We will celebrate the Finland-Japan friendship with various events in Jyväskylä from 31.10 to 06.11.2022

During the event, the City of Jyväskylä and the Japanese twin city of Niiza will celebrate the 25-years relationship between the two cities. 

Friendship photo exhibition and Shodō calligraphy workshops at the Museum of Central Finland

In the Museum of Central Finland, you can explore the Finnish and Japanese friendship photo exhibition from 06.10 to 06.11.2022. Also, there will be a Shodō calligraphy workshop on 04 and 05.11. The workshop is free, but the entrance to the museum requires buying a ticket (free entrance on Fridays).

02.11, Koto instrument performance, Japanese children's literature, and paper theater at Jyväskylä's main library

Hiromi Hokkanen will play the traditional Japanese instrument Koto at Jyväskylä's main library, 1st-floor stage, on Wednesday 02.11., at 17.  After the performance, literature researcher, and Japanologist, FM Tuija Seppänen will lecture overview of Japanese children's literature. At the end of the performance, there will be a Kamishibai paper theater demonstration.

You can also familiarize yourself with Japan-themed books some of the libraries of Jyväskylä during the week. 

Jyväskylä Sinfonia will perform, All Saints’ Day concert – For Memories in Taulumäki church on Wednesday. After the concert, it is possible to meet Japanese musicians at the concert venue (there is an admission fee ro the concert).

03.11. Japanese program at the University of Jyväskylä

The University of Jyväskylä's Japan Day on Thursday 03.11. The program consists of, for example, experts lecture, students lecture, presentations of diverse traditional cultures, and musical performances. The program is presented by JYU students and Japanese exchange students (under the guidance of Japanese teachers). More details about the University of Jyväskylä's Japan Day program are on the website of the University of Jyväskylä.

03.11. Open doors for the Japanese language course at the Adult Education Centre and Samurai exhibition at the Aikiken training hall

At the Adult Education Centre in the main library, there will be Japanese language training for 8-12 years old, and later in the evening, Japan 2 language course at Viitaniemi school. There will also be open doors at the Aikiken training hall at Cygnaeuskenkatu 9. During the evening, you can visit Kyuheika's Samurai exhibition free of charge, and on the side of the hall, you can follow Aikido exercises.

Jyväskylä-Niiza 25 years of friendship 

Friendship week also celebrates the Jyväskylä and Niiza twin cities 25 anniversary. Jyväskylä's Viitaniemi School and Niiza's Junior High School will celebrate their cooperation in an online seminar on Friday 04.11.2022.

The Embassy of Japan in Finland and the City of Jyväskylä organize a networking event at the Jyväskylä City Hall on 01.11. Japanese ambassador Fujimura Kazuhiro, city mayor Timo Koivisto and chairman of the Jyväskylä Finnish-Japanese association Juhani Lillberg will bring greetings from the Japanese embassy in Finland to the event. As the first program of the Finland-Japan Friendship Week, we will enjoy a Shodō performance combining Japanese visual art and calligraphy, designed to the music of Jean Sibelius.

The context of Finland-Japan friendship year 2022

At the end of the 18th century, the Finnish-born naturalist and explorer Erik Laxman met the Japanese sea captain Daikokuya Koday, who was shipwrecked in Siberia. With Laxman's help, Kodayu was able to meet Empress Catherine the Great, which made it possible to return home to Japan in 1792. The Japanese Embassy in Finland remembers this important meeting and celebrates the 230th anniversary of the return home in 2022 as the Finnish-Japanese Friendship Year with various events.

The organizations responsible for the implementation of Friendship Week in Jyväskylä are as follows: the Embassy of Japan in Finland, the City of Jyväskylä, and the University of Jyväskylä.

More information: 
- Satu Heikkinen, International Relations Manager, City of Jyväskylä, Tel:+358 50 325 5110
- Milla Molarius, Embassy of Japan in Finland, Cultural Affairs and PR Section, Tel: +358-9- 6860 2036
- Pauliina Takala, Japanese language teacher, University of Jyväskylä, Tel: +358 40 805 4976