The Ainu are an Indigenous people of Hokkaido and neighboring regions of northern Japan and the Russian Far East. Ainu religious practice centers on the transmission of prayers and offerings from the human world to the realm of the spirits.
An ikupasuy is a ceremonial libation stick used by Ainu men in rituals dedicated to gods and spirits. During ceremonies involving millet beer or sake, the pointed end of the ikupasuy is dipped into the liquid, and droplets are sprinkled as an offering before drinking. Each ikupasuy is intricately carved. The designs at both ends represent the owner’s paternal lineage -- known as itokpa -- identifying the offerer to deities.