Expo 2025 in Japan: 4 things to know
Osaka (AFP) A multi-eyed mascot, a vast wooden Grand Ring, 160 countries and regions strutting their stuff, and robots and sushi galore: Expo 2025 began on Sunday in Osaka, Japan.World Expo is held every five years in different global locations. Here are four things to know about this event, which runs until mid-October.
Grand Ring Encircling dozens of national pavilions is the Grand Ring -- recognised by Guinness World Records as the planet's largest wooden architectural structure.Architect Sou Fujimoto says his edifice, which cost 34.4 billion yen ($230 million) and has a circumference of two kilometres (1.2 miles), is a symbol of unity.
Latticed beams hold up a sloping roof, 20 metres (65 feet) tall at its highest point, which doubles as a "skywalk".Fujimoto told AFP that he chose wood as a sustainable material.But Japanese media say just 12.5% of the temporary structure will be reused -- down from the original plan of 25%.
'Mysterious' mascot Myaku-Myaku, Expo 2025's mascot, is red and blue with five googly eyes dotted around its smiling mouth -- and one more eye on its bobbly red tail.It is "a mysterious creature born from the fusion of cells and water", according to event organisers."Basking in the sunlight is the source of its energy" and sometimes the shape-shifting Myaku-Myaku "forgets its original form", they say.Despite puzzled reactions when it was unveiled, the mascot has since become popular among social media users in Japan, and has even inspired fan art.
Slow sales This is Osaka's second World Expo after the 1970 edition that was attended by 64 million people, a record until Shanghai in 2010.At Expo 1970, the first film in IMAX format was shown and visitors admired rocks brought back from the Moon.But this time ticket sales have been slow. Organisers want to sell 23 million tickets overall, and as of last week, 8.7 million had been sold. To encourage visitors, same-day admission will now be possible.
Meteorites and Marley Japan's pavilion has a meteorite from Mars discovered in Antarctica by Japanese researchers -- the first time it will be on display to the public.Hungry visitors can stop by Japan's longest sushi conveyor belt before checking out cutting-edge robots, drone shows and a beating "heart" grown from stem cells.The US pavilion, themed "America the Beautiful", has an LED-screen simulator of a NASA rocket launch.
Elsewhere visitors can help polish five heart-shaped "Love and Peace" rocks, while the Jamaica pavilion features life-size Bob Marley and Usain Bolt statues and a bobsleigh.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Broadcast Pro
7 hours ago
- Broadcast Pro
Animotion Media launches music album from animated series ‘Qumi-Qumi'
The newly released album 'Ooba Aba Nya' features 11 tracks designed to be danced to, laughed with and loved by listeners of all ages. Animotion Media has joined forces with Toonbox Studio to introduce the lively, musical universe of Qumi-Qumi to streaming platforms for the first time. Their debut album, Ooba Aba Nya, is now available on all major platforms, offering fans a blend of rhythms and whimsical charm drawn from the globally loved animated series. Qumi-Qumi, a creation by Toonbox Studio, has amassed a massive international following due to its animation, distinctive characters and cross-cultural humor. With millions of views online, the show has found loyal audiences across regions including Spain, Latin America, the US, Canada and the UK. Performed entirely in the show's made-up language, a playful fusion inspired by Toki Pona, English, Russian, Japanese, Korean and popular culture, the music of Qumi-Qumi is instantly recognisable. Tracks like the viral hit Haba Haba Laka Laka have already gained traction with families and creators of short-form content, thanks to their absurd yet catchy lyrics and joyful beats. The newly released Ooba Aba Nya album features 11 tracks designed for dancing, laughter and pure enjoyment, appealing to audiences of all ages. Oleg Troyanovsky, Head of Music at Animotion Media, said: 'We're incredibly excited to introduce Qumi-Qumi to the music world. The show's unique sound and style translate naturally into music that feels fresh, fun, and genuinely global. Fans were asking for the music from the series for a long time, so we just had to deliver.' Vladimir Plemish, Art Director at Toonbox Studio, added: 'Qumi-Qumi is a celebration of the differences that bring us together — and now, with its vibrant music, we're thrilled to see this colorful, quirky world reaching new audiences through our partnership with Animotion Media Group.'
The National
13 hours ago
- The National
Arigato from Japan: Emirati guides win fans at Expo 2025 Osaka
Under tall columns that replicate palm trees, beaming Emirati guides invite millions of Japanese visitors to the popular UAE pavilion at the Expo 2025 Osaka. Emiratis who have mastered the Japanese language strike up long conversations with Japanese residents in Osaka that go well beyond warm greetings of konnichiwa (hello), yokoso (welcome) and arigato (thank you). The UAE pavilion at the world's fair has welcomed more than two million visitors since it opened in the Japanese port city in April. A small team of Emiratis are the driving energy behind the pavilion and represent the country as youth ambassadors through the six-month global event that ends in October. Meznah Al Ansaari, 24, said immersing herself in Japanese culture connects her with the country. She learnt the language in 2019 when she spent more than a year in Tokyo and went on to study for a bachelor's degree in international relations. 'Japanese is one of the most difficult languages in the world but very fun to learn which eases the process,' said the Emirati who graduated from Tokyo's Waseda university a few weeks before the Expo opened in Japan. 'The reason I chose Japanese is because, growing up like many Middle Eastern child, I watched a famous Japanese animation called Spacetoon. For people who want to speak on a more advanced level, I suggest a technique called immersion which is basically immersing yourself in the language through listening. One of the ways I did that was by re-watching the Spacetoon anime in Japanese.' She enjoys bringing the UAE pavilion to life by talking to visitors from all across Japan about traditional architecture, food and culture. 'This pavilion is a multisensory experience. When you enter, you see towering pillars, you also smell a pleasing scent bakhoor and smell the palm trees. You can touch sand and taste Emirati food in the restaurant. I tell people welcome, we are waiting for you.' Japanese fans The guides wear the traditional Emirati kandura or abaya and are a crowd favourite with many Japanese families asking them to be part of group photographs. Visitors are often surprised to hear Emirati guides speak fluent Japanese. They ask detailed questions about hand-carved incense burners, listen intently and ask for more information about exhibits from a black and white traditional loom to the UAE's space programme. 'I like their enthusiastic energy and confidence in speaking Japanese,' said Hayase Okuhira, an accountant from Kyoto. 'We took lots of photos with them and we do want to visit UAE now.' 'It's really cool that they are so young and speak Japanese so well,' Eri Sachi, a Tokyo mother of three. 'My children asked so many questions and they learnt a lot because the guides could explain in Japanese with so much description.' Emirati Alia Aleissaee, 29, enjoys expanding people's knowledge about the Emirates. 'When we mention the UAE, some people have an image that it's all desert, but actually we also have oases like we show in the pavilion. The theme is 'From earth to ether' and that represents how we aim for the sky while we are rooted in our culture and traditions,' said the sales engineer who works in a Japanese company in the UAE. She taught herself Japanese in the UAE and is upgrading her skills at the Expo. 'I never had the opportunity to talk with native Japanese speakers before I came to Osaka. I always wanted to live in Japan so this is a learning experience and I'm excited,' Ms Aleissaee said. 'Every day at the Expo I meet new people, learn new stories, share our culture and tradition.' Ties with Japan Many Emirati guides have deep educational ties with Japan having studied in the country. Ahmed Al Darei completed his bachelor and master's degrees at the Tokyo University of Technology. 'When I was young, I got really interested in Japanese culture, especially things connected to manga, ninja, samurai. I knew when I finished high school, I would go to Japan to study. This was my dream and I made it came true – now I'm speaking Japanese to the Japanese,' said Mr Al Darei, on a sabbatical from work at the UAE Space Agency. The question he gets asked most is about the 90 columns that replicate towering date palm trees spread across the glass-encased UAE pavilion. 'They ask, 'what is this made out of?' I tell them in Japanese how these beautiful columns are made out of date palm tree waste. I'm really lucky to be able to speak in Japanese and introduce our people, beautiful country and the amazing projects to visitors.' His advice to is for people to learn a few words of the language when visiting Japan. 'Even if you speak a little Japanese, the people are very warm and will open up to you. Start with greetings like – hello or konnechiwa and the magical thank you which is arigato. 'Learn to say your name or ask how much is this? Once the Japanese people see you are doing your best, they are happy and you will have a good time.'
Web Release
a day ago
- Web Release
OMEGA Marks The Moon Landing Anniversary
On the 56th anniversary of Apollo 11, OMEGA is remembering humankind's very first Moon landing, and the role that its Speedmaster watches played in that legendary mission. History was made at 02:56 UTC on July 21st, 1969, when the first human steps were taken on the lunar surface. Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin spent just 2 hours and 36 minutes outside the spacecraft on the Moon's terrain, but their achievement left an everlasting imprint on the story of space exploration. For their mission, each astronaut was equipped with an OMEGA Speedmaster timepiece, and the watch can famously be seen on the wrist of Buzz Aldrin during his Moonwalk. To this day, the brand remains truly proud to have kept time during that monumental journey and to be recognised as the first watch worn on the Moon. 2025 is a particularly special anniversary for OMEGA, because it marks 60 years since the Speedmaster was qualified by NASA for all manned space missions. Under the direction of Flight Crew Operations Director, Deke Slayton, the agency tested the chronographs from several watchmakers from around the world, subjecting them to extreme temperatures, shocks, vibrations, and vacuums. Only the OMEGA Speedmaster withstood the full battery of tests, and as a result, it was officially qualified on March the 1st, 1965. This was the first step on the Speedmaster's journey to the Moon. In the years before Apollo, it was also worn by astronauts throughout the Mercury and Gemini programs. 600 million people watched the live Moon landing broadcast in 1969 – and those awe-inspiring images are still viewed with admiration and pride to this day. OMEGA has continued its strong involvement in space exploration, accompanying astronauts with quality and reliability throughout their missions, while keeping an eye on even more giant leaps in the future.
