Japan Day at Expo Promotes Japanese Charm to the World; Ceremony Includes Traditional and Modern Music Performances, Mascot Appearances

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:02 JST, July 4, 2025

Japan Day at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo was held on Thursday, one of many National Day during which each participating country promotes their culture and traditions to the rest of the world. Japan’s was marked with a ceremony held at the Expo Hall Shining Hat, part of the Expo site.

Japan, as the host country for this year’s Expo, demonstrated its charm to the rest of the world with a show that combined traditional art and music with modern dance. Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko were in attendance, as were Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and approximately 1,100 other visitors.

Crown Prince Akishino, who serves as honorary president of the Expo, said, “Japanese content connects people across borders. I hope that these wonderful experiences will be passed on to the next generation.”

After he spoke, Japanese arts and the four seasons were introduced through videos accompanied by a performance of gagaku, traditional Japanese court music. While images of manga were projected on the walls and screens in the hall, a modern dance routine was performed to express how Japanese manga is spreading throughout the world. A live performance by singer Misia was also held.

After the ceremony, the Expo’s official character Myaku-Myaku paraded through the venue, along with widely beloved Kumamoto Prefecture mascot Kumamon, as well as Hikonyan, the mascot for Hikone, Shiga Prefecture.