In commemoration of “Finnish and Japanese Friendship Year 2022”, marking the 230th anniversary since the beginning of our bilateral friendship of Finnish Erik Laxman and Japanese Daikokuya Kodayu,

You are most warmly welcome to join the “Special Seminar on Friendship of Erik Laxman and Daikokuya Kodayu – From the Finnish and Japanese encounter to global connection” co-hosted by the National Archives of Finland, the Embassy of Japan and Hokkaido University Europe Office in Helsinki.

The seminar will be streamed. We kindly ask you to register to the seminar via the link provided by September 8 at the latest.

Seminar program

Opening remarks

Ambassador of Japan Kazuhiro Fujimura

Parliament Member, Chair of Parliament´s Finnish-Japanese Friendship Group Mats Löfström

Acting Director General of National Archives Päivi Happonen

Prof. Ohashi Toshiro, Director, Europe Office in Helsinki, Hokkaido University

Encounter of Daikokuya Kodayu and Laxmans

Professor Tanimoto, University of Hokkaido

Meeting of Erik Laxman and Daikokuya Kôdayû in Japan in the narrative of history and in the oral tradition

Master of Arts Chikage Konishi-Räsänen

Natural Scientist Erik Laxman and Finland

Professor Emeritus Markku Löytönen, University of Helsinki

The French connection of the Laxman story

Professor Osmo Pekonen, University of Jyväskylä

Establishment of the International Laxmann Society and Laxmann website.

PhD Pellervo Kokkonen, International Laxman Society

Closing Remarks

PhD Pellervo Kokkonen, International Laxman Society

Coffee Service