by Cornelia Reiher

In September, I had the opportunity to visit the 2025 Osaka Expo, which took place from April 13 to October 13 under the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives.” While world exhibitions mainly showcase nations, Japan’s municipalities and prefectures also presented themselves at the Osaka Expo. I missed the “Local Japan Exhibition” in July, which featured 43 participating prefectures and municipalities from Tohoku to Okinawa, but there was still plenty to discover.

On the day I visited the Expo, it was incredibly crowded and hot. Unfortunately, I didn’t have reservations for the pavilions, so I walked around the wooden Grand Ring and admired each country’s pavilion from the outside. Designed by architect Fujimoto Sou, the Grand Ring was constructed using a mixture of modern building techniques and traditional nuki joints, which are also used in the construction of Japanese shrines and temples. Thus, the Grand Ring itself was a tribute to traditional Japanese woodworking and was quite impressive.

Fortunately, some of the pavilions could be accessed without reservations. Among them were pavilions displaying local crafts, as well as those representing various municipalities and prefectures. First, I visited the “Earth at Night” pavilion, which displayed a giant globe made of Wajima-nuri lacquerware from Ishikawa Prefecture alongside other traditional crafts from the region. The impressive globe has a diameter of 1 m. It is a “’symbol of reconstruction’ that miraculously remained undamaged in the Noto earthquake on January 1, 2024. It is imbued with the hope of ‘conveying to the world the importance of thinking about others beyond conflict and division’.” (Japanese Association for the 2025 World Exhibition 2025).

In the Kansai Pavilion at Osaka Expo, the nine prefectures of Shiga, Kyoto, Hyogo, Nara, Wakayama, Tottori, Tokushima, Fukui, and Mie had separate rooms and exhibited their diverse attractions of history, culture, sights under the theme, “The Brilliance of Kansai’s Rich History and Its Present Day”. The individual exhibits all showcased the scenery of the different prefectures, traditional crafts or local agricultural products. Shiga Prefecture brought its heritage to life through large video displays and virtual tours, featuring Shigaraki pottery, centuries-old weaving, sake brewing, and the famous fireworks over Lake Biwa. Mie highlighted its renowned Matsuzaka cotton, fine ink traditions, and local specialties such as beef, eel, and pickles. Wakayama offered a glimpse into its refined lacquerware, while Tokushima captivated with Otani ceramics and exquisite woven textiles. Together, these exhibits painted a vivid picture of Kansai as a region where history and craftsmanship are deeply interwoven with everyday life.

I also visited one of the buildings in the “Signs of Life” (Dialogue Theater) pavilion (inochi no akashi), which was produced by Kawase Naomi, the famous film director from Nara Prefecture. Two closed wooden school buildings from Nara and Kyoto Prefectures were brought to Osaka and converted into three pavilion buildings. The actual idea of the Dialogue Theater is to bring two strangers together to start a dialogue on various topics on stage. Although I was unable to attend the actual dialogues, one building was dedicated to presenting various places in Nara Prefecture. Traditional handicrafts such as porcelain, wooden sake cups, and kaya, a traditional mosquito net fabric, were on display. I learned that the history of kaya fabric in Nara dates back about 1,700 years and was brought to Japan by craftsmen from China. Kaya weaving continues today, with the fabric being used for everyday items such as multi-layered dish towels.

In the pavilion, representatives from various municipalities in Nara Prefecture distributed flyers and brochures about the sights and history of their respective municipalities. And just like at the Furusato Kaiki Fair I had visited in Tokyo a week earlier, there was information material for potential new residents. In addition to pictures of beautiful lakes and forests, arts and crafts, and local foods, these brochures contained information about financial and other support for potential urban-rural migrants. The pavilion was well attended, and visitors seemed to enjoy the pictures and objects on display and talking to the representatives of the various towns and cities from Nara Prefecture.

Overall, the display of Japanese craftsmanship and local diversity was a great opportunity for municipalities and prefectures in Japan to showcase themselves to visitors from around the world. It was also an occasion for the Japanese audience to learn about the hidden gems of their own country.

Reference:

Japanese Association for the 2025 World Exhibition (2025), “Wajima-nuri Large Globe “Earth at Night” to be Exhibited,” https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/news/news-20250317-02/