On April 13, 2024, an event held in Tokyo celebrated the 1-year mark until the Kansai region’s first World Fair in 55 years since the Osaka Expo in 1970. Set in Yumeshima, Osaka, from April 13 to October 13, 2025.
Just one year to go! The Osaka Expo pavilions and uniforms debut
Osaka Expo 1 year before opening event
The Expo’s theme will be “Designing Future Society for Our Lives.” The Tokyo sneak peek event featured eight producers from various fields presenting their pavilions inspired by the theme of “life.” Kundo Koyama, creator of the popular character Kumamon, is thinking deeply about what we eat with his planned “EARTH MART.”
This pavilion, he announced, will share umeboshi and 25 other Japanese ingredients with the world, hoping to improve the future of global food.
Another fascinating concept came from Hiroaki Miyata, professor at Keio University School of Medicine, who presented “Better Co-being,” a project where visitors experience the resonance of life through rainbows created by glowing stones.
Check out the other pavilions here.
https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/overview/project/
After the talks, the official mascot “MYAKU-MYAKU” appeared onstage along with a screening of the 1st ever video of it speaking!
Although social media comments exploded with many writing about the character’s curious appearance, its adorable voice stole my heart. Look forward to more and more dimensions of this character coming to light in the near future.
Finally, the official uniforms were unveiled in a show featuring Karin Kojima and others from the idol group NMB48, as actor and Expo “Special Supporter” Munetaka Aoki took the stage as MC.The uniforms not only look great, but are also designed to suit a diversity of people while being versatile, functional and easily recyclable with an eye on sustainability.
All kinds of Myaku Myaku souvenirs were also shown for the first time at the venue.
New stories about the Expo are bursting onto the scene one after the other as excitement grows for this global celebration just 12 months away!
Click here for the official website of the Osaka Expo.