Know before you go—Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai! What exactly is a World Expo? What do you do there? When did they start?

Maido! Osaka Bob here!
Tickets are already on sale for the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. I have a feeling this is going to be an unforgettable event for my one-and-only Osaka in the incredible Kansai region.
And I am happy to announce that the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai has selected this website, MAIDO。as an “Osaka, Kansai Expo PR Supplier.”
So get ready! That means I’ll be sharing a lot more information about the upcoming Expo.
For now, let’s talk about what a “World Expo” actually is. I’ll introduce some of the basics. Because even though you may have an idea of what an expo is, I’m sure some of the details are fuzzy. So I’ve researched a lot about the expos and here is what I found…

Expos are international events showcasing our future and a world of possibilities!

An expo is international exhibition organized in compliance with the Convention on International Exhibitions and approved by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE).
Officially known as “International Registered Exhibitions,” the common term in English, is World Expo, which is often shortened to “Expo”.
The exact definition can be found in the Paris Convention on International Exhibitions. It states that “An exhibition is a display which, whatever its title, has as its principal purpose the education of the public: it may exhibit the means at man’s disposal for meeting the needs of civilisation…” (Excerpt from the International Exhibition Convention)

Ok, maybe that sounds overly formal.
Essentially, it’s “an event that brings together many people and things from all over the world, and a place where ideas from all over the world come together in order to tackle various global issues.”
In other words, the world has many problems, such as poverty, health issues, and economic challenges. The purpose of holding this event is to serve as a guidepost for solving these social problems.
Does that make sense?
Generally speaking it’s a cultural festival on a global scale!
The point is to have fun together while solving the world’s problems! Something like that.
(I hope that doesn’t sound too flippant)

So it’s extremely important to choose a theme for the event that both creates excitement and focusses on global issues.
The Convention on International Exhibitions also states that “the exhibitions must illustrate a definite theme.”

Let’s look back at some of the themes of past World Expos. Expo 2015 in Milan was about “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life,” Expo 2017 Astana championed “Future Energy,” and Expo 2020 Dubai focussed on “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.” I get excited just hearing about the energy of the future.
So, here’s the theme for Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai which is coming up in 2025!

Designing Future Society for Our Lives

Before we get to the goal of this theme, let’s talk about pavilions and the history of Expos!
I’ll tell you what I found out about the theme for Osaka Expo in the section called “Next up is the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai! The goals of EXPO 2025!”

Keep in mind that the World Expo is a big event that brings people together from all over the world, which is very exciting!

What is a pavilion? What kind of things will be exhibited?

So, let’s talk about what’s going on at this big cultural festival, the World Expo.
I’m sure everyone has heard the word “pavilion” in news stories about the Expo.
In the broadest sense a pavilion is a tent, exhibition hall, or temporary building. And at an Expo, it refers to an exhibition hall where events are held.

At the Expo, various pavilions are built for the different countries and companies.
At the pavilions, you can see and experience the culture and technological capabilities that each country is proud of, and new technologies and products that we might see in the future. Some of these products and technologies actually become a part of our day-to-day lives.
For example…

The technologies you see above, moving walkways and mobile phones, were introduced during the 1970 Osaka Expo.
At the time, the phones of the future—wireless phones—were exhibited and that technology eventually evolved into the smartphone.

Does this give you an image of the kinds of things you can see at the Expo?

History dating back to the 1851 London World’s Fair—A long-lived event that’s continued for over 170 years!

Let’s take a look back at the history of World’s Fairs. It all began in 1851 with the London Great Exhibition in England.
At that time, it was an era of technological innovation that continued from the Industrial Revolution, and countries were showing off their own industrial technologies. Records show that the first World’s Fair in London attracted 6 million people, far more than the entire population of London. It is apparent from these numbers how much attention the World Expo received from the very beginning.

The Eiffel Tower was built for the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris. Similarly, there are many more legacies that continue into the present day.

The Tower of the Sun sculpture, which is a symbol of Osaka, was built for the 1970 Osaka Expo as a part of the main theme pavilion.

So you can see why an event like this has lived on for over 170 years. The future and the technology of our dreams is indeed inspiring!

Next up is the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai! The goals of EXPO 2025!

The next one is going to be the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai!
In fact, this will be the first time in 20 years that an international expo is held in Japan, following 2005 World Exposition, Aichi, Japan!
The event period will span 184 days from Sunday, April 13th thru Monday, October 13th, 2025.
The expo venue will be an artificial island in Osaka called Yumeshima.

© Expo2025

This is the first time in history that a World Expo will be held on the sea!

The theme is “Designing Future Society for Our Lives.”

In the current era, we are facing various challenges and changes such as COVID-19 and social issues such as global warming, you know? We can hope for Superman to show up and solve all of our problems. But obviously, we shouldn’t get our hopes up for something so unlikely.

If we were really in the comic book universe, this story would read like this. “It takes more than a single genius to change things in times of adversity! Everyone must recognize each other and think together about what “life” really means, and new possibilities are sure to emerge.
That’s what we mean when we talk about “designing a future society where life shines”! This is our mission for EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai!”
At least that’s how I imagine it.
Let’s work hard and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) together!

Sorry if that was too much. I get a little excited sometimes.

By the way, what kind of world would you like to live in 10 or 20 years, or even further in the future?
I would like a society where everyone can eat delicious food and have fun with people from all over the world. A world without traffic accidents would be a good thing too.
I would love to talk to a lot of people about their ideas at the Expo!

The enthralling venue at Yumeshima Island!

One of the highlights at the Expo venue in Yumeshima Island is the world’s largest wooden structure, which has been aptly named “Ring”!

© Expo2025

The ring will include all the overseas pavilions (about 160 countries), thus symbolizing the idea of this year’s Expo: the world is “diverse, yet one!”
Isn’t this a great symbol of the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai?
I want to take a walk on the roof as soon as possible!

The unusual and wildly cute official mascot—Myaku Myaku

This mysterious creature was born from the union of cells and water and it represents a sort of life force.
It’s odd, but you have to admit it is at least a little cute. The more you look at it, the cuter it becomes.

© Expo2025

This ever-changing character, Myaku-Myaku, is the embodiment of DNA, wisdom and technology, history and culture, and all the possibilities that have been passed down from generation to generation.

And we will continue to pass on the greatness of our civilizations to the future.
The name of this character takes its name from an onomatopoeia for pulsation, the sound of life itself “Myaku-Myaku.”

Also, the two notes in succession sound like a heartbeat of a life continuing into the future.
It’s such an appropriate name for this creature!

Keep your eyes out for more news on the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai!

There will be exhibitions and events, created by eight of Japan’s leading producers, coinciding with the theme “Future Society for Our Lives,” as well as water shows and manga/anime events at the Expo.
Plus you’ll be able to experience a world where future technologies exist, like flying cars, multilingual simultaneous translation, and self-driving cars!

Myaku-Myaku has already started counting down the days on the official Expo website.
There’s a new photo up every day. Check out the website while you’re waiting for the event!

Now, what kind of future will the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai show us?
Have you gotten your tickets? If not, you can purchase them here!

Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai Ticket Information
https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/tickets-index/

Let’s make the Expo amazing together!!!