Expo 2025 (大阪・関西万博 Osaka-Kansai Banpaku) is the site of the World's Fair for 2025 in Osaka, Japan. It will run for 6 months from April 13, 2025 until October 13, 2025.

Understand

Yumeshima island, before the Expo

Osaka-Kansai 2025 is Japan's third Universal Exposition after Expo '70, also held in Osaka, and Expo 2005 near Nagoya. The official theme is "Designing Future Society for Our Lives", and 28 million visitors are projected to attend the exposition, which is spread across 155 hectares on the artificial island of Yumeshima (夢洲, "Dream Island") in the Bay Area district of Osaka.

After the Expo is over, Yumeshima will see a different type of dream or nightmare come to life, as Japan's first casino is set to open here in 2030.

Visitor information

• Event website

Get in

Main article: Osaka#Get in

All visitors to the Expo will arrive via Japan's second largest city Osaka, which is a well-connected major travel hub served by Kansai International Airport (KIX ^IATA) and the JR Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo. See Osaka#Get in for the details.

Once in Osaka, the Expo site is best accessed via 1 Yumeshima station (夢洲駅) on the Metro Chuo Line from central Osaka.

There are also direct shuttle buses from Kansai and Itami airports as well as major train stations including Shin-Osaka (Shinkansen connections), Osaka and Namba. See the official transport site for schedules.

See

Advance single-day tickets sold until April 12th cost from ¥4000/2200/1000 adult/junior/child respectively. Discounted senior, student, group and evening admission tickets are also available.

During the expo, adult one-day ticket options include ¥7500 for an unlimited full day ticket, ¥6000 weekday tickets valid from 11:00, and ¥3700 for "night tickets" valid from 17:00 only.

Access both to the Expo and the pavilions requires signing up for a free "ExpoID". Once you have registered, you can purchase tickets at the official site, make a reservation for an entry time, and apply for reservations/lottery tickets to enter individual pavilions.

The sheer size of the Expo means that it is impossible to cover everything in one day, and access to some of the more popular events and pavilions is capacity controlled with several rather convoluted systems. Allow at least two days if you wish to visit all pavilions of interest. It is wise to choose in advance which of the high-profile sites you want to visit and get them reserved early, then fill in the gaps with the more low-key attractions. Lines tend to shorten as the Expo approaches closing time, although if you cut it too close you run the risk of not getting in at all.

Grand Ring

2 km timber structure and walkway that rises to a height of 20 metres. One of the world's largest wooden structures, it offers views of the entire exhibition area.

International pavilions

At the center of the exhibition area within the Grand Ring, over 100 countries have their own pavilions.

Corporate pavilions

12 Japanese megacorps have pulled out all the stops to showcase their wares. These are typically highlights of the exposition, with Bandai's GUNDAM Pavilion guaranteed to draw crowds. The corporate pavilions are scattered around the perimeter of the Grand Ring.

• Full list.

Do

Numerous events big and small are held during the Expo.

The most easily accessible is the One World, One Planet show, a synchronized show of sound, lighting and projection mapping across the entire venue, held daily after sunset.

Buy

Myaku-Myaku

The Expo's official mascot is Myaku-Myaku (ミャクミャク), a bizarre cross between a multi-eyed amoeba and a donut. Expect gift shops to overflow with all sorts of Myaku-Myaku merch.

Practically all the country pavilions have small gift shops retailing local products, and you can also pick up corporate propaganda at most of the company pavilions.

Sleep

There is no lodging available on site, but Osaka is not far away. Reserve as early as possible.