Usually I write Japanese hotspring facilities, but today I will review Osaka Expo 2025, as I visited at the opening week. There are lots of things I want to share. Hope this will help your visit. (If you have chance to visit Tokyo, please find below article which I described my best recommendation of hotspring in central Tokyo area)
Visiting on a weekday is overwhelmingly comfortable! In fact, I visited during the opening week on a weekday, and I was able to enter smoothly without almost any waiting, and I was able to make reservations for several pavilions. From social media reports of those who visited on weekends, it seems that just entering can take over 30 minutes, and for popular pavilions, waiting times of 90 minutes or more are common. I strongly recommend visiting on weekdays for those with small children or elderly people as it is much less stressful.
The Expo venue is vast—so large that measuring it in terms of Tokyo Dome equivalents doesn’t even do it justice, and you’ll be walking all day. The distances within the venue are longer than expected, so it’s of course unrealistic to “see everything.” If you’re not confident that you can stand or walk for about three hours, it’s important to decide in advance which areas to prioritize, and perhaps focus on specific pavilions in certain areas to move around efficiently. The movement around the large roofed ring is also tricky, with poorly designed stairways and escalators, so it’s wise to not try to go back and forth but to move along the path like writing a continuous line.
For photography lovers, the location is truly like “heaven.” The design of the exteriors of each pavilion is unique, and there are plenty of compositions that will excite architecture enthusiasts and Instagrammers. You can enjoy it enough with just a smartphone, but of course, it’s different if you bring a DSLR camera. The way light enters in the morning and evening, and aerial shots from the large roofed ring, are endless opportunities for photography. Be sure to free up space on your SD card!
The official app’s UX is honestly a little lacking. While the design and functions are adequate, the operations for pavilion reservations and QR code displays are a bit cumbersome, and during crowded times, it can take a while for the app to load. So, it’s better to screenshot the QR code in advance or print it out. This way, you can keep the app open on the pavilion reservation page to constantly look for availability.
In summary, I would say it’s definitely worth visiting at least once. Experiencing the culture and technology of countries around the world all at once is a unique feature of the Expo. It has the fun of a theme park while also offering intellectual experiences, and although the ticket price isn’t cheap, when you think about it as an experience you’ll remember for a lifetime, it offers incredible cost performance. If you think of it the same way as Disneyland or USJ—”even waiting in line is part of the experience,” or “there were some terrible places too, but that’s part of the memories”—you’ll enjoy it even more.
Crowd Check: Weekdays are the best!
I visited on a weekday during the opening week, and even at that time, there were still a fair number of people. However,
There were plenty of tickets available
Almost no wait to enter
Popular pavilions had 30–60 minute waits
On weekends, I imagine there will be overwhelming crowds, so if your schedule allows, I highly recommend visiting on weekdays (although mornings can be quite crowded). Even though it wasn’t empty, it’s not as overwhelmingly packed as weekends.
Rough classification:
Pavilion
Notes (impression on the day I visited)
Very popular pavilions (e.g. Japan Pavilion, USA Pavilion, China Pavilion, France Pavilion, etc.)
Reservations not available or if available, it’s very hard to get a reservation on the same day. Wait time over 1 hour.
Famous countries’ pavilions (e.g. Italy Pavilion, UK Pavilion, Canada Pavilion, Netherlands Pavilion, Indonesia Pavilion)
Wait time around 30–45 minutes. Same-day reservations might be possible.
Other countries pavilions, Future City, Commons etc
Wait time around 15–30 minutes. Relatively easy to enter.
Even at night, need to wait for more than a hour to enter US Pavilion
Pavilion reservation strategy: Reload is the key for today’s reservations!
The official app is well developed, but since UX or rule is complex.
Basic reservation rules:
Reservations for each time slot open at 9:00 AM on the day, but there is also a system for “7-day reservations” and “2-month advance reservations.”
7-day reservations open at 9:00 AM exactly 7 days before your planned visit. If you want a specific pavilion, securing a reservation at this time is the safest.
2-month advance reservations (officially called early organized ticket reservations) allow you to secure tickets even earlier. This is mainly for corporate sponsors and travel agencies, but certain campaigns or pre-draw options may include general visitors.
Same-day(Today) reservations open at 9:00 AM with available time slots. This is highly competitive, and especially for popular pavilions, slots fill up in just a few minutes.
Only one reservation can be made per device (it can be rebooked after cancellation), so if you’re visiting in a group, it’s a good idea to split up who will reserve what in advance.
Recommended tactics:
Open the app and wait before 9:00 AM
Reload repeatedly even if there’s an error
Keep checking for “cancelled” slots and reserve immediately when you find one
Since you can only visit a limited number of pavilions, make sure to list your must-see ones and prioritize them in advance!
Popular Pavilion Ranking:
Based on online evaluations, reviews from the first week of the event, and other information from social media and video content, here are the top 20 pavilions with high attention and satisfaction:
Pavilion
Rating
Features & Highlights
Japan Pavilion
★★★★★
Huge scale and advanced video technology. Reservations are hard to get, always 1+ hour wait
USA Pavilion
★★★★☆
High entertainment value, excellent presentation of future tech. Fun, lively waiting area
France Pavilion
★★★★☆
Fuses art and sustainability. Popular with women, beautifully designed interior
Italy Pavilion
★★★★★
Da Vinci’s designs, Michelangelo replicas, grand interior beauty
UK Pavilion
★★★☆☆
Poetry and architecture as themes. Popular as an Instagram spot
Germany Pavilion
★★★★☆
Hands-on exhibits. Popular with families with kids
South Korea Pavilion
★★★★☆
Great immersive experience with sound and video, strong K-Culture vibe
China Pavilion
★★★☆☆
Giant screen and powerful presentations. Often crowded
Canada Pavilion
★★★★☆
Good balance of nature and tech, highly rated as a relaxing space
Australia Pavilion
★★★☆☆
Focused on coexistence with nature, gentle atmosphere
Spain Pavilion
★★★☆☆
Flamenco and cultural elements digitally fused. Popular with young people
Indonesia Pavilion
★★★★☆
Realistic tropical rainforest recreation, appeals to all senses
Saudi Arabia Pavilion
★★★★☆
Huge and luxurious. Praises for the fusion of desert and technology
UAE Pavilion
★★★☆☆
Many futuristic city-themed exhibits, experience the Arab vision of the future
Future City (West Gate)
★★★★☆
Strong sci-fi elements, very popular with younger generations, relatively easy to reserve
Philippines Pavilion
★★★☆☆
Fusion of ethnic culture and technology as an art exhibit
Thailand Pavilion
★★☆☆☆
Focuses on local culture with a relatively compact setup
Brazil Pavilion
★★★☆☆
Carnival-style presentation, great for music lovers
Egypt Pavilion
★★★☆☆
Themes of pyramids and pharaohs, many photo opportunities
Africa Union Pavilion
★★★☆☆
Rare pavilion offering an immersive experience of various African cultures
Here’s an introduction to the pavilions I personally visited. Each one had its own unique features, and there were many voices saying that they were worth the wait. Of course, crowd levels and preferences vary from person to person, but I hope you can use this as a reference for deciding which pavilions to prioritize based on your available time and energy.
Pavilion
Recommendation
Highlights
Italy Pavilion
★★★★★
Da Vinci’s design plans, Michelangelo’s replicas, splendid interior
Indonesia Pavilion
★★★★☆
Realistic recreation of a tropical rainforest. Exhibits that appeal to the five senses
UK Pavilion
★★★☆☆
Unique architecture, perfect for Instagram-worthy shots!
Future City (West Gate side)
★★★★☆
A futuristic experience that’s a must-see for sci-fi fans
Philippine Pavilion
★★★★☆
A fusion of ethnic culture and digital technology
Commons Area
★★★☆☆
Exhibits you can enjoy like a museum. A space that sparks intellectual curiosity
Thailand Pavilion
★★☆☆☆
Unique interactive content
Luxembourg Pavilion
★★★☆☆
Easy access. A little more familiar with Luxembourg, which was previously unknown (may be fun for language lovers)
Italy Pavilion
2026 Milano Olympics torch
First public display in Japan: Historical sculpture “Atlas of Farnese”
Caravaggio’s famous painting “The Burial of Christ” (held at the Vatican Museum)
Four drawings from Leonardo da Vinci’s “Atlantic Code”
Indonesia Pavilion
UK Pavilion
Future City
Philippines Pavilion
Great Location: Next to US Pavilion
Others
The under-construction India Pavilion
The iconic large-roof ring structure “The Grand Ring” stands out as a symbol of the Expo.
Beautiful landscape at night
Like Exhibition
Visitors can taste a cup of local coffee at some pavilions
Access and Recommended Routes: “West Gate Route”
General access
Shin-Osaka → Honmachi (Subway Chūō Line) → Yumeshima Station (walking). There are signs from Shin-Osaka Station.
However, I highly recommend the “West Gate Route”.
The bus tours introduced on YouTube via the West Gate are very comfortable! The West Gate has fewer visitors, so waiting times are shorter. It’s smoother from the start of the day compared to the always-crowded East Gate.
Especially if you want to avoid the crowds in the evening, the West Gate → direct bus → city center route is highly recommended.
Preparation Tips
To make the most of your Expo visit, preparation is key!
Must-have items:
Mobile battery (you’ll need your phone all day)
QR code (print or screenshot, in case of app issues)
Sunscreen and hat (lots of outdoor areas)
Folding chair or portable cushion (you might be waiting in line for a long time)
DSLR or high-performance camera (a must for photo lovers)
Items to avoid bringing:
Large luggage (hard to move around, especially when crossing the big roof ring or boarding the shuttle bus. You’ll need to check in large suitcases for a fee. Leave them at a nearby station locker or your hotel).
Perishable food or drinks (there are restrictions on what you can bring in).
Additionally, it’s helpful to watch tutorials on apps and reservation methods before going. Familiarizing yourself with how to operate the pavilion reservation screens and how to handle crowds on the day will help you avoid stress at the venue.
Hotels Near the Expo
Here are some great hotels near the Expo venue and Yumeshima area with high reviews.
Convenient point: Convenience store on ground floor
Note: It’s a bit of a walk (10-15 minutes) from the station.
Conclusion: Osaka Expo 2025 is Great Entertainment!
Some people (especially many Japanese media) may think “It’s crowded, and you’ll just end up waiting in line,” but once you’re there, you should be impressed and that day will be your memorable day. Osaka EXPO 2025 is a large exhibition which so many countries gathered at once. Especially, the experiences that you can’t find anywhere else are truly worth seeing! Plus, the photo ops, architectural beauty, and tech exhibits are things that people of all ages can enjoy.
At the same time, considering the crowds and the physical stamina required, preparation and information gathering are key to success!
Please use this article as a guide to make your Osaka Expo visit the best it can be!
コメント