Osaka Bob FAMILY
Expo Information to Know Before You Go— Check What to Bring Too!
Hi again! Osaka Bob here.
Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan has finally started. Tons of events and worldviews to imagine future society await!
This article summarizes information to know before you go to the Expo. Consult it for reference!
Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan
Buy admission tickets
[Contents]
- Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan is cashless!
- Use a prepaid card if you don’t have another way to pay!
- Private cars are prohibited from driving into the site!
- No suitcases or large baggage allowed! Check the site rules
- The EXPO2025 Personal Agent app is convenient for searching for routes inside the site!
- Some pavilions and events require reservations
- Use a mobility scooter if walking is difficult!
- Take a break on a bench if you’re tired!
- No smoking anywhere in the site, two smoking areas outside the East Gate
- Super useful things to get ready to bring to the site!
Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan is cashless!
Payments at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan are cashless.
Be prepared, you can’t use cash.
Here are the brands you can use to pay:
These are the brands you can use to pay to eat, buy merchandise, or use service shops at the site.
*The brand logos and names above are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
You can use any of these credit cards, in addition to MYAKU-PE! mobile payment for Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan. You’ll be glad to know that you can also pay by QR code, a form of payment that’s getting popular in Japan.
Use a prepaid card if you don’t have another way to pay!
If you’re a cash user who doesn’t pay by credit card or smartphone, use a prepaid card!
Here are the prepaid e-money options you can use:
– Transportation IC cards (Kitaca, Suica, PASMO, TOICA, manaca, ICOCA, SUGOCA, nimoca, Hayakaken)
– Rakuten Edy
– WAON
– nanaco
More than 60 special charging machines are available at the site, so there’s no need to worry, since you can top up your card if you run out of money!
By the way, I visited the site after topping up the ICOCA card I always use!
Here I am buying an Australian lamb spare rib at the Australia Pavilion. The staff politely instructed me, “Please scan your card here,” and I made my purchase with no problem.
And here’s my lunch:
You can enjoy cuisine unique to each country at the overseas pavilions and feel like you’re traveling the world. I hope you all try a variety of foods too.
Oops! I got sidetracked.
Next, vending machines. Rest assured that I’ll tell you exactly how to buy drinks with these.
It’s easy to buy in just three steps: (1) Choose your drink → (2) Push a button → (3) Tap to pay.
Cashless really is convenient!
Private cars are prohibited from driving into the site!
There’s no parking lot for private cars at the Expo site!
Take public transportation like a train or bus to the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan site on Yumeshima Island.
By train, take the Osaka Metro Chuo Line to Yumeshima Station
Osaka Metro Yumeshima Station is right in front of the East Gate, so I recommend traveling by train.
Yumeshima Station is the last stop on the Osaka Metro Chuo Line. You can transfer to the Chuo Line from the Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line, Midosuji Line, or Tanimachi Line. The Chuo Line is also connected to JR Loop Line Bentencho Station and Morinomiya Station.
Stations where you can transfer to the Osaka Metro Chuo Line
The Osaka Metro Chuo Line is one of nine lines on the Osaka Metro. The line color is green.
[Osaka Metro]
– Hommachi Station on the Midosuji Line/Yotsubashi Line
– Sakaisuji-Hommachi Station on the Sakaisuji Line
– Tanimachi 4-chome Station on the Tanimachi Line
– Awaza Station on the Sennichimae Line
– Morinomiya Station on the Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line
– Midoribashi Station on the Imazatosuji Line
[JR]
– Morinomiya Station/Bentencho Station on the Osaka Loop Line
[Hanshin Electric Railway]
– Kujo Station on the Hanshin Namba Line
I recommend the Midosuji Line for people coming to Osaka via the Shinkansen. Transfer to the Chuo Line at Hommachi Station.
If you’re coming to Osaka via JR, the shortest route is to get on the Loop Line, then transfer at Bentencho Station and head to Yumeshima Station.
You can also access the site by bus from Kansai International Airport or Shin-Osaka Station
Many travelers to Osaka use Kansai International Airport or Osaka International Airport (Itami Airport). You can access the Expo venue by bus from these airports. The buses drop you off at the Expo’s West Gate.
Some stations in Osaka City and the surrounding areas are even running station shuttle buses.
Airports where you can use an airport bus:
– Kansai International Airport
– Osaka International Airport (Itami Airport)
Stations where you can use a station shuttle bus:
– Shin-Osaka
– Osaka
– Nakanoshima
– Namba
– Uehommachi
– Tennoji
– Sakurajima
– Amagasaki
– Sakai, Sakaihigashi
You can also get to the Expo site by leaving your car at an Expo P&R (Park & Ride) at Amagasaki, Sakai, or Maishima and transferring to a shuttle bus.
Give plenty of thought beforehand to which route you’ll take to the site!
No suitcases or large baggage allowed! Check the site rules
A lot of people will visit the Expo site. It’s important to follow the rules so everyone can enjoy the Expo in comfort.
Here’s an introduction to what you can’t bring inside the site.
Items that are prohibited to bring into the site:
– Compressed gas such as explosives or gas canisters
– Flammable items such as matches
– Suitcases, carts for transporting baggage, etc.
– Dangerous items such as knives or scissors
– Dangerous items such as golf clubs or bats
– Beverages in cans or glass bottles
– Any alcohol
– Camera poles, tripods, or selfie sticks
– Animals (except service dogs, hearing dogs, or seeing-eye dogs)
– Items that may cause physical injury such as pepper spray
– Wireless equipment including drones or radio-controlled items
– Bicycles, skating equipment such as kickboards or skateboards
– Display items such as banners
– Megaphones, etc.
– Large baggage (baggage exceeding 600 mm across × 400 mm high × 900 mm deep)
– Other inappropriate items from a safety standpoint
Explosives and knives go without saying, but travelers should be especially careful about suitcases, large baggage, and selfie sticks.
More and more people are using selfie sticks to photograph memories of their destinations, but that’s not allowed in the Expo site. Selfie sticks could bother other people, just like suitcases.
Follow the rules and enjoy the Expo!
The EXPO2025 Personal Agent app is convenient for searching for routes inside the site!
Since the Expo is huge, some people may feel anxious about getting where they want to go smoothly, out of all the facilities available, with only a map.
This is the app recommended for exactly those people!
This app will show you the route from your current location to your goal on a map. It’s convenient!
It also displays pavilions, restaurants, and the number of restrooms by area, and it tells you about current crowd levels, so it’s sure to be a powerful ally at the site!
Tap the numbers displayed on the map to switch to more detailed information. This is very easy to understand because it gives you information visually.
[Download the app here]
Download from the App Store
https://apps.apple.com/jp/app/expo2025-personal-agent-ai%E3%83%8A%E3%83%93/id6621210768
Download from Google Play
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nttus.EXPO2025PersonalAgent&hl=ja
Some pavilions and events require reservations
There are lots of places at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan that you can experience without a reservation, but some pavilions and events do require reservations.
For example, you need a reservation for the null2 Signature Pavilion produced by Yoichi Ochiai!
How to make reservations online
(1) Register for an ExpoID, which is required to purchase tickets, on the Expo ID registration website.
(2) Reserve the date and time of your visit on the Expo 2025 digital ticket reservation website.
(3) Apply for the lottery for pavilions you want to visit.
[Register for an ExpoID here]
https://www.expo2025.or.jp/tickets-index/information/
How to register on the same day
Select pavilions/events that are available for same day application from the “Reservation/Lottery application” menu on the digital ticket website (available 10 minutes after entering the site).
You can also make reservations using your admission ticket at information booths, pavilions, or the Same-Day Event Registration Center.
Use a mobility scooter if walking is difficult!
The site area is around 155 hectares from east to west. It’s about 40 times the area of Hanshin Koshien Stadium.
The circumference of the Grand Ring, which is one of the largest wooden structures in the world at 12 meters tall and 30 meters wide, is approximately 2 kilometers.
Put these numbers together, and the site will really feel pretty big!
Visitors basically get around the site on foot. When I walked around the site myself, admiring the exteriors of pavilions with special features, I felt like I arrived at my destination quicker than expected.
Still, some people may have difficulty walking around inside the site. I recommend mobility scooters for them.
Personal mobility scooters
The site has single-seat, personal mobility scooters.
Priority essentially goes to older people and those who have a hard time walking long distances, but anyone can use them if enough are available. And they’re free!
Their maximum speed is 4 kilometers per hour. That’s about the same speed as walking.
These really cool vehicles automatically slow down when they sense people or objects. They’re safe even when it’s crowded!
e Mover buses for inside the site and its perimeter
I also recommend the e Mover buses that circle the outside of the Expo site.
Buses with automated driving are slowly popping up around Japan, and they’re also being used at the Expo site. Riding a bus that runs automatically truly seems futuristic!
See here for e Mover tickets:
Single-ride ticket: ¥400
One-day unlimited ticket: ¥1,000
The price is the same for adults and children. However, individuals with a disability certificate can show it at the bus stop to ride for free (their companions pay the regular fare).
e Mover tickets can be purchased at the site, as well as on Osaka Metro’s multilingual ticket website.
https://www.e-ticket.osakametro.co.jp/ticket/buy
Oh, and there are two routes—one circles the site clockwise and the other goes counterclockwise—so make sure to get on the right one!
Take a break on a bench if you’re tired!
There are rest areas and benches all over the Expo site.
If you’re tired from walking, take a break before heading to the next pavilion!
Personally, I like the benches under the Grand Ring. (Can you see the benches lined up?)
You can avoid the sun here in the daytime too.
Have a good look at the structure of the Grand Ring while you take your break.
By the way, the Grand Ring is constructed using the Nuki method, meaning the beams are made to pass through one another. This is a construction technique that has been passed down since ancient times in Japan.
If you’re interested, check out this article for more information.
No smoking anywhere in the site, two smoking areas outside the East Gate
The smoking areas are outside the East Gate.
If you tell the staff that you want to go to a smoking area, they’ll stamp the back of your hand so you can reenter the site.
Your baggage will be reinspected when you reenter the site, so it’s recommended to go without baggage if possible!
Super useful things to get ready to bring to the site!
Finally, here’s what I was glad I actually brought to the site with me.
Mobile battery
You’ll get a lot of use out of your smartphone at the Expo site.
Besides taking pictures and contacting whomever you’re with, you’ll also use your smartphone in these situations:
– Pavilion and event reservations
– Displaying QR codes for admission to the site and pavilions
– Payment (unless you use a card)
– Using the official app (to search the map or gather information)
You’ll use your smartphone a lot, so I recommend making sure you have a mobile battery!
Thermos/water bottle
Machines that supply water are available at the site.
It’s important to pay careful attention to hydration, particularly to prevent heatstroke in the summer.
Bring a thermos or water bottle.
Items for rain, heatstroke, and sun protection
Events are basically outdoors, so prepare items to match the day’s weather.
You’ll feel secure if you have the following:
– Parasol or umbrella
– Raincoat
– Sunscreen
– Hat
– Sunglasses
I recommend you bring an umbrella that you can use both in the rain and for sun protection.
Refreshments (snacks)
Refreshments will be very useful when you get a bit hungry or are waiting in line for admission. And they’ll recharge your energy if you’re tired!
I brought donuts and gummies, and that was the right idea! I also recommend hard candies or tablet candies.
Items to pass the time
Depending on the pavilion or event, you’ll sometimes wait in line.
It might be good to have items to pass the time when that happens.
– Portable gaming device
– Book
And so on.
It might be useful to have the following items too:
– Wet wipes/pocket tissues
– Cooling sheet, towel
– Reusable shopping bag
– Handheld fan
– Regular medications
I guess with these, you should be ready to go.
There’s so much to do that you can’t even see it all in a day. I hope you’ll get full, 100% enjoyment out of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan!
Osaka Bob FAMILY
The contents of this page were current at the time it was posted, but may differ from the present.
Text visible in this map is based on information from Map Tiler and may differ from actual geographical names.
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