Returning to Osaka EXPO After 50 Years

April 25, 2025 Friday

EXPO Day 1

I wrote earlier about how Art and I had managed to go to the Osaka EXPO in 1970. He was in the Air Force by then and had gone sometime in spring. I'd gone with a 6 week-college credit Art and Architecture tour. We would meet the following year.

Anyway, Art thought we needed to extend our time in Japan this time after the tour to return to Osaka for the 2025 EXPO, but together this time. Good gosh! It's been 55 years!

Back then, we were very impressed with the USA Pavilion. There were displays of the moon capsule and we all got to gaze at a rather large moon rock. 

OK... now here we are in Osaka again. We knew it could be a rather tiring day so we bolstered ourselves with a big breakfast at the hotel. The rooms may have been small, but the breakfast buffet was very nice.

Art had done a lot of research online to see what pavilions we should attend.

Tickets also had to be ordered online.

Ummmm...

The trains were PACKED!

There were a couple of train transfers before we arrived at the Yumeshima (Dream Island) stop. 

Our tickets were for 10:00 AM and I was surprised at the crowds that were waiting outside.

When the group in front of us heard us talking in English, the woman turned to speak to us. She happened to be an English language teacher with a few of her middle school students and a department head. 

The girls absolutely loved practicing what they'd learned with us and it really passed the time enjoyably. The teacher was happy hearing that I was a retired teacher from the US. 

We passed through a security check.

The first place on Art's list was France. And yes. They did an amazing job with their pavilion highlighting a lot on their culture, arts and fashion. Their theme was a Hymn to Love.

This was an exhibit linking Mont-Saint Michel and a Japanese torii.

And yes, we needed to see the USA Pavilion to see what they would be highlighting.

It emphasized working with other countries, inviting students from abroad to study at our universities, and the diversity of our population.

Obviously, all this was created before Trump came into office. 😏

As in 1970, our space program was especially highlighted. There was a long line to see a moon rock and attendants rushed you through it saying you could take just two photos and move on.

Unlike 1970, I really couldn't believe I was taking a photo of a moon rock.

All in all...

I was rather underwhelmed by our pavilion.

Next on Art's list was the Austrian Pavilion.

This is from the Smithsonian website:

Lamarr shared her concept for using “frequency hopping” with the U.S. Navy and codeveloped a patent with Antheil 1941. Today, her innovation helped make possible a wide range of wireless communications technologies, including Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth. 

I was surprised at learning about her accomplishments as a scientist a while ago and remembered seeing old movies of Hedy Lamarr while growing up.

And now the 3rd Pavilion. We were doing a lot of walking looking for the different pavilions and I was hot and getting quite tired.

Switzerland was next. 

They had a bubble machine which was fun. You could speak a wish into a funnel and a bubble would rise up with your wish.

There were more exhibits showing their advancements with robotics. 

OK... This was a Swiss display about a robotic cake. 

Sign on display: 

The Robocake features two edible dancing bears and LED candles powered by edible chocolate batteries. Would you eat one? 

I was REALLY tired by now so we stopped for refreshments, and then just took the escalator to the upper level so we could have a bird's eye view of the area.

It was now getting late, but we stopped at a pavilion that showcased smaller countries. We went in so we could visit countries that we and/or our son had traveled to.

I was REALLY, REALLY tired now. 😫 It was exhausting to walk everywhere in the hot sun looking for all the different pavilions. I was not looking forward to returning the following day, but the tickets had already been bought.

We boarded the train back to our MyStays hotel. 

As we (me actually...Art is in much better athletic shape) trudged back to our hotel, we stopped by the Yayoi Teishoku Restaurant. 

There was that machine again to take your order.

Art goofed and actually mistakenly ended up with two salads which he was happy with. Incredibly, our bill for both of us was $12.40.  

We stopped at a convenience store and bought big bottles of tea and water. 

I drank a lot of both that evening and slept really well.