Osaka Expo '70 Park

What to know

The Expo '70 Commemorative Park (万博記念公園, Banpaku Kinenkōen) is a vast public park in Osaka, about 30 minutes north of the city center. It was the site of the Japan World Exposition in 1970, the first world expo held in Asia, featuring over 75 pavilions showcasing global wonders and cutting-edge corporations. Today, the park is a popular destination for nature, sports, museums, and seasonal flowers.

After the expo, the grounds were transformed into the Expo Commemorative Park and opened to the public. The grand pavilions gave way to newly planted forests, gardens, and wide lawns and plazas lined with flowering plants and trees. Around 5,000 cherry trees, especially along the southeastern plazas, make the park one of Osaka's top cherry blossom spots when they bloom, usually in early April.

Several original expo installations remain for visitors to enjoy. These include the Tower of the Sun, a 70-meter-high artwork overlooking the main entrance and serving as the park's iconic symbol; the Dream Pond, where visitors can rent boats and paddle around sculptures in the water; and a large Japanese landscape garden. One former pavilion was preserved and converted into the Expo 70 Pavilion, now a memorial museum about the expo.

Other museums in the park include the National Museum of Ethnology, with a vast collection of artifacts from around the world, and the Japan Folk Crafts Museum, featuring permanent collections of ceramics, textiles, paintings, and other crafts. Both museums also host temporary special exhibitions.

Recently, a large shopping and entertainment complex called Expocity opened just outside the park's main gate. The mall is a three-story indoor shopping center with over 300 stores selling Japanese and international brands, including fashion, cosmetics, household goods, and sports equipment. It also has a food court and a restaurant zone.

The shopping mall is surrounded by other attractions, including Japan's largest Ferris wheel, a cinema, and the innovative Nifrel aquarium, which features art-like displays and a barrier-free design that allows animals and humans to interact.