Arctic Council Arctic Council The Arctic Council is a high-level intergovernmental forum that addresses issues faced by the Arctic governments and the indigenous people of the Arctic. Eight member countries constitute the council: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States as these are the eight countries with sovereignty over the lands within the Arctic Circle. Outside these, there are some observer states. The first step towards the formation of the Council occurred in 1991 when the eight Arctic countries signed the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy (AEPS). The 1996 Ottawa Declaration established the Arctic Council as a forum for
Takekoma Inari Shrine a horsemanship museum. The primary "kami" of Takekoma Inari Shrine is , traditionally identified as with Inari, and associated with agriculture, especially rice production. Secondary "kami" include , the goddess of food, and , the god of the five cereals. There are also several smaller subsidiary shrines within the shrine grounds. The Takekoma Inari Shrine was established in 842 AD, reputedly by Ono no Takamura, the "kokushi" of Ōshū Province, as a branch of the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine south of Kyoto. The shrine is mentioned by the Heian period poet Nōin during the reign of Emperor Go-Reizei (1045-1068) and