea, as seen from the bear’s perspective, is projected. In a cave from the Tobinitai period discovered in Rausu, bear skulls were arranged facing the sea in a ritual of mourning, a practice that later evolved into the Ainu tradition of “Iomante.”

The night the bear was placed in the cage was a full moon. A long, long full moon night. Did the passing moon reflect in the bear’s eyes?

Regarding the photo of the tree displayed: This image was captured from a trail camera. The bear, known as Rushataro (RT), the subject of this exhibition, sharpened its claws on this tree just days before its death. It was not a plump bear. The tree still bears the marks of its claws.

Over four years, RT attacked and consumed eight pet dogs. In areas where human habitats and wildlife coexist, contact incidents are inevitable. While culling is sometimes understood as “unavoidable,” does it resolve everything? And is it a problem only for the local people to consider? These unanswered questions were conveyed to me by RT.