Finland Part 3
When you think of Finland, you think of Moomin.
When you think of Moomin, you think of Finland.
Since this year marks the 80th anniversary of the release of the Moomin novels, I went to the Moomin World theme park.
From Helsinki, I took the VR high-speed train to Turku, and from there, Moomin World is about a 30-minute bus ride away.
After getting off the bus and walking for about 15 minutes, you can see the bridge that connects to the island of Moomin World.
Once you cross the bridge, you find a nature-filled island; it's not particularly flashy, but it's a space rich in nature that is very soothing.
And as you enter and walk further, the Moomin House appears!
I have been to Moominvalley Park before, but this one was larger, and I liked that you could enjoy the spacious interior.
Since you can basically touch the things inside, it's really great for children to be able to immerse themselves in the world.
The characters aren't that elaborately made, but that's what makes them good, or rather, for some reason, you get the feeling that they are the real deal!
I mean, their fan service is amazing. They take so many photos with you.
There aren't any staff members rushing you along, but the visitors themselves are very considerate of each other and the characters, which is really nice.
So, here are a few photos I took.
When I saw it in a magazine a few years ago, I thought, 'Oh, it might be a bit underwhelming.' But actually, it was a space filled with happiness that both adults and children could really enjoy.
One more topic about Moomin
The day after I went to Moominworld was the birthday of the author, Tove Jansson, so I also went to the Moomin Museum.
The Moomin Museum is located in a town called Tampere and is built adjacent to a large park.
Near the border of the park, there is a bronze statue of Moomin that you can freely touch and take pictures with.
Since this day was the birthday of the author, Tove Jansson, it was a very fun time with a ceremony to place a flower crown on the statue and cake being served to visitors.
I think this is probably always available, but there was a workshop area where we could create the world of Moomin with beeswax.
I feel like you can see the museum's vision in the fact that they promote this kind of creative experience.
Inside the museum, wide-angle photos are allowed, so I would like you to see the actual exhibits for yourself when you visit someday, but the world of Moomin is expressed in miniatures and is well worth seeing.
So,
I spent a few days filled with Moomin, and
I felt that while they have a cute appearance, you can catch a glimpse of Tove Jansson's philosophy, which likely connects to the Finnish sense of happiness.
Man, it's really great.