From April 13th to October 13th there will be an ongoing Expo in Osaka, precisely at the Yumeshima Island, an artificial island located on the waterfront in Osaka that offers visitors a view of the Seto Inland Sea. The main theme is “Designing a Future Society for Our Lives”. The Expo 2025 in Osaka will be an opportunity for the world to come together in one place under the theme of “Life”, fostering the exchange of diverse values from around the world, encouraging new connections and creations, overcoming global challenges and safeguarding each and every life.
By reflecting on the essence of life and how we live, the Osaka Expo aims to preserve a vision of hope for the future: Saving, Empowering and Connecting Lives are, in fact, the three interconnected sub-themes of the Expo.
People’s Living Lab – A laboratory for the future society
This concept represents the Expo’s approach toward putting its theme into practice and serves as a guideline for projects to be implemented in this Expo to evolve its style into a place for more practical actions. It can be said that the most distinctive characteristic of this Expo will be the endeavor to give a realistic picture of a future society not just through thought but also through action.
This endeavor began before the Expo, as diverse participants were invited to come together with various initiatives, such as health and medical initiatives and initiatives concerning carbon neutrality and digitization in their respective countries and tackle challenges whose solution will help achieve the SDGs at or outside the Expo venue. Positioning the Expo venue as a laboratory where new technologies and systems will be verified, we will raise it into a huge apparatus that will trigger the creation of innovations by diverse players and apply those innovations to real society.
The long duration of the event, 183 days, is precisely why there is such a wide variety of pavilions, with over 160 countries, regions, and international organizations participating. The actual total construction cost is 235 billion yen, nearly double the 125 billion yen originally estimated at the time of the event’s bid, making it a much-anticipated event. In addition, there are eight signature pavilions created by producers from various fields, including data science specialist Miyata Hiroaki, robotics specialist Ishiguro Hiroshi, biology specialist Fukuoka Shinichi, and television writer Koyama Kundo.
There are also 13 private pavilions created by companies such as NTT, Panasonic, Bandai Namco, and Yoshimoto Kogyo, each of which is sure to generate a lot of buzz. There are also a ton of other shows and events to look forward to. Other events planned include “One World, One Planet”, a show that combines sound, lighting, projection mapping, a drone show, and more; the water and air spectacular “Blue and Night Rainbow Parade”, “National Days” by participating countries and regions, “Special Days” by international organizations, and public recordings of music, sports, festivals, and programs.
About Myakumyaku
Following the logo mark as another symbol of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, the official character aims to be loved by and familiar to people all over the world. Its nickname, Myakumyaku, has two different concepts, as myaku-myaku means both “continuously” and “pulse”.
At first glance, their identities are a mystery, and they are by no means cute, but once you see them, they are memorable, and their topicality is what makes them stand out: a mysterious creature born from the union of cells and water. Its true identity is unknown. The red parts are “cells” that divide and multiply. The blue parts are “clear water” that can change shape as it flows. It seems to be changing into various shapes in search of who it wants to be, and its current form is one that imitates a human. However, it sometimes changes its form so much that it forgets its original form. Going outside and basking in the sunlight is its source of energy. It also loves rainy days, and can absorb rain into its body.
Guinness World Records “The Great Ring Roof”
Recognized as one of the world’s largest wooden structures, the Great Ring Roof is a symbol of the 2025 Expo in Osaka, and represents the venue design philosophy of “diverse yet united”. The ring-shaped structure, with a circumference of about two kilometers, covers an area of approximately 60,000 square meters, stands between 12 and 22 meters in height, has an inner diameter of about 615 meters, and is 30 meters wide. It was constructed by combining modern construction methods with the traditional nuki (cross-section) joints that have been used in the architecture of Japanese shrines and temples.
As the main flow of traffic within the venue, it will function as a smooth transportation space, while also providing a comfortable waiting space that provides protection from rain, wind, and sunlight.
In an interview for the Japanese Public Relations Office, the architect responsible for the design, Sou Fujimoto stated about the role of the Grand Ring at the Expo site: “The Ring Ground Walk and Ring Sky Walk form a circular route that allows people to move freely. It features a main flow line to avoid congestion, and serves as shelter from rain, wind and sun, while also incorporating multiple navigation systems, including signage. This circular route is designed to spark curiosity about what lies beyond. From the elevated Sky Walk, visitors can enjoy views of the calm waters of the Seto Inland Sea at sunset and panoramic distant views of Osaka and Kobe. Gazing skyward, you will see a clear, unified sky.”
In the end, popular pavilions require advance reservations, so if you want to plan your visit, it’s a good idea to check the schedule. There are various events and reviews to look forward to until the end of the event.
Yokofujita Kenichi – Hong Kong Office
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