To use this site, please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page.
This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content, and analyzing our website traffic. By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies.
Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.
Suvendrini Kakuchi Kansai Pavilion lobbySuvendrini Kakuchi Kansai pavilion director general, Takeo Mori, explaining the Kansai region.Courtesy of Kansai Pavilion Shiga prefecture’s Biwa Lake exhibition
By Suvendrini Kakuchi / Special to The Japan News
11:55 JST, April 3, 2025
Even before the Osaka-Kansai Expo formally opens on April 13, the host region will open its own Kansai Pavilion just outside the Expo ground’s Grand Ring on April 9. Displaying the region’s rich history, environment and industry, the Kansai Pavilion will be collaboratively operated by 12 regional prefectures, including Shiga, Hyogo and Nara, plus the major cities of Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto and Sakai.
The Kansai Pavilion represents the Union of Kansai Governments (UKG), established in 2010 as Japan’s only multi-prefectural association. Under region-wide administration, the organization aims to develop seven sectors including tourism, culture and sports; healthcare; and environmental conservation. The UKG represents 22 million people.
Divided into regional sections, the Kansai Pavilion exhibits World Heritage sites such as ancient temples and shrines, plus acclaimed crafts such as pottery, weaving and dyeing. It also highlights Kansai’s role as a base for Japanese manga and other modern industries. As one example of the latter aspect, video game giant Nintendo Co. is headquartered in Kyoto.
The focus is also on sustainable themes. Shiga Prefecture includes an exhibit on Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest source of freshwater, on which more than 15 million people in surrounding areas depend. In a mesmerizing display using digital technology, drops of water flow into a tank in a darkened room. Visuals also illustrate ongoing scientific and local community activities to protect the lake’s rich biodiversity from pollution.
A video production by Hyogo Prefecture, titled “Mirai Bus,” showcases Japan’s disaster mitigation technology. Survivors narrate their experience of the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake linked to the crucial need to be better prepared to save lives.
“The Kansai Pavilion represents a mission that values connectivity over competition,” said Kyoto Gov. Takatoshi Nishiwaki, the vice president of the UKG. In my recent interview with him, Nishiwaki stressed the UKG concept that “Kansai is one, looking after each area of Kansai,” which aims to revitalize the region based on its historical connections through water, roads and culture. “Kansai is the gateway to Japan’s ancient history and is currently a thriving business and industrial base. Harnessing and transferring our strengths among each other is critical for enhancing our global presence,” Nishiwaki said. “Participating in Expo 2025 sends this important message.”
Indeed, the 120-square-meter Kansai Pavilion is a kaleidoscope of exhibitions emphasizing the region’s collectivity and diversity. Takeo Mori, its director general, explained, “Kansai promotes the criticality of working together as world leaders meet to debate our future over the next six months in Osaka.” More than 165 countries, leading businesses and other organizations are participating. Osaka hosted Japan’s first Expo in 1970 when the country focused on its emerging global economic power. In contrast, Mori noted, Expo 2025 is held against a backdrop of international conflicts and political and environmental upheaval. This Expo reflects the public’s desire for peace and sustainability, he said.
Other exhibits feature lesser-known Kansai destinations in an effort to tackle overtourism in destinations such as Kyoto. Japan received over 36 million visitors in 2024, a record number according to Japan National Tourist Organization. For example, Tottori prefecture showcases a replica of its famous sand dunes made from the actual Tottori sand. Wakayama prefecture also promotes a spiritual experience through the Kumano Kodo, one of Japan’s most revered Buddhist pilgrimage routes.
“We see the Expo as an opportunity for visitors to visit beyond Osaka,” said Fukidome Daiya, an official at the tourism planning division of the Sakai City government. The nearby city offers day tours as a promotion incentive.
With its venue on the artificial island of Yumeshima gleaming with new transport infrastructure, the Expo hopes to welcome almost 30 million visitors.
Suvendrini Kakuchi
Suvendrini Kakuchi, the Japan correspondent for University World News, is a Sri Lankan journalist who has been based in Tokyo for three decades. She covers Japan-Asia relations and sustainability issues focusing on minorities, education and the environment.
