Osaka Expo Visit #29: Sept. 24, 2025

IRELAND Pavilion:

Ireland’s pavilion theme is “Creativity Connects People”—a reminder that imagination plays a vital role in shaping the future.

Stepping into the Ireland Pavilion, you encounter a miniature habitat – bogland, native vegetation, and a soundscape of Irish bird species. You have stepped and are steeped in the land itself: the cool, earthy scent of peat and moss, plants and earth. You can breathe in the landscape.

In the second part of the exhibit, an evocative film, set to a haunting Irish score, carries you over meadows of wildflowers, through caves and over rugged stones, across windswept cliffs wrapped in fog and mist. The lashing wind, the weight of stone, the softness of petals—all combine to create a sensory immersion that transports you instantly to Ireland’s wild coast.

Here, folklore, spiritual ancestry, and traditions are interwoven with the island’s famed green splendor and in vibrant cities where art, literature, and crafts are celebrated. This pavilion is a poem of Ireland, telling of the creativity that springs from its people.

PRINCIPALITY of MONACO Pavilion:

The Monaco Pavilion is alit with its message of —"Take Care of Wonder." 

The pavilion experience begins with tactile displays where visitors can run their hands across stones and grass from Monaco. Each touch triggers shifting visuals on digital screens—suddenly you’re artist, not just a spectator,  creating art through your fingertips. Wonder-ful!

Next, the “Human–Wildlife” board game, invites visitors to choose an animal and guide it safely back to its natural habitat. Nearby the tree of social responsibility (as I call it) reminds us that caring for our environment should be deeply rooted in all of us.

A sculptural installation shifts as you orbit it, revealing hidden animals and reminding us that the time is at hand to take care of the wonder that is our planet.

For me, the most wonder-full is the phenomenal “Take Care of the Ocean” feature.  Here, visitors are immersed in the vibrant wildness of the sea, surrounded by shifting colors and lights that reveal sea creatures in motion. It’s a vivid reminder of the fragile beauty that lies beneath the waves—and the responsibility we share to protect it. This filled me with wonder! See a video snippet below the pictures.

Osaka Expo is coming to an end on October 13! Stay tuned though... STILL more visits to come!

NOTE: I am writing and giving online talks about my Expo visits to share the wonders, innovations, inspiration, and cultural richness of EXPO Osaka 2025 with those who are interested but unable to attend.

*All pictures and videos by Yvonne Burton