Finnish Male Choir Celebrates Historic Friendship in Nemuro, Japan
Music brought a centuries-old connection between Finland and Japan to life in October 2026, when the Finnish Academic Male Choir Psaldo visited Nemuro during its 30th anniversary concert tour of Japan.
On 18 October 2026, the Finnish Academic Male Choir Psaldo performed in Nemuro, Hokkaido, a city with a special place in the history of Finnish–Japanese relations. The visit celebrated not only Finnish choral music but also the enduring legacy of Erik Laxman and the Japanese sea captain Daikokuya Kōdayū.
A particularly meaningful moment took place at Nemuro harbour, where the choir recorded a performance of a new composition commissioned from Finnish composer Olli Virtaperko. Inspired by the friendship between Laxman and Daikokuya, the work connected music with a remarkable historical encounter more than two centuries ago.
A Historic Encounter Remembered Through Music
In 1789, Erik Laxman, a Finnish-born naturalist working in the Russian Empire, met Daikokuya Kōdayū and other Japanese sailors who had been stranded in Russia following a shipwreck. Laxman helped them pursue their long-held hope of returning home.
His efforts eventually led to an official expedition led by his son, Adam Laxman, which reached Nemuro on 20 October 1792. The expedition became an important early diplomatic encounter between Japan and Russia.
More than 230 years later, Nemuro remains an important place of remembrance for this shared history. Psaldo’s performance at the harbour, almost exactly 234 years after Adam Laxman’s arrival, offered a moving contemporary expression of the friendship that began with Erik Laxman’s assistance to the Japanese sailors.
A Warm Welcome in Nemuro
According to Chieko Okabe, who helped facilitate contacts for the visit, the choir’s Japanese tour was a great success.
In Nemuro, the choir was warmly welcomed by local friends and partners, including people who had participated in a Finnish sauna research visit in 2024. The concert at BelClassic Nemuro also attracted additional audience members, making the occasion a memorable celebration of Finnish music and international friendship.
Before the visit, greetings connected with the choir’s journey had also been conveyed to the City of Nemuro from Finland.
Finnish Choral Music Across Japan
Psaldo’s 30th anniversary tour took place from 16 to 24 October 2026, with performances and cultural visits in Sapporo, Nemuro, Kyoto, Musashino and Narita.
The programme introduced Japanese audiences to Finnish male-voice choral traditions alongside other works. The tour attracted considerable interest, with the concert in the Tokyo metropolitan area selling out within a day, according to Okabe.
The journey concluded with a visit to the historic Naritasan Shinshō-ji Buddhist temple in Narita, where the choir offered a musical performance in a spirit of respect and friendship.
A Living Bridge Between Finland and Japan
The Nemuro visit demonstrates how historical connections can continue to inspire new cultural encounters.
The friendship between Erik Laxman and Daikokuya Kōdayū began with a personal act of assistance across linguistic and cultural boundaries. Today, that legacy lives on through research, local exchanges, cultural cooperation and music.
Psaldo is also considering a concert tour in Eastern Finland, with Lappeenranta and Joensuu among the possible destinations. A performance in Savonlinna, Erik Laxman’s birthplace, would provide another meaningful opportunity to celebrate this continuing relationship.
More than two centuries after the original encounter, the story of Laxman and Daikokuya continues to bring people together — this time through the universal language of music.
Based on a report by Chieko Okabe and information published by the Finnish Academic Male Choir Psaldo.
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