Raised among speakers of the Saru dialect of the Ainu language, Kayano learned traditional stories, songs and beliefs from older relatives, particularly his grandmother. In 1972, he opened a museum in Nibutani to display and preserve them, creating the institution now known as the Shigeru Kayano Nibutani Ainu Museum. The initiative helped inspire the creation of additional Ainu language classes in Hokkaido and elsewhere. In 1997, the Diet repealed the legislation and enacted a new law promoting Ainu culture and the dissemination of knowledge about Ainu traditions. A joint exhibition at three museums in the town, including the Nibutani Ainu Culture Museum, the Saru River Historical Museum and the Shigeru Kayano Nibutani Ainu Museum, is scheduled from September 1 to November 15.