Table of Contents
Introduction
It’s an event several years in the making, and it’s almost here. At the time of writing we have just over one month until the Osaka Expo 2025 opens to the general public.
However, public awareness of this once in a generation event isn’t where it should be. So today, we at Osaka.com would like to fix that. Today, we will seek to answer the questions that you, the readers have sent us over the past few months. Here is your definitive guide to the Osaka World Expo 2025.
What is Osaka Expo 2025?
Osaka Expo 2025 is a collaborative event between Osaka’s local government, the Japanese national government, dozens of other nations and business from both the domestic and international private sector.
The Expo has one unifying theme: “Designing Future Society For Our Lives”.
So, expect not just the latest technological innovations and ideas, but also presentations on how we can all make a positive impact on our planet in our everyday lives, with the technology we have right now.
Under this common banner, the Expo is divided into 8 distinctive zones.
Who is Taking Part in Osaka Expo 2025?
Across these 8 zones are pavilions and exhibitions from a total of 158 participating countries, as well as 42 different international agencies, such as The European Union, UNICEF and UNESCO.
The scope of countries taking part is vast. International powerhouses like the USA, China and India, stand alongside micronations like Luxembourg, San Marino, and even the world’s smallest independent state Vatican City.
Additionally, a host of big names from the Japanese and international business world will also have a presence at the event. Future technology and its potential benefits for us all in the years and decades ahead is a major point of focus.
With So Many Countries, Where should I go first?
You can, of course, check out the full list of participating countries and organization at the Osaka World Expo 2025 Official Website. However, to save you some time, we’ve curated our own top 5 list here at Osaka.com of the pavilions and exhibits you won’t want to miss at Osaka Expo 2025.
The Holy See at The Italy Pavillion
Even at an event with such a heavy focus on technology and futurism, there is still some place for religious faith. That is why Italy’s pavilion has a second pavilion within its walls dedicated to The Holy See, otherwise known as Vatican City.
The theme of this mini-pavillon is “beauty brings hope”. As its centerpiece is the world renowned artwork Caravaggio’s Deposition, said to symbolize the transformative powers of faith and love.
Also of note is the logo design for this pavilion. It has an outline of St. Peter’s Basilica set against a Japanese red sun. This reflects that while this is a Catholic exhibit, it is one very much centered in Japan.
The China Pavillion
Sustainability and green energy are key themes of the entire expo event. So, it’s good to see one of its largest foreign contributors, China, leading the way in this regard. The China Pavillion is housed within a huge structure built to resemble strips of bamboo, in the shape of a traditional Chinese scroll, adorned with Chinese Kanji characters throughout.
The theme of the China Pavillion is “Building a Community for Man and Nature: Future Society of Green Development”.
The English translation may seem a bit long winded, but I think we can all appreciate the sentiment. The China Pavillion will hold weekly events throughout the Expo, highlighting green energy initiatives in the country, with reverence to Chinese philosophy too.
The Canada Pavillion
Canada’s theme for the Expo is “Regeneration” The towering, white, arctic design of the pavilions exterior draws inspiration from the Canadian natural phenomenon of an “Ice Jam”. This happens when ice on the surface of a river melts and flows, creating unique shapes and patterns in the water. The pavilion’s interior hosts a range of innovations and ideas representing the best of Canadian science and culture.
Although, if I’m being entirely honest, what drew my eye to Canada’s pavilion was that its exterior bears more than a passing resemblance to The Fortress of Solitude from the Superman movies. Quite appropriate really, since the character was created by Canadians.
The Turkmenistan Pavillion
You’ll find few pavilions at the Osaka Expo 2025 more colorful and striking in their visage than Turkmenistan. This stunning rounded structure, with a triangular roof, stands out in vivid green orange and yellow hues on a clean white frame. The entire exterior is also decorated in traditional Turkmen patterns. The theme of this pavilion is also straight and to the point: Inspiring a Better Tomorrow.
Well, if the science inside even comes close to the elegance of the pavilion’s external design, then the future of Turkmenistan is in good hands.
The Germany Pavilion
With such a strong emphasis on sustainability across the Expo, it is fitting that we close out our top 5 recommendations with the pavilion representing Germany. The theme for Germany’s pavilion is “Circular Economy”. In keeping with this, the whole area is built with both sustainability and a circular aesthetic in mind. So what we have are a series of ornately structured circular buildings, with rooftop gardens, designed to minimize the carbon footprint across the pavilion. It may be something of a cliché to say so, but this really is German efficiency at its finest.
These showcased exhibits are, of course just a small sample of the huge array of things to see at the Expo. But we hope this short summary has piqued your interest.
Anyway, now on to our next question.
When and Where is the Osaka Expo 2025?
The Osaka Expo 2025 opens to the public on April 13th 2025 and runs until October 13th 2025. The venue is Yumeshima, an island of reclaimed land in the Osaka Bay. The Expo is open every day from 9am until 10pm, 7 days a week for its 6 month duration.
As for the location itself, The Osaka Metro opened a new station specifically to serve visitors to the Expo. Yumeshima Station is on the Osaka Metro Chuo Line (indicated on Osaka Metro Maps as emerald green in color).
Disabled visitors do also have the option of travelling by car, however parking space is very limited. There are various shuttle buses available. However at the time of writing, exact details on how and where these will be provided remains unconfirmed. Please check the ACCESS section of the official website for further updates
Of course, Osaka’s Metro can be a little complicated to the uninitiated, so here’s a quick rundown on how to reach Yumeshima Station from the major regional hubs.
From Kansai Airport
Take the Kanisai Airport Line or the Hanwa Line from Kansai Airport to Tennoji Station. From Tennoji, change to the JR Osaka loop line and alight at Bentencho Station. From Bentencho, you can walk downstairs and transfer to the Osaka Metro Chuo Line. The total journey time from the Airport to Yumeshima Station is about 90 minutes. Please note, this will vary during rush hour and other peak travel times.
Arriving by Shinkansen
If you’re coming to the Expo via the Shinkansen Bullet Train, then you’ll want to disembark at Shin Osaka Station. From here, your fastest option is to head downstairs to the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line. Take the Midosuji Line and alight at Honmachi Station. From Honmachi you can change to the Chuo Line and go directly to Yumeshima. Total journey time from Shin Osaka Station is about 50 minutes.
How Can we Get Tickets for the Expo?
Tickets for the Osaka World Expo 2025 need to be purchased in advance. Although the policy is under review, at time of writing the official line from organizers remains that you need to buy tickets before going to the venue. Once you’ve bought your ticket, you’ll also need to request a specific date and time to visit. This is specifically to prevent overcrowding.
To encourage visitors to take advantage of this reservation scheme, there are a number of incentives for people who buy a ticket up until April 12th.
A one day Opening Period Ticket for use between April 13th and April 26th (subject to availability) costs 4,000 yen for adults, 2,200 yen for youths aged 12-17, and 1,000 yen for kids aged 11 and under. These prices only apply for the first 2 weeks of the Expo. If you can’t make it to Osaka in that timeframe, then there is also the “First-half ticket” which allows you to visit once at any time up to July 18th. These tickets cost 5,000 yen, 3,000 yen and 1,200 yen for their respective age groups.
The last tranche of pre-opening day reservation tickets are general day tickets that allow you to visit on any day during the Expo. These cost 6,700 yen, 3,700 yen and 1,700 yen respectively. Again though, you will be asked to specify a date and time after purchase, to limit crowd congestion.
Once the Event Opens
After April 12th, the Expo is officially open, and ticket prices revert to the following values:
7500 yen for adults, 4,200 yen for youths aged 12-17 and 1,800 yen for children under 11.
Toddlers, i.e. children under the age of 3 are allowed to accompany adults for free.
For those on a tighter budget, even after the Expo opens, there are still a couple of options to save money on tickets.
Weekday tickets, for use once between Monday and Friday (not including national holidays) cost 6,000 yen, 3,500 yen and 1,500 yen respectively.
Evening tickets, for use between 5pm and 10pm, are also available at a reduced cost. These come in at 3,700 yen for adults, 2,000 yen for youths, and 1,000 yen for kids. Given the size of the Expo site however, it might be difficult to cover everything in the space of just a few hours.
What Else is Worth Seeing at the Expo?
Besides the various international pavilions and their exclusive contents, there will also be daily shows, performances and one off events held throughout the Expo’s 6 month lifespan.
These include a number of live shows (dates and artists to be announced) at Matsura, the Expo Arena which seats 16,000 visitors.
The Expo Exhibition Hall, known as Wasse, will also host themed events, rotating on a weekly basis. Further announcements on these events will be made over the next few weeks on the official Osaka World Expo 2025 site.
How Long Should I Allow to Visit the Entire Expo?
Everyone is different, but given that the site of Osaka World Expo 2025 is roughly equivalent in size to a medium to large scale theme park, and will probably be just as crowded, we recommend allowing a full day to enjoy the Expo in its entirety.
When is the Best time to Visit the Expo?
To get the most out of your visit to Osaka World Expo 2025, we strongly recommend going on a weekday, in the morning, if possible. And do so either before the middle of July, or after the end of August. This will allow you to avoid those times when most people are off work, as well as Japan’s school summer holiday period.
I’m Only Coming to Osaka for The Expo. What Else Should I see While I’m Here?
Osaka is famous throughout Japan for its food culture, as well as the warm friendliness of its local populace. We highly recommend spending a few days in the city around your Expo visit. For families, there are attractions such as the Universal Studios Japan theme park, and the Kaiyukan, one of Japan’s largest aquariums.
History buffs can also enjoy visiting sites like Osaka Castle, built by the feudal warlord Hideyoshi Toyotomi, and Shitennoji Temple, the oldest religious site of its kind in Japan.
Also, be sure to check out our extensive ranges of features and guides here at Osaka.com to get the most out of your trip.
The Osaka Expo 2025 is a once in a generation event, that will once again put the city and its people on the global stage. We hope you’ll enjoy this historic occasion. Please check back regularly here at Osaka.com for further updates as the Expo continues.
Great article! Very informative. Will help a lot of readers navigate the complicated ticket purchasing system