Ilves were one of the main title challengers before KuPS ultimately retained the trophy last autumn, and were looking to cause the Kuopio side problems again as they began their campaign at home. However, their hopes began to falter as early as the 12th minute, when Petteri Pennanen put the visitors in front.
Crucially, the champions added their second just before the break and in some style - Otto Ruoppi knocked the ball forward to Jaime Moreno on the edge of the area, who teed the ball up, swivelled and volleyed it cleanly into the bottom corner in a moment of real class.
Over the winter, KuPS brought Valentin Gasc over from SJK, and that recruitment was already looking smart just before the hour-mark, when the Argentinian set up Bob Armah to make it 3-0 and put the result beyond doubt.
Teemu Hytonen denied KuPS an opening-day clean sheet with a consolation in the 92nd minute, but it's a significant defeat for the Tampere side who have ambitions of challenging the KuPS-HJK duopoly on the title.
SJK finished a place above HJK last season, but that counted for nothing when the sides met in Helsinki for the home side's first league game under Joonas Rantanen.
The new manager's stint really took off in the final 10 minutes of the first half, when David Ezeh met a Lucas Lingman corner with his head at the near post and guided it home, to score the opening goal of the whole league season.
Ezeh then turned provider in the first five minutes of the second half, when his low ball across from the right was guided into the back of the net by the deft touch of the evergreen Teemu Pukki.
Nine minutes from time, Toivo Mero completed the scoring with his first league goal, rounding off HJK's first Veikkausliiga victory since last year's regular season.
There was a victory on the opening day for the side who made an immediate return to the top flight, as Lahti scored late in the first half away at Jaro before holding out for a clean sheet. The winner came when Romain Sans' long ball forward was picked up by Momodou Sarr, and the Kolding loanee - who was loaned to Inter Turku last season - lofted the ball over stranded goalkeeper Senne Vits.
The other newly-promoted side, TPS, also began the season by staying unbeaten on the road, falling behind late in the first half to Adam Larsson's goal for Mariehamn. But the Aland islanders were unable to hold on, and 13 minutes from time, the Turku side drew level when Pau Juvanteny saw his 25-yard first-time strike glide into the top corner.
Gnistan played in the Championship Group last season, while Oulu looked destined for relegation until they hauled themselves to safety late on, yet you wouldn't have guessed it judging by today's match, which saw the visitors win by four goals.
Sergei Eremenko's 10th-minute opener was cancelled out soon after by Tuomas Kaukua, who turned provider for Julius Korkko to put Oulu ahead with 10 minutes of the first half to play. Rasmus Karjalainen then notched twice after the break, before Korkko completed a brace of his own in the 81st minute.
The season began with a bit of a damp squib, as in the early kick-off, Inter Turku were held to a goalless draw at home to VPS. The hosts, fresh from winning the Liiga Cup before the international break, had all five of the match's shots on target, but were frustrated by their visitors from Vaasa.
