Here at the Osaka Expo, the world gathers to showcase the latest lifestyle, tech, and cultural trends of their home country.
Just off Yumeshima Station is where the Osaka Expo 2025 is being held from April all the way til October. A 6-month event where you can come down and enjoy a global showcase of all the latest cultural, architectural, and technological developments of nations worldwide.
Amazing International Vibes
One of the first things that’ll catch your attention at Osaka Expo 2025 is the amazing diversity of attendees. While there is still a large percentage of Japanese attendees (obviously), the overall mixed diversity of the people is quite a rare scene to witness here in Japan, an otherwise homogenous society.
Breathtaking Architecture
The other immediately captivating feature of the Osaka Expo is the vast architectural prowess that spans a huge circle of wooden pillars that loop around all the country’s pavilions. On each pillar is a number and a letter that gives you some bearings as to where you are. Furthermore, you can download the Osaka Expo app and use the special map to match your location to the numbers/letters on the pillars, making it easy to navigate your way through the campus.
Awesome Exhibits!
Incredible displays of Japanese culture can be seen all throughout the expo. While it is an international event for the most part, the hosting country certainly does a great job of adding that traditional Japanese flavor into the mix. This particular exhibit can be found at the food courts, showcasing brilliant contrasting colors of good and evil while highlighting unifying messages for humanity through Japanese religion and folklore.
Live Shows!
While you will have to pay for many of the events at Osaka Expo 2025 (in addition to your 6,000 yen entry ticket), there are also plenty of free shows happening out in the open. I particularly enjoyed the Muay Thai demonstration from the Thailand pavilion and found it to be a great way to showcase the country’s culture through martial arts, dance, and music.
Fascinating Pavilions
Some of the more intriguing pavilions definitely included the UAE (United Arab Emirates) with their unique architectural display.
Long-standing pillars made from small wooden sticks and carpets made to look like the sand dunes of Middle Eastern deserts were a huge success, drawing countless attendees to the pavilion.
You could learn about the fascinating history of wealthy cities like Dubai and how they started out as nothing more than a small fishing village through the interactive infographics and kiosks on display.
The Latest in Agricultural Tech
At night, cool exhibits like this aquaponics system light up in beautiful neon colors.
A closer look lets you see the inner workings of how we can create ecosystems where plants and fish co-exist in a way that maximizes sustainability.
This amazing combination of technology and agricultural practice is sure to draw the attention of people from many different industries.
Delicious International Food!
The food court is abundant in international cuisines, including Asian, Western, and Arab restaurants. I had some delicious pad Thai and chicken with rice at this Thai restaurant in the main food court. They also had some indulgent mango ice desserts using fresh Thai mangos, which was a real treat!
A Once in a Lifetime Experience!
Osaka Expo 2025 certainly offers a time to remember! One could easily spend the entire day here and with the event running for a whole 6 months, you’d certainly want to come back before it’s over, especially with so many international pavilions to discover!
Of course, if you are planning to visit Japan, you’ll need a way to get around the country as efficiently and affordably as possible. Japan Rail provides an abundance of travel passes to suit your travel needs. So whether you are traveling individually or as a group, the JR Pass is every traveler’s go-to for getting around and making the most of your time in Japan!