Kauhava is a town and municipality in Southern Ostrobothnia. It is known for its variant of puukko knives.

Understand

Iisakin Jussin tupa, a traditional house of the late 19th century

The Kauhava municipality nowadays includes also Alahärmä, Ylihärmä and Kortesjärvi, with a total population of 17,000 people on 1,330 km².

In the 19th century Kauhava and its surroundings had a strong puukko-junkkari or häijyt culture of young violent troublemakers. A big problem at the time, they have been romanticized and are now part of the local identity (like the Vikings in Scandinavia). There is a yearly Härmääläiset Häijyilyt festival celebrating the tradition.

The puukko is an all-round handicraft, fishing and hunting knife, ubiquitous in all Finland. Iisakki Järvenpää worked at the local knife factory until starting his own in 1904, further developing the local variant. Iisakki Järvenpää is now one of the most well-known puukko brands in Finland, found in outdoor and gift shops all around the country. Also other kinds of knives are now sold by the brand.

Kauhava also has a strong folk dance tradition, and is taking its place in the modern word with entrepreneurship and IT education. The school for fighter pilots was laid down some years ago.

Get in

1 Kauhava railway station. (updated Jun 2023) is on the main south–north railway (Helsinki–Rovaniemi), between Seinäjoki and Kokkola.

There are a few buses per day from Seinäjoki, mostly operated by Härmän Liikenne.

Get around

Taxis available by the railway station. Bus timetables from Matkahuolto.

By taxi

• Keskustaksi, Taksini: see Southern Ostrobothnia#By taxi
• Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi

See

• Puukko-knife and textile museum (Puukko- ja tekstiilimuseo), Kauppatie 88, 62200 Kauhava (by the library), ☏ +358 40-148-4420, +358 40-579-7260, puuk­ko­museo@kauhava.​fi. summer 2017: Tu–Su 11:00–17:00. Large collection of puukko knives. Knife making explained. The childhood home of Iisakki Järvenpää, who greatly influenced the local knife making, showing his personal history and a home of the 1920s. €2/1/1. (updated Aug 2017)
• 1 Iisakin Jussin tupa, Museotie, 62200 Kauhava, ☏ +358 40-533-1343, +358 40-844-1995. Traditional house from the late 19th century, with yard and outhouses. Original interiors. (updated Aug 2017)
• 2 Jaeger museum (Suomen jääkärimuseo), Jää­kä­rin­tie 80, 62420 Kor­tes­jär­vi, ☏ +358 40-148-4420, +358 40-356-6810, suomen.​jaakarimuseo@kauhava.​fi. W F Sa Su 11:00–17:00, Th 11:00–19:00; 15 Jun–15 Aug Tu–Su 11:00–17:00 or by request (with guiding). Museum about the Finnish Jaeger movement. The Jaegers were young Finnish men who secretly travelled to Germany for military training to free Finland. Independence was gained peacefully while they were in Germany, but they played an important role in the civil war soon afterwards. The events are probably told from the Jaegers' viewpoint, not necessarily discussing the complexities of the war. €5/3, children under 18 free, guiding €25.  
• Forest reindeer. Kauhava is one of the main areas for wild forest reindeer (Rangifer tarandus fennicus) in winter.

Do

Powerpark

Rollercoaster Cobra

Powerpark is a leisure centre in Alahärmä (2–3 km from the centre), 25 km from Kauhava centre. It is a recreational park with more than 100 hectares. It was built at the beginning of 21st century.

• 1 Powerpark, Puistotie 3, 62300 Härmä / Jorma Lillbackantie 16. (updated Aug 2017)

The area includes the amusement park with a fairy-tale world, hotels, restaurants, cafés, a shopping street, a camping site, the largest karting hall in Europe and the Mika Salo Cicuit outdoor track.

This amusement park has 34 different rides, for different tastes and ages, including Thunderbird, Finland’s largest wooden rollercoaster and there is also a new 5D cinema. The activities also include horseback trekking and ATV safaris in Ostrbotnian landscape.

Mika Salo Circuit is an international standard go-kart race track and with a beautiful view to the river. PowerPalace is Europe’s biggest indoor go-kart hall. No experience is required and as full tuition is always provided by PowerPark as well as all the equipment needed. Instructors give a thorough guidance before start.

Devil’s Mine Hotel, the interactive ghost train, MegaDrop, the free fall, Thunderbird, one of the world’s best wooden roller coasters and Booster are some of the attractions. Those who like calmer rides can enjoy the traditional carousels or ferries with a lovely view to the Ostrobothnian countryside.

It is always important to check the safety limits, for those who are yet not allowed to go to all rides.

Events

• Puukkofestivaalit. Knife and handicraft festival (updated Aug 2017)
• Härmälääset Häjyylyt
• Kävelykarnevaalit ("walking carnival")
• Puukkofestivaali (knife festival)
• Finnish championship of lying

Buy

• Knives.

Sleep

Ala-Härmä

Near the Powerpark

• Park Hotel Härmä is a fairy-tale thematic hotel inside the park
• San Marino & Monza (Apartment hotels)
• Silverstone-cabins are traditional Finnish log cabins. 200 meters from the amusement park and the go-kart tracks.
• Future-cabins. They have an excellent location quite in the middle of the camping site
• Tirol-cabins (built in 2010) are situated at the heart of the camping site, as well. The cabins have a Tyrolean atmosphere and from outside they look like traditional alpine style houses
• Casa Rosina is a very large, luxurious log villa in an excellent location in the camping site, just a few minutes of walk from the amusement park.
• Fisherman-cabins
• Rio Grande-camping offers modern accommodation in a beautiful, peaceful, green area right beside the amusement park.
• Vankkuri, a Wild West-style wagon with beautiful decoration.