In 1904, American anthropologist Frederick Starr went to Japan to recruit Ainu people and bring them to the United States for the Ethnological Exhibit at the St. Louis Exposition. Kutoroge Hiramura, the nephew of the grand chief Penriuk Hiramura, was selected because he could present Ainu culture well. Like many Ainu people, Kutoroge believed the journey would lead to their deaths, far from home. Thus he recommended that his father go with him, since it would be better for them to die together than separately, but his father refused because he was too old. Kutoroge’s wife, Shutratek, and their baby girl, Kiko, also joined the group on its journey to the United States. In St. Louis, Kutoroge and three other Ainu men took part in the “Anthropology Days,” competing in five events. Kutoroge represented the Ainu in the Javelin Throw competition against other ethnic groups, finishing third. After the 1904 Exposition and Olympics, the Ainu group returned to Japan safely. Starr went to Japan again in 1909 and met seven of the nine members of the group, including Kutoroge and his family.
Japan