Latest news with #MYAKU-MYAKU
Japan Forward
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Japan Forward
Is MYAKU-MYAKU the Unsung Hero of Expo 2025?
An event at Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai, has become so popular it seems to rival the main pavilions. One example took place on July 11, in front of the "Shining Hat" hall. This is the same stage used for the opening ceremony. Ding-ding! A bell rang out from a shop near the hall, signaling prize winners. An eight-year-old girl from Osaka Prefecture emerged, hugging a plush toy of MYAKU-MYAKU, the Expo's official mascot. "I want to sleep with it in bed," she said. "At first, I thought, 'What on earth is this?' But it even has eyes on its bottom, and now I think it's cute." The MYAKU-MYAKU plush lottery guarantees a win. For ¥2,200 JPY (about $165 USD), participants can win one of three sizes: 80 cm (1st prize), 46 cm (2nd prize), or 23 cm (3rd prize). Lines often stretch to more than two hours. Although MYAKU-MYAKU is now loved by fans, its odd design drew heavy criticism early on. Some called it "gross" and off-putting. A representative from the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition admitted, "Honestly, we didn't expect it to become this popular. It's not only building excitement for the Expo. It's also helping support it financially." Lines of people waiting to enter the merchandise store at the Expo venue — June, Konohana Ward, Osaka City. The Expo's total operating budget is ¥116 billion (about $780). Of that, ¥96.9 billion, or around 84%, is expected to come from ticket sales. An additional ¥11 billion, or roughly 9.5%, is projected from sales of merchandise, food, and drinks. To break even, 18.4 million tickets need to be sold. This figure is based on the current weekday adult ticket price of ¥6,000 ($40). As of July 4, ticket sales had reached about 15.54 million. A senior official said, "We'll definitely surpass the break-even point. The real question now is how far beyond it we can go." Still, the ultimate goal is to sell 23 million tickets. Many visitors are using unlimited-entry season passes. Discounted summer passes are now available during the school holidays. Whether overall revenue will meet the full profit target remains uncertain. With ticket revenue still in question, hopes are high for merchandise sales. Official MYAKU-MYAKU goods are produced by licensed companies. Around 7,000 items are available, including popular staples like keychains and sweets. Due to limited supply and strong demand, some items are being resold at steep prices on online auction sites. Manufacturers pay an 8 to 10% royalty fee to the Association. Part of that goes to Expo intellectual property management bodies. The rest helps cover operational costs. While the Association hasn't shared exact sales figures, insiders describe the numbers as "very strong." On July 11, the Association announced an expansion of the MYAKU-MYAKU plush lottery. This signaled just how important merchandise sales have become to the Expo's financial success. About 100 km from the Expo site, at the ferry terminal in Tokushima Port, a few tourists were seen holding tickets labeled "Invitation to Tokushima Prefecture." These tickets are handed out to visitors at the Tokushima zone of the Expo. They offer one-way travel to Tokushima for a flat ¥500 (about $3). The goal is to encourage Expo attendees to explore the prefecture. As of June 1, about 25,000 tickets had been distributed. However, only 926 had been used. The Tokushima Expo Promotion Office allocated ¥25 million ($170,000) to support the program, expecting around 7,500 users. With usage currently at just 10%, the office is "hoping for a summer boost.' The Asia Pacific Institute of Research (APIR) estimates the economic impact could reach ¥3.4 trillion (about $20 billion) if the so-called "Extended Expo" effect takes hold. This refers to visitors going beyond the main venue to explore universities, research centers, and local tourist spots. But the impact outside Osaka remains unclear. Expo 2025 aims to attract 28.2 million visitors over its duration. That requires a daily average of more than 150,000. According to APIR's Chief Economist Yoshihisa Inada, only four days have surpassed that number since the Expo opened. In fact, attendance declined in late June. "Achieving the expected economic effect hinges on hitting the attendance targets," Inada said. "There are only three months left. To make this Expo a success, we need more compelling content that encourages repeat visits." Despite slower-than-expected growth in attendance, long lines still form at the East Gate, which connects directly to a subway station. Popular pavilions remain fully booked. However, visitors have voiced complaints about the heat and crowding. To increase revenue, improving visitor satisfaction is key. Yet problems like swarms of midges and the detection of Legionella bacteria near water areas have exposed the Association's slow response. Responding to complaints that "there's nothing to do at night," the Association extended restaurant and shop hours until 9:45 PM starting in July. But to firmly secure profitability, it will need to continue introducing measures that enhance the visitor experience. ( Read the article in Japanese . ) Author: Kohei Inoue, The Sankei Shimbun
Japan Forward
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Forward
Blue Impulse Delivers Spectacular Air Show at Osaka Expo
このページを 日本語 で読む On the afternoon of July 13, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force's acrobatic flight team, Blue Impulse, performed an aerial demonstration over the Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai venue. Visitors applauded as six jets delivered a stunning air show in perfect formation. Blue Impulse flying over the Osaka Expo venue — July 13 afternoon, Konohana Ward, Osaka City. (©Sankei by Tomoichiro Takekawa) This was the second consecutive day the team performed. The six aircraft arrived over the venue at around 3:00 PM, roughly the same time as the day before, and spent about 15 minutes drawing dynamic patterns in the blue sky with smoke trails. Blue Impulse jets and Expo 2025's official mascot MYAKU-MYAKU in the foreground— July 13 afternoon, Konohana Ward, Osaka City. (©Sankei by Tomoichiro Takekawa) The demonstration was originally planned for the Expo's opening day on April 13, but had to be canceled due to bad weather. After growing public calls for a rescheduled flight, the show was held to celebrate the halfway point of the six-month-long Expo. Blue Impulse draws a large heart shape in the sky. (©Sankei by Koji Taito) With July 13 marking the event's midpoint, the performance on the 12th drew around 164,000 visitors. The two days of Blue Impulse added to the excitement and energy building around the Expo. Blue Impulse releases smoke before landing after completing a flight over the Expo venue. (©Sankei by Kotaro Hikono) Blue Impulse flies over Osaka Castle — July 13 afternoon, Chuo Ward, Osaka City. The defense ministry and the Japan Self-Defense Forces encouraged people to share the experience on social media using the hashtag #大阪の空を見上げよう (lit "look up at the skies of Osaka"). Images of the jets soaring not only above the Expo site but also across various parts of Osaka Prefecture were widely shared online. Author: The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
Barnama
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Barnama
Tohoku Region Showcases Culture, Recovery At Osaka Expo 2025
GENERAL KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 (Bernama) -- The six Tohoku prefectures, in collaboration with the Tohoku Tourism Promotion Organization and the Tohoku Kizuna Festival Executive Committee, successfully hosted the 'Tohoku Four Seasons & Tohoku Kizuna Festival' at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, from June 13 to 15. In a statement, the organisers said the event served to express gratitude for the international support received following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and to highlight the region's recovery and development. The festival aimed to promote the appeal of the Tohoku region, both domestically and internationally, showcasing its natural beauty, traditional culture, local cuisine, cutting-edge technology and warm hospitality, with the goal of attracting more visitors to the region. An opening ceremony was held on June 13, with the participation of the governors of the six Tohoku prefectures, other regional officials, local mascots, and MYAKU-MYAKU, the official mascot of Expo 2025. The event included a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a special showcase of signature festivals from each of the six prefectural capitals. The Tohoku Kizuna Festival, which featured summer festivals from Aomori, Morioka, Akita, Sendai, Yamagata and Fukushima, was initially scheduled for June 14 and 15; however due to inclement weather, performances on June 14 were moved indoors, while two outdoor parades were successfully held the following day. The Tohoku Kizuna Festival is a successor to the Tohoku Rokkon Festival, established to honour the memory of lives lost in the 2011 disaster and to support the region's reconstruction. While it is usually held within the Tohoku region, this year's edition was specially organised at the Osaka Kansai Expo. The six festivals represented were the Aomori Nebuta Festival, Morioka Sansa Odori Festival, Akita Kanto Festival, Sendai Tanabata Festival, Yamagata Hanagasa Festival and Fukushima Waraji Festival. The venue also featured large Nebuta and Tanabata decorations. Approximately 550 dancers participated in the parades, enthralling visitors with vibrant and powerful performances. Meanwhile, the 'Tohoku Four Seasons' event ran concurrently over the three-day period, featuring promotional booths from each prefecture, stage presentations, traditional craft workshops and local food tastings and sales—all contributing to a lively showcase of the region's rich heritage and tourism potential.
Barnama
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Barnama
Tohoku Kizuna Festival Parade Brings Together Six Tohoku Festivals To Captivate Audience: "Tohoku Four Seasons & Tohoku Kizuna Festival" At EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan
SENDAI, Japan, June 26 (Bernama) -- The six Tohoku prefectures, Tohoku Tourism Promotion Organization, and Tohoku Kizuna Festival Executive Committee held the "Tohoku Four Seasons & Tohoku Kizuna Festival" at 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Expo from Friday, June 13, to Sunday, June 15, 2025. The festival united the Tohoku region to show its gratitude for the support it received from around the world in the aftermath of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and show the state of recovery. The festivities also communicated information about Tohoku's world-class tourist attractions, such as its nature, culture, cuisine, advanced technology, and people, both domestically and internationally, and to attract more visitors. Images: At an opening ceremony on Friday, June 13, the governors of the six Tohoku prefectures, other Tohoku officials, the region's local mascots, and MYAKU-MYAKU, the official mascot for 2025 Osaka, Kansai Expo, took to the stage to greet guests and hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Afterwards, a special event was held showcasing the festivals from the six Tohoku prefectural capitals. The Tohoku Kizuna Festival, featuring the summer festivals from six Tohoku cities, was originally slated for Saturday, June 14, and Sunday, June 15. Due to inclement weather on June 14, the two performances were held indoors. After the weather recovered on June 15, the parade was held twice.
Japan Forward
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Forward
Baltic Pavilion to Donate 140 Expo Mascot Plushies After Theft
このページを 日本語 で読む In mid-May, a MYAKU-MYAKU mascot was stolen from the Baltic Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. MYAKU-MYAKU, the official character of the Expo, had been displayed alongside Barabi-chan, the pavilion's own mascot. The Baltic Pavilion is jointly presented by Lithuania and Latvia. After the theft was reported, visitors began bringing MYAKU-MYAKU plushies in support. Around 140 items were collected and displayed at the pavilion until May 30. Now, the pavilion is passing on that goodwill by donating the items to various institutions, including children's facilities. A pavilion representative said, "In the Baltic countries, there's a saying that even if life takes something away, it gives back something even more wonderful." They added that although Barabi-chan lost the original MYAKU-MYAKU, "she has made new friends and is feeling happy again." Screenshot of the Baltics Pavilion's Instagram post featuring Barabi-chan. "Now it's our turn to bring joy," the message continued, noting that the donated items will be "sent to people who need a smile." According to the Expo's website, MYAKU-MYAKU is a mysterious creature made of red cells that can divide and multiply, and blue water that flows and changes shape freely. Its name comes from myaku , meaning "pulse" in Japanese, with the repetition symbolizing the continuous flow of life, knowledge, and culture. Barabi-chan, on the other hand, is a talking mushroom named after the Latvian and Lithuanian word for porcini. He represents the spirit of the Baltic forests. MYAKU-MYAKU poses in front of the symbolic Grand Ring at the Osaka Expo. Author: Nobuo Kurokawa, The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
