The Finnish Institute in Japan is organizing a 5-day event on 5-9 November to celebrate and bring awareness to the Swedish-speaking minority in Finland. Focusing on this theme has been a long-term goal of the Institute, as many in Japan are not aware of the Swedish-speaking minority and its historical and cultural impact on the Finnish society.
This year the Finnish-Swedish Culture Week comprises of a 5-day program with academic seminars, artist talks and other social events focusing on identity, well-being, female artists and design. Speakers invited from Finland include Kaisa Kepsu (Head of Research, Think Tank Magma), visual artist Maria Wolfram, fashion designer Rolf Ekroth and textile designer Emma Hagman. Invited speakers from Japan are Associate Professor Erika Takahashi (Department of Anthropology, Chiba University) and textile designer Yuki Kawakami.
The last day of the Finnish-Swedish Culture Week is celebrated with a traditional crayfish party – ensuring an unforgettable experience filled with schnapps songs, funny hats and – of course, crayfish!
To participate in the events, please register below
※Registration open until November 4, 23:59 JST
【PROGRAM SCHEDULE】
Finnish-Swedish Language Café
| Time | Monday, November 5, 16:30-18:30 |
| Come and practice your Swedish-language skills at a relaxed event in Finland Kitchen Talo! Besides practicing your Swedish conversation skills you can learn about the Swedish-speaking minority in Finland and the difference between the Swedish language in Finland and Sweden. Snacks and refreshments will be provided. | |
| ※In order to participate, you need to have Swedish-language skills at a conversational level. Native Swedish-speakers also welcome! | |
| Place | Finland Kitchen Talo, 6-4-1, Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo |
| Max | 40 participants |
Finnish-Swedish Heritage Day Seminar
Identity and well-being among the Swedish-speaking minority in Finland
| Time | Tuesday, November 6, 16:30-19:15 (followed by reception) |
| On this day we celebrate the official Finnish-Swedish Heritage Day with an academic seminar, focusing on the identity and well-being of the Swedish-speaking minority in Finland. The Finnish-Swedish Heritage Day (in Swedish “Svenska dagen”) is celebrated on 6th of November in Finland to appreciate the culture and history of the Swedish-speaking population. | |
| Lecturers | |
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Kaisa Kepsu (Head of Research, Think Tank Magma) Finns or Swedes? The identity of the Swedish-speaking minority in Finland |
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Erika Takahashi (Associate Professor of Anthropology, Chiba University) Welfare system and eldercare among Swedish-speaking in the archipelago (in Japanese) |
| Place | Embassy of Finland, 3-5-39, Minami-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo |
| Max | 60 participants |
Artist talk
Finnish-Swedish Women Artists
| Time | Wednesday, November 7, 17:30-19:30 |
| Come and listen to a presentation about Finnish-Swedish female artists and an artist talk with Finnish-Swedish painter and installation artist Maria Wolfram discussing her art and sources of inspiration. | |
| Presentation | Director of the Finnish Institute, Ph.D. Anna-Maria Wiljanen |
| Artist | Maria Wolfram is a Finnish-Swedish painter and installation artist who lives and works in Helsinki and Hong Kong. In her art she focuses on identity, interaction, human condition and power from a female perspective. |
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| Place | ALMOST PERFECT, 2-3-2 Kojima, Taito-ku, Tokyo |
| Max | 30 participants |
Fashion and textile design talk event
| Time | Thursday, November 8, 18:00-20:00 |
| This day focuses on Finnish-Swedish people in fashion and textile design, together with fashion designer Rolf Ekroth, textile designer Emma Hagman and Japanese textile designer Yuki Kawakami. The designers will tell about their work accompanied by a discussion of the similarities between Finnish and Japanese design, aesthetics and sources of inspiration. | |
| Speakers | |
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Rolf Ekroth (Fashion designer) is currently one of the biggest names in Finnish menswear fashion. His collections draw inspiration from sports culture in the 1990s and has been worn by artists such as Jared Leto and Finnish singer Alma. At the beginning of this year he launched a collection in collaboration with Finnish outdoor brand Halti at the Pitti Uomo Fashion Fair. |
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Emma Hagman (Textile designer) has studied textile design in Paris, where she specialized in print design. She has many years of international experience in textile-, garment- and graphic design, working for brands such as Ikea, Finlayson and Nokia. |
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Yuki Kawakami (Textile designer) is a textile designer based in Kiryu, working closely with fashion brands in Japan. She has also collaborated with Rolf Ekroth and studied in Finland as an exchange student at Aalto University. |
| Place | Spiral Room, Spiral 9F, 5-6-23 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo |
| Max | 40 participants |
Finnish-Swedish Crayfish Party (FULLY BOOKED)
| Time | Friday, November 9, 18:30-21:30 |
| As the highlight of the week there is a traditional Finnish-Swedish crayfish party! Crayfish parties (in Swedish “kräftskiva”) are fun and relaxed events, usually held at the end of summer, filled with schnapps songs, funny hats and – of course, crayfish! | |
| Place | Embassy of Finland, 3-5-39, Minami-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo |
| Max | 60 participants |