Expo 2025 Osaka: A Wanderer’s Guide to Asia, Oceania & Central Asia
At Expo 2025 in Osaka, wanderers are invited on a global journey of culture, creativity, and connection — no passport needed. Our first stop: Asia.
Sense of Wander: ★★★★★
One of the most delightful experiences at Expo 2025 Osaka is the stamp rally — a journey through six layers of collectible stamps inspired by the ukiyo-e tradition. Miaku Miaku, the Expo’s mascot, joyfully rides Hokusai’s Great Wave, turning the act of collecting into a playful tribute to Japan’s iconic woodblock print.
OSAKA, Japan — Perhaps it was the wanderer in me that drew me to Expo 2025 in Osaka. Though I’ve passed through Kansai International Airport a few times, I’d never stayed a night in Osaka itself — Kyoto and Nara always came first.
This time, though, I stayed — because of Expo 2025. What was supposed to be a two-day visit to the event venue stretched into four. Partly because of the crowds — most pavilions required at least a 30-minute wait (an hour, more often than not) — and partly because I couldn’t help but linger, letting one discovery lead to the next.
I’m the kind of traveller who likes to make the most of every stop: arriving early, snacks in hand, and mentally prepared to queue. I stood in lines through sun, rain, even a storm, just to glimpse the worlds tucked inside the pavilions I was most curious about. Were they always worth the wait? Sometimes yes. Sometimes not quite. But each one added something to the journey.
Honestly, I did little planning beforehand. My choices were mostly spontaneous, shaped by the flow of the crowd and the length of the queue — especially during those first two days. That’s probably why a few pavilions I hoped to visit — Kansai, Canada, Italy, and the Netherlands — ended up missed. Some, as I learned the hard way, were reservation-only, which became another hurdle altogether.
But for me, visiting a pavilion isn’t just sightseeing — it’s a way of listening. I’m drawn to the narratives each country chooses to share: how they see themselves, how they wish to be seen, and how that aligns (or doesn’t) with what I’ve experienced or imagined about them. I’m equally intrigued by the technology shaping the storytelling — especially the immersive projections that many pavilions embrace — offering glimpses into what the future of museum experiences might hold.
If you’re as curious as I am — whether you’re still undecided about visiting, or already planning your trip — I’ve created this Wanderer’s Guide just for you.
There are 188 pavilions at Expo 2025, including 161 countries and regions, all responding in some way to the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives.” I’ve visited more than 120 of them (encouraged — or trapped — by the irresistible stamp rally. Once you start, it’s hard to stop).
At first, I thought I’d select just a dozen pavilions to feature in a single article. But the more I reflected, the more I realised: twelve simply wouldn’t do justice to the range and richness of what I encountered. And so, with some ambition, I’ve decided to publish this guide in three parts.
We begin in Japan, then journey westward through Asia and Oceania, crossing into Central Asia. In Part Two, we explore the Middle East and North Africa. And finally, we arrive in Europe.
So join me on this adventure. No passport needed. Just an open mind and a bit of that wanderer’s spirit. Here we go.
Asia
🇯🇵 Japan
🇨🇳 China
🇲🇳 Mongolia
🇮🇳 Bharat
🇮🇩 Indonesia
Oceania
🇦🇺 Australia
Central Asia & Beyond
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan
🇹🇲 Turkmenistan
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan
Special Stops
🇯🇵 Japan Pavilion
The Japan Pavilion is one of those that requires a reservation to enter — and I was (very) lucky to secure a spot on the day of my visit. For a moment, I thought I might miss it entirely, as all bookings appeared long gone. But it would have felt almost ironic to attend Expo 2025 in Osaka without stepping into the host country’s own pavilion.
Despite its scale, the pavilion is easy to navigate. There’s a single, gently flowing route through the space. Its circular architecture, symbolic of cycles and regeneration, is divided into three zones: Plant, Farm, and Factory.
The Plant section explores the journey from waste to water, spotlighting the essential — and often invisible — role of microorganisms. Here, the pavilion immerses visitors in a dreamlike installation: a shimmering ocean of lights, synchronised like constellations in motion, hovers above towering fermentation tanks that silently work to break down food waste.
You then step into a tranquil open-air courtyard, also circular in form. At its centre lies a pool of water, so still and pure it mirrors the sky — a quiet testament to the microorganisms’ cleansing work.
From there, you arrive at the Farm, where matter and energy — water and CO₂ reclaimed from waste — are transformed into new life. The spotlight falls on algae, Earth’s earliest form of plant life, dating back over 3.5 billion years. These ancient beings (the ancestors of mosses and ferns) are charmingly celebrated through a display of 32 Hello Kitty figures, each inspired by a different species of algae. Naturally, this was a personal highlight.
In Factory, visitors witness how energy and materials from previous sections are repurposed into everyday objects. A delightful surprise: the stools scattered throughout the pavilion are made from algae-infused bioplastic and 3D-printed onsite by robotic arms.
My favourite part, though, is the final section: “A Gallery of Soft Things.” It presents a thoughtful philosophy — that some things are meant to be soft, by design. Here, softness means more than just texture; it speaks of resilience, flexibility, and renewal. Examples include wakugi, the soft iron nails used in traditional Japanese carpentry; the kimono, made from a single piece of fabric that can be undone and reborn; and the furoshiki, a humble square of cloth with infinite folding possibilities.
Tips for wanderer — Entry is by reservation only. For Hello Kitty fans, don’t miss the limited-edition Algae × Hello Kitty products available just outside the pavilion. Some items had already sold out by the time of my visit — go early if you’re hoping to bring one home.
Sense of Wander: ★★★★★
🇨🇳 China Pavilion
I still remember the China Pavilion at Expo 2010 in Shanghai — its bold red silhouette, inspired by dougong bracket architecture, and the sweeping digital handscroll animating scenes from Along the River During the Qingming Festival. It left an impression.
At Expo 2025, China once again draws from its rich cultural heritage — this time with a pavilion inspired by bamboo slip scrolls (zhujian), one of the earliest mediums for knowledge transmission in China. Across the facade, verses from 119 classical poems are inscribed in an array of Chinese calligraphy styles: Seal, Clerical, Regular, Cursive, and Running script. A quiet celebration of continuity, memory, and meaning.
Inside, I was especially fascinated by the interactive display cases, which exhibits objects ranging from ritual jade artefacts of the Liangzhu civilisation (3300–2300 BC) to a monumental Sanxingdui bronze mask. The glass isn’t just for protection — it doubles as a screen that allows you to rotate the digital replicas, and even flip through an ancient book, page by page.
But what stood out most was a rarity — lunar soil samples brought back from the near and far sides of the moon. It was my first time seeing them up close, and the moment of that brief witness stayed with me.
For curious wanderers, the China Pavilion also offers a rich cultural program, with each week dedicated to showcasing traditional crafts from different regions. During my visit, I met Sui Jing-Cai, an artisan who brings to life delicate sculptures of fish from painstakingly hammered sheets of metal — a technique now recognised as part of the intangible cultural heritage of Jilin Province.
Tips for wanderer — Expect to wait around an hour when it’s crowded. Bring an umbrella — it’s good for both sun and rain.
Sense of Wander: ★★★★☆
🇲🇳 Mongolia Pavilion
Tucked inside the Commons-D area — home to dozens of smaller country pavilions — is the Mongolia Pavilion, which caught my attention.
Curated by the Chinggis Khan National Museum, the pavilion presents 28 objects that trace Mongolia’s rich cultural history, with special attention to the evolution of Mongolian scripts — including traditional Mongol, Soyombo, Vagindra, and Cyrillic systems.
What fascinated me most, however, was how the Mongol Empire embraced multilingual communication. The khans sent letters in Chinese to Japan, Persian and Arabic to the Roman pope, and Mongolian to European monarchs. One of the most compelling items on display is a reproduction of the imperial seal of Güyük Khan (reigned 1246-1248), Chinggis Khan’s grandson. This very seal is said to have stamped a letter to Pope Innocent IV in 1246 — a copy of which survives in the Vatican archives.
Displayed alongside these written documents are garments and accessories once worn by Mongolian nobles — pieces that speak of elegance, hierarchy, and heritage.
Tips for wanderer — Commons Pavilions usually don’t require queuing. If you see a line, come back later — it’s worth the visit when the space is quiet.
Sense of Wander: ★★★☆☆
🇮🇳 Bharat Pavilion
Unlike most other pavilions at the Expo, the Bharat Pavilion — India’s official name in Sanskrit — welcomes you without a queue, a kind of openness that echoes the India I know.
Inspired by a lotus in bloom, a symbol of purity and resilience, the pavilion unfolds with poetic symbolism. One of the first things you encounter is a terracotta wall titled Bonds of Soil — an installation composed of earthen pieces sourced from every Indian state. Together, they form a tactile ode to the country’s unity in diversity, speaking a shared language of clay.
Inside, the atmosphere is one of gentle chaos — alive with sound, motion, and colour. My attention is drawn to the LUNOoOM Kinetic Sand Art Table, where a tiny steel ball traces slow, meditative paths through kinetic sand. The shifting patterns are mesmerising — constantly in motion, yet grounding in their stillness.
A large portion of the pavilion is devoted to India’s digital progress, including space exploration, information technology, and digital infrastructure. But what captivated me was the One District One Product section. Here, the richness of Indian craftsmanship comes alive through handwoven carpets, carved wood, painted figurines, metalwork, instruments, and more.
And no visit would be complete without stepping into the bazaar — a treasure trove of incense sticks, shawls, singing bowls, jewellery, and small keepsakes waiting to travel with you.
Sense of Wander: ★★★★☆
Tips for wanderer — Craving a taste of India? The pavilion’s cafe serves warm curry and spiced chai — a comfort after long hours of wandering.
🇮🇩 Indonesia Pavilion
I hadn’t planned to visit the Indonesia Pavilion — it was a last-minute stop, one of the few still open as the day drew to a close. But the experience turned out to be unforgettable.
You enter through a lush miniature forest, where artworks are hidden among the foliage — an ode to Indonesia’s rich natural beauty and its 17,000 islands. The space feels alive, rooted, and breathing.
As you move forward, you walk a path of memory, where black-and-white portraits of Indonesian faces — young and old — peer back with joy, passion and dignity. It’s intimate, grounding, and humbling.
Upstairs, the focus shifts to craft and heritage. A standout: an exhibition of traditional weaponery from ethnic tribes across the archipelago. A staff member gently reminds us: “These aren’t replicas — they’re real museum artefacts.” Their elegant, curved forms remind me of the jambiya from the Arab world, yet speak entirely of this land.
My favourite part is a room dedicated to textiles — each loom displaying a fabric tied to a distinct culture. It’s hard to fathom how textiles that look as simple as these could embody a tradition that crosses centuries. I couldn’t help but think: one pavilion isn’t nearly enough to contain the depth of a country with over 1,300 ethnic groups.
And then there’s the staff — bursting with warmth and energy. They sing, explain, and greet each guest with an enthusiasm that’s contagious. “Why are you all so full of life?” I asked one of them, unable to hide my curiosity. She simply smiled. Maybe joy is part of the national character — something not easily explained, only felt.
Sense of Wander: ★★★★☆
Tips for wanderer — Visit early in the morning or within the last hour before closing — the queue tends to disappear, and you’ll often be able to walk right in.
🇦🇺 Australia Pavilion
If you’re looking for a pavilion that awakens every sense, the Australia Pavilion is a journey in itself. At night, it glows hot pink — and stepping inside, I found myself walking into a world inspired by the eucalyptus blossom, a sacred tree for Indigenous Australian people.
The experience is a guided adventure through land, sky, and sea. You begin in a eucalyptus forest, its fauna calling from unseen corners. Look closely, and you’ll find tree carvings, an ancient form of storytelling and ceremonial mark-making by Indigenous Australians.
Then, you’re invited to look up — into the night sky. The stars shift, and gradually you see it: the faint outline of an emu and her three chicks. Wait a little longer, and it would unfold into another celestial scene: an emu drinking water, a sign that the rainy season is coming. It’s one of many sky-bound stories passed down across over 200 Indigenous cultures, each carrying an unspoken connection to the cosmos.
But it was the Sea that held me most. Surrounded by digital screens, I found myself immersed in a dreamlike marine world, glowing with spirit animals — jellyfish, sea turtles, stingrays. Then came the whale: vast, majestic, and gliding overhead with an almost sacred grace. I was so enchanted that, despite the staff’s gentle urging, I stayed and watched it three times.
The pavilion poses a question: “How can ancient knowledge help us build a future society?” It seems to suggest that when we’re unsure of the way forward, we might look back — not only to human ancestors, but to the land, the sea, and the more-than-human world that sustains us. Because here, everything is connected.
Sense of Wander: ★★★★★
Tips for wanderer — No reservation? No problem. Arrive after 20:00H and the line often disappears — letting you walk in, just like that.
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan Pavilion
Even from a distance, the Uzbekistan Pavilion commands attention. Rising from its roof is an 8-metre-tall forest of timber pillars — an open-air structure that gently recalls the Juma Mosque of Khiva. The inspiration is unmistakable: this contemporary space echoes the spiritual architecture of Khiva, while the azure-hued tiles, reminiscent of Bukhara, are set between earthen bricks, transporting visitors to the heart of the ancient Silk Road.
Inside, the exhibition Garden of Knowledge invites visitors to explore Uzbekistan’s transformation through the lenses of sustainability, innovation, and education. One surprise: I learned that the new State Museum of Arts in Tashkent is being designed by none other than Tadao Ando — the museum was closed during my last visit, and I hadn’t expected to find its presence here.
You’re then guided into a circular chamber, where a 360-degree projection begins in complete darkness. Slowly, a single seed appears, then blossoms into a garden. Stories, symbols, and motifs from Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage unfold like petals — delicate, layered, and luminous. The experience lasts just a few minutes, and before you realise it, the projection chamber becomes a lift, quietly carrying you to the pavilion’s upper level.
Here, curious wanderers are free to roam among 213 timber pillars, all made of Japanese cypress (sugi), sourced from the nearby forests of Nara. On some of them, QR codes let you trace the provenance of the wood — a poetic gesture of transparency and connection. When the Expo comes to a close, this structure will be dismantled and brought back to Uzbekistan — a temporary garden destined to be replanted.
Sense of Wander: ★★★★★
Tips for wanderer — If you’d like the guided tour to be in English, speak to the staff at the entrance and they’ll be happy to assist. Don’t miss the gift shop on your way out — it’s a lovely chance to bring a piece of Uzbekistan home.
🇹🇲 Turkmenistan Pavilion
With its eye-catching architecture, the Turkmenistan Pavilion is hard to ignore. Even passersby who hadn’t planned a visit find themselves slowing down for a closer look.
At the entrance, you’re greeted by a formal portrait of President Serdar Berdimuhamedow. Step inside, and you’ll find yourself surrounded by a panoramic projection tracing the country’s Turkic roots — a sweeping visual that sets the stage for what lies ahead.
Upstairs, you enter a souq-like space — not quite a market, but a showcase of goods from around the country. From commercial products to crafts, the displays are arranged with care. I was especially drawn to a woven table runner: the flag of Turkmenistan on one end, and that of Japan on the other — a gentle nod to shared diplomacy. Nearby, a selection of silver jewellery caught my eye, each piece inset with carnelian and steeped in nomadic design — pieces that felt at once foreign and familiar.
There’s a cafe on the second floor, and judging by the queue, it’s one of the pavilion’s biggest draws. Guests wait patiently to try traditional pastries like pişme and Şek Şeki. I didn’t have time to join the line, but I did enjoy wandering through a display of traditional garments hung along the wall — a section many seemed to miss in their rush toward food.
In the gift shop, I picked up an alaja — a traditional braided cord believed to ward off evil and bring luck. A small thing, but meaningful.
Sense of Wander: ★★★☆☆
Tips for wanderer — The gift shop offers one of the widest selections of souvenirs from the region. From pens and notebooks to carpets and sculpture — you might just find something special.
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan Pavilion
Bound by the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains, Azerbaijan stands at a cultural crossroads, where West Asia meets Eastern Europe.
Its pavilion draws you in with a facade of meshwork and arches — seven, to be exact — inspired by The Seven Beauties, a ballet by Azerbaijani composer Gara Garayev. Before you even step inside, you’re greeted by graceful wooden carvings of dancers caught mid-motion. Each arch and figure seems to embody a distinct aspect of the nation’s spirit.
Inside, the exhibition flows between themes of cultural diversity, natural heritage, architecture, and traditional craft. A personal highlight for me was the jewellery: delicate silver pieces from the 20th century, intricately made and rich in local character.
If you’re as curious about Azerbaijan as I was, take the time to explore. There’s a gentle strength in the way the story is told.
Tips for wanderer — Wait times are usually 40 minutes or more, but the pavilion is worth every minute.
Sense of Wander: ★★★★☆
🍣 SUSHIRO To The Future: Expo Edition
Though not a pavilion, the Sushiro Expo Store is a must-visit for anyone curious about the future of sushi. As a regular Sushiro diner, I was eager to see how this beloved chain restaurant imagines sushi — as well as the sushi experience — in the years to come.
At the entrance, you’re greeted by a digital aquarium. Inside the restaurant, the space is lit with lush greenery and lanterns. Its interior, crafted from Yoshino cedar from Nara, pays tribute to Kansai region’s natural beauty and craft traditions.
Browsing its expansive digital menu, I found Sushiro’s vision for the future: sustainability. In particular, a focus on farmed fish raised from artificial seeds — an effort to move away from the environmental burden of overfishing. With climate change, warming seas, and plastic waste threatening marine ecosystems, the “Fish of Tomorrow” offer a hopeful alternative.
I had planned to try the land-raised sea urchin and eel, but both were sold out by evening. Instead, I went for the “Land Farmed Fuji Atlantic Salmon” — tender, fresh, and better thab what I’d expected. I also sampled the “Plant Seafood Gunkan Set,” featuring shrimp, negitoro, and salmon roe — all entirely plant-based. But my favourite was the “Salted Seared Otoro Sushi” — rich, buttery, perfect. I ordered it three times.
Tips for wanderer — It’s extremely popular. Get a ticket number as soon as you arrive at the Expo. If tickets are gone, check again after 19:30 — late-night walk-ins are sometimes available. Last orders are taken at 20:30.
Sense of Wander: ★★★★☆