Only two genres of Finnish literature that is translated into Japanese are constantly noted. One genre is the Moomin stories by Tove Jansson and the other is the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala. So far, 16 Japanese translations of the Kalevala have been published. Among these are the two complete Japanese translations of the Kalevala that Elias Lönnrot compiled and which was published in 1848 with its re-editions, seven excerpts, one abridged version and three adaptations. Furthermore, two books based on Martti Haavio’s Kalevalan tarinat (in English: The tales of the Kalevala) (1966) and Kirsti Mäkinen’s book Suomen lasten Kalevala (in English: Finnish Childrens’ Kalevala) (2002) have been translated into Japanese.

The first complete Japanese translation of the Kalevala was translated by Kakutan Morimoto. It is called Karewara and it was published in 1937. The second is alos called Karewara and it was translated by Tamotsu Koizumi. It was published in 1976. The Japanese versions by Morimoto and Koizumi have very different purposes, particularly when it comes to how the source language works. The translators had different attitudes towards translating the Kalevala.