osaka_expo_notes
This is an old revision of the document!
I went to “Expo 2025” / “Osaka Expo 2025” / “Kansai Expo 2025” on May 30th, 2025, and will go again on June 1st, 2025.
Here are my notes for attending, so you can learn from what I've learned:
- Though the expo officially closes at 22:00, in practice, most venues start closing around 20:30 and 21:00.
- In-practice, leaving the venue after the light show / at 21:00 is guaranteed to leave you in a 1 hour line to leave the expo and arrive at the Osaka Metro Station (夢洲駅) Yumeshima at the East Gate. Not only is this significantly annoying, but the venue is pitch black / unlit. If you are with a group of people and you are not holding onto each other's hands or bags, you will get separated. It is not for the feint of heart. There are no bathroom breaks during the line back to the station. If you have children, a stroller, a wheel chair, or any kind of mobility aid, leaving the expo will be dangerous and difficult. There are not a lot of access options for the Expo. I strongly suggest that you plan on departing the Expo before the crowds/rush (maybe as early as 19:00). Please take it from me – I routinely attend events at Tokyo Big Sight like Comic Market, the largest fan convention on the planet. Unlike Comic Market, you cannot simply leave the venue walking and get a taxi.
- On-site reservation booking is bound to fail. Do not rely on it. Instead, there is a map of the venue that you can use without reservations accessible via a link to the map of pavilions without reservation requirements inside the official visitor app and/or digital map on the website.
- Popular pavilions like important countries (e.g., China, Malaysia, Australia) usually have 2 hour wait times to enter.
- Foreign country pavilions do not require reservations.
- If there are fireworks, you cannot stand on the wooden ring to watch them from many angles.
- There is a relatively complex toilet system that has one-way entry doors. Avoid this system and find a different toilet to use. People get this wrong and you will wait to use the toilet far longer than you would expect.
- If you want merchandise, go to the store early, do not wait until the end of the day, or things will be sold out.
- There is a lot of food around the venue. Avoid the British/UK food at all cost.
osaka_expo_notes.1748705771.txt.gz · Last modified: by particles