In every direction there is fevered activity. Cranes are hoisting, foremen in high-vis jackets are directing, carpenters are hammering, masons are levelling. The smell of newly laid bitumen competes with the rich scent of Japanese hinoki cypress. A saw screeches through sheet metal, a delivery truck beeps as it reverses, instructions are shouted.
Days before the official opening ceremony of the Expo 2025 in Osaka , on April 13, the final push is on to make sure a mammoth event that brings together 158 countries and regions from around the world is a success.
As time runs out, PostMag has secured exclusive entry to the venue and an early look at the expo, set to continue through October 13. Meanwhile, several queries remain unaddressed. raised about the cost and modern-day relevance of an event that can trace its history back to the grand "expositions universelle" of the 1800s in cities such as Paris, London and Brussels, it is clear that the Osaka Expo 2025 will not only bring together innovations from around the world, but also offer solutions to our planet's most urgent issues.
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The expo is being hosted on Yumeshima, a 390-hectare man-made island in Osaka Bay whose name translates as "Dream Island". Development of the site has necessitated the construction of comprehensive public transport facilities and many of the 28 million anticipated visitors will arrive using a state-of-the-art subway station.
Immediately beyond the entrance gates lies the Grand Ring, the symbol of the expo and the brainchild of architect Sou Fujimoto . The ring encircles the international pavilions and is a latticework of towering cedar, cypress and Scots pine that soars to a maximum height of 20 metres, all put together in the nuki style of Japanese carpentry, which employs the crafted joints and connectors traditionally used in temples and shrines.
The ring itself is 30 metres across and, on its upper level, has a 2km boardwalk with landscaped gardens, allowing visitors to walk around the entire site. The Grand Ring communicates the concept of "unity in diversity", expo organisers point out, and, with a surface area of 61,035 square metres, was recognised by the Guinness World Records as the largest wooden architectural structure on the planet.
From the top of the ring, the skyscrapers of Osaka can be seen on the horizon while a steady flow of ships ply the waters around this artificial island. To the west, the city of Kobe hugs the coastline before rising steeply to Mount Rokko.
The ring is built in part over the waters of the bay, with the semicircular Water Plaza along the southern edge of the site scheduled to host the Under the Midnight Rainbow water and light show just after sunset every day of the expo.
Within the ring stand the pavilions of nearly 50 countries, designed and built to showcase their history, culture, artistic and cultural achievements, natural wonders and cuisine. Other countries have banded together in five shared pavilions, one of which hosts 26 nations ranging from Benin to Zimbabwe by way of Chad, Fiji and Paraguay.
National venues are joined by others representing international organisations such as the United Nations, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and the European Union.
As host nation, Japan has a selection of locations across the site, including pavilions housing major companies such as Mitsubishi, Panasonic and NTT - as well as a colossal statue of the Gundam robot character .
The event features distinctive “signature pavilions” designed by renowned Japanese architects, aligning with the overarching theme of “designing a future society for our lives.” The participants were tasked with conveying the significance of fostering connections, enhancing empowerment, and safeguarding life through their creations, aiming to improve our world. They approached this concept from various innovative angles.
Kundo Koyama, who serves as the vice-president of Kyoto University of the Arts, has adopted a design approach significantly different from the smooth and angular aesthetics found throughout the rest of the area. In order to emphasize environmental concerns and their direct connection to consistent food production, Koyama has developed a single-story pavilion featuring a traditional thatched straw roof, evocative of standard structures in the region. The UNESCO World Heritage site of Shirakawa-go , located in the mountains of Gifu Prefecture.
Among the eye-catching national pavilions is that of Azerbaijan, which is a clear reflection of central Asian design values picked out in intricate white arches, while the exterior of the Chinese venue is inspired by bamboo and is cleverly designed to resemble an unfolded traditional calligraphy scroll.
The Nordic states have banded together to create a 17-metre-high structure of blackened wood, to represent timelessness and sustainability, a philosophy echoed by the German pavilion and its focus on the circular economy, envisioned in interconnecting circular structures.
The Italian pavilion also hosts the Holy See and has managed to incorporate an entire garden on its roof, while the design for the Philippines' venue showcases the nation's heritage, biodiversity and creativity, all fronted by a unique facade of handwoven textiles from 18 regions.
The Spanish pavilion is an interpretation of the Kuroshio current, which runs up the east coast of Japan, to underline the importance of caring for life on this planet. The nearby Saudi Arabian site reflects the kingdom's history, culture and heritage, the pavilion a tangle of alleyways, sheltered courtyards and water features like oases, all enclosed by the kind of high, ochre-coloured walls found in desert towns. It is apparent Saudi Arabia has pulled out all the stops on its contribution, given that Riyadh will host the next World Expo, in 2030, themed The Era of Change: Together for a Foresighted Tomorrow.
One of the highlights of Osaka 2025 will be the demonstration of flying-car services . The advanced air mobility take-off and landing zone - the Osakako Vertiport - is outside the west gate and will be used to display state-of-the-art vehicles. To highlight their potential, the flying cars will be flown to the Osaka Heliport and other sites nearby, while inside the Grand Ring, the Advanced Air Mobility Station offers an immersive theatre experience that simulates a short trip in one of these aircraft. As with many attractions at the expo, booking will be required.
The closest accommodation to the expo site can be found at The Day Osaka, which is on a neighbouring artificial island linked to Yumeshima by a bridge and, for the duration of the event, a shuttle-bus service. Unusually for a city hotel, it is set in expansive parkland and the main building and adjacent Nest building are complemented by 14 wooden cabins - with hammocks - built around a lake surrounded by cherry trees. It also has parking for mobile homes and a large barbecue area alongside the bay, a good spot from which to admire the summer firework displays in Osaka and Kobe.
Winning the right to host the expo, in 2018, has had a significant impact on Japan's second city, known for industry, enterprise and its citizens' offbeat sense of humour. (The home of manzai stand-up comedy is a city where gentle ribbing of a stranger in a bar will elicit similar mockery in response - unthinkable in the capital.)
The greatest transformation can be seen in the heart of the city, where the once-gritty districts around Osaka Station have undergone extensive regeneration, culminating in the official opening of Grand Green Osaka last month.
A 45,000-square-metre park in the Umekita district, it features concentric rings of vegetation around a vast central lawn and ponds. The 600 billion yen (HK$31 billion) redevelopment also incorporates an event dome and links to underground and elevated walkways that make the city centre more user-friendly. Overlooking the park is an urban onsen - swimming suits required - on the third floor of a new skyscraper.
Below street level is an entirely new city, with the Time Out Market restaurants arrayed around a central bar serving Osaka craft brews as buskers perform in elegantly designed spaces open to the sky two storeys above.
Hotel developers have taken advantage of the opportunities created by the expo developments to broaden their reach, leading to the launch of the 308-room Canopy by Hilton Osaka Umeda—the inaugural property for Hilton’s lifestyle brand in Japan—and the 482-room Hotel Hankyu Gran Respire Osaka.
The most impressive newly launched establishment is the Waldorf Astoria Osaka, which made its debut on April 3rd. This marks the initial location in Japan to carry the renowned moniker of the New York hotel. It features an expansive bar offering views of Grand Green Osaka and the extensive Yodo River, with the exposition area visible in the far-off distance.
Throughout, the Waldorf Astoria combines early 20th century New York elegance with modern Japanese touches, largely attributed to Hong Kong-based architect and designer Andre Fu : bonsai plants paired with classic scroll artworks along with daring contemporary art installations; washi paper integrated with intricate geometric patterns in wood; and corridors evocative of torii gates guiding to a shrine.
Osaka might have undergone regeneration, yet numerous remnants of the former city remain for you to discover.
Located at the boundary between Osaka and Kobe lies the Nishinomiya district, where its coastal region has long served as a hub for sake breweries catering to local tastes through the years. Within just a short distance from Nishinomiya Station, you can find over a dozen such breweries along with a dedicated museum celebrating Japan’s distinctive beverage heritage.
Taste the silky, award-winning Souka Junmai Daiginjo at Nihon Sakari, where a restaurant is nestled within its contemporary brewing facility, and you’ll realize that certain experiences remain timeless.
Julian Ryall visited Osaka as a guest of the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition and Hankyu Hanshin Properties
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