In 2007, the Japanese government selected the project “Cultural landscapes of the Saru Valley Formed by the Ainu tradition and reclaimed in recent times” as being especially important in regard to cultural landscapes. This selection marked a turning point in Japan’s Ainu policies. Given its significance, this article attempts to scrutinize the case through the theoretical framework of critical policy studies. By treating “cultural landscapes as an indigenous policy,” this article argues that the system of cultural landscapes introduces a dynamic view of culture.