Japan’s Ina City Deleg­a­tion Explores Innovation-based Ventures and Educa­tion Methods in the Forests of North Karelia.

BIOSYS North Karelia Inter­na­tional Growth Ecosystem curated a series of content-rich meetings and obser­va­tion trips in the region for the group.

By Naomi Moriyama

On May 18, 2025, BIOSYS North Karelia Ecosystem welcomed a deleg­a­tion from Nagano Prefecture’s Ina City, with which Regional Council of North Karelia has an MoU (Forest Bio Economy). The deleg­a­tion was led by Mr. Takashi Shiro­tori, the City Mayor, who had been to Joensuu in 2019 and 2023.  The group consisted of City Council Chair­person and Vice-Chairperson; City’s Forestry, Commerce and Educa­tion Depart­ment Repres­ent­at­ives; a professor from Shinshu Univer­sity; as well as local business owners and primary school educators, a total of 18 people.

As a VR train carrying the City Deleg­a­tion pulled into the Joensuu Station, the sky was the brightest blue with the intense sun overhead and cool calm atmosphere all around.

The trip covered these key themes:

  • Forestry, Energy and Educa­tion & Youth sector expert brief­ings at Regional Council of North Karelia
  • Authentic Finnish sauna history, charac­ter­istics and health benefits with smoke sauna and electric sauna experiences
  • Up-close obser­va­tions of primary school educa­tion programs in forests and dialogues with teachers
  • Business oppor­tun­ities with cutting-edge-innovation-based forestry ventures
  • Alliance-building discus­sions with LUKE and Univer­sity of Eastern Finland

BIOSYS North Karelia Inter­na­tional Growth Ecosystem hopes the meetings and discus­sions were meaningful and the parti­cipants continue to engage and develop new collab­or­ative initi­at­ives for thriving communities in North Karelia and Ina City and beyond.

The bluest sky envel­oped Karelia’s iconic national landscape artist­ic­ally expressed by Jean Sibelius (1865 – 1957), Akseli Gallen-Kallela (1865 – 1931), and Eero Järne­felt (1863–1937)
Ina City Deleg­a­tion and Naomi Moriyama on Ukko Koli, the God of Sky
Mr. Markus Hirvonen, North Karelia Region Mayor, welcoming Mr. Takashi Shiro­tori at Pielis­joen linna (the Pielis­joki Castle), which houses the Regional Council Offices. Photo: Sami Tolvanen
Mr. Timo Leinonen, Manager, Cross-border Cooper­a­tion Regional Devel­op­ment, Dr. Sari Koivula, Forest and Climate Expert, Ms. Mari Nupponen, Welfare and Educa­tion Expert, and Mr. Timo Tahvanainen, Project Manager, EXPRESS – European regions promoting renew­able energy self-sufficiency briefed the Ina Deleg­a­tion on the latest highlights of each expert field. Photo: Sami Tolvanen
Coffee, Teas, Nordic Koivu, Water and Snacks
Table Settings in the Confer­ence Room Adorned with Municip­ality Coats of Arms
At Smoke Sauna, “Caution! Hot!”
Lake to Cool Off
Slowly Pouring Water on Heated Stones
Joensuu City Sauna Area
Mr. Jouni Luoma, North Karelia Sauna Expert, and Mr. Riku Mantsinen, Karelia Puutec Oy with Ina City Delegation
An open community space with a beautiful soapstone stove by Tulikivi inside the wooden school building
Preschool children playing on an impro­vised seesaw made of a tree stump and a log
North Karelia’s preschool classroom teachers and students in the forests next to school
Preschool children playing in the forests
Inadani Sees Logo being set up on Kupilka’s laser etching machine
The logo being etched with preci­sion in a few seconds
Dr. Shigeru Katayama, Professor, Faculty of Academic Sciences, Shinshu Univer­sity and Director, Inter­na­tional Centre for Agricul­tural Educa­tion and Research, and Dr. John Kettle, Director for Customer Solutions and Inter­na­tional Relation­ships, LUKE
Nettle Pancakes
North Karelia and Ina City Toasting to the Ever-Growing Relation­ship. Photo: Sami Tolvanen
Karelia Cuisine with Local Seasonal Ingredients

Photos Naomi Moriyama  写真 森山奈保美

The BIOSYS North Karelia Inter­na­tional Growth Ecosystem is run by Natural Resources Insti­tute Finland / Luonnon­varakeskus as a project lead, the Regional Council of North Karelia Pohjois-Karjalan maakun­t­aliitto, Univer­sity of Eastern Finland and MKN Itä-Suomi | Rural Women´s Advisory Centre (RWAC) of Eastern Finland. The project is funded by Renewing and Competent Finland 2021–2027, EU Regional and Struc­tural Policy Programme’s Just Trans­ition Fund – JTF, and Regional Council of North Karelia.

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For more inform­a­tion, please contact Naomi Moriyama [email protected]