On Sunday, April 13, 2025, Tsushima City, Nagasaki Prefecture, held a “Wave Ema Making Workshop” at the Tsushima City Exchange Center in preparation for its display at “Tsushima Week” (June 16-22) at the Blue Ocean Dome, Expo ’70 Kansai, Osaka.
Approximately 80 islanders participated in the workshop and created original “Nami Ema” (wave ema) with their wishes to protect the sea of Tsushima.

The event was held in cooperation with Tsushima City, SARAYA Corporation, NPO ZERI JAPAN, and Precious Plastic Karatsu (Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture). The materials used were upcycled plastic bottle caps collected from the coast and life in Tsushima, and the ema was designed by Kanazawa College of Art.
The completed wave ema will be displayed at the Osaka-Kansai Expo “Tsushima Week” from June 16, 2025, to show the world Tsushima’s marine issues and wishes for the future.

As a border island, Tsushima is blessed with rich nature and a unique culture. In recent years, however, it has been facing global-scale environmental issues such as drifting garbage and rocky shore scorching (decrease in seaweed and abalone) caused by ocean warming.
This Nami Ema workshop was planned to inform the world of this situation and call for action for the future. The desire of each islander to “protect the sea” will take shape and lead to the future.

With the story of “Otosha, God of the Sea” and your wishes

It is said that “Otosha,” the god of the sea, dwells in the sea of Tsushima since ancient times. However, due to the effects of ocean pollution and global warming, Otosha has become small and feeble.
Each of the wave ema created this time expresses the wish that the beautiful sea will be restored together with its friends.
During the “Tsushima Week” in June, these wave ema will be used to convey to the world the current state of Tsushima’s oceans and hope for the future.