17.05.2026 11:00 – 17:00
WeeGee

Welcome to EMMA to celebrate spring and the beginning of the blossom season! We will enjoy the beauty of the moment and the joy of being together in the spirit of the Japanese hanami tradition.

Hanami is a traditional Japanese festival dedicated to admiring cherry blossoms that bloom only for a short time in spring. Its roots go back hundreds of years, and it symbolizes the arrival of spring as well as the beauty and transience of life. The name of the festival literally combines the words for “flower” and “viewing.” In Japan, hanami is celebrated from late March to early April, when people gather in parks to enjoy blooming sakura trees with picnics and social gatherings. In Finland, hanami is usually celebrated in May when cherry trees in parks come into bloom. The blossoming of bird cherry and lilacs also carries meanings similar to the Japanese cherry blossom tradition.

Schedule:
11:30 AM – 2:00 PM Open Art Workshop – The Blooming Tree of Wishes
12:00 – 12:45 PM Japanese Tea Art Performance and Tea Service
12:30 – 1:30 PM WeeGee Reads | Minna Eväsoja
1:45 – 2:30 PM Japanese Tea Art Performance and Tea Service
2:00 – 4:30 PM Ikebana Art Workshop with Minna 美松 (Mimatsu) Eväsoja
3:00 – 3:45 PM Japanese Tea Art Performance and Tea Service

Included in the museum admission fee (0–20 €).

Open Art Workshop – The Blooming Tree of Wishes
11:30 AM – 2:00 PM
In the art workshop, we create a variety of spring flowers out of paper. On the leaves, we write small wishes, expressions of gratitude, or thoughts about the future. These flowers and messages are attached to a shared wishing tree, which gradually begins to bloom with the participants’ words. The workshop offers a calm, creative moment to pause and reflect on spring and dreams. For all ages. Children participate together with an accompanying adult.

Demonstration of Japanese Tea Ceremony
12:00 PM, 1:45 PM & 3:30 PM
Experience the unique atmosphere of traditional Japanese tea art, chadō, at EMMA, surrounded by art. The Finnish Chadō Urasenke Tankokai Association presents the preparation of tea using traditional methods and guides the audience into the calm rhythm and aesthetic world of tea art.

The demonstration lasts approximately 45 minutes.

At the end of the performance, visitors have the opportunity to take part in a paid tasting session, where usucha (thin tea) and traditional tea sweets are served. Price: €10 (payment on site via MobilePay). No advance registration is required — tea will be served while supplies last.

The appreciation of nature’s fleeting beauty associated with hanami intertwines with the philosophy of impermanence and mindful pause at the heart of tea art. The ritualistic, gentle flow of the tea performance merges with nature’s own rhythm,
guiding participants toward the idea of ichigo ichie — “one time, one meeting.”

The Finnish Chadō Urasenke Tankokai Association has promoted knowledge of Japanese tea art in Finland for many years. The association organizes tea art instruction and tea gatherings, particularly in Helsinki and Tampere, as well as open days and seasonal tea events throughout the year.

WeeGee Reads: Minna Eväsoja
12:30 – 13:30 PM
At WeeGee Reads, we explore the beauty and aesthetics of the Japanese moment through the theme of hanami and the fleeting splendor of cherry blossoms. Author Eväsoja will be interviewed by WeeGee’s cultural producer, enthusiastic Japan friend Meri Jaakola. After the author talk, Eväsoja will lead an ikebana workshop. She has recently graduated as an ikebana teacher and received her flower name, 美松 (Mimatsu), meaning “Beautiful Pine” — a story that will also be explored during WeeGee Reads. Eväsoja lives in Tapiola — do any places here remind her of Japan?

Ikebana Art Workshop with Minna 美松 (Mimatsu) Eväsoja
2:00 – 4:30 PM
Welcome to unwind and find inspiration through the art of ikebana.

In this workshop, we create wall-mounted or hanging ikebana arrangements from dried materials, inspired by the modern Sōgetsu school. We explore natural forms and understated beauty by combining fresh and dried plant materials, creating sculptural and airy compositions that emphasize line, the use of space, and the inherent character of each material.

Every arrangement is unique to this very moment. Participants are welcome to photograph their work and, if they wish, take it home.

The workshop is led by Minna 美松 (Mimatsu) Eväsoja, an ikebana teacher of the modern Sōgetsu school.

Ikebana is a Japanese art form of flower arranging with a history of over a thousand years, emphasizing minimalism, line, and harmony between nature and humanity. The word ikebana means “bringing flowers to life.”

You can join the workshop according to your own schedule whenever a workspace becomes available. The workshop is suitable for all ages, and no prior experience is required. Children participate together with an accompanying adult.