Osaka Expo Visit #4: April 24, 2025

Scenes from Day 4-Night Moves!

I was thrilled to step into one of the Japanese pavilions finally, and it did not disappoint.

The Iida Group Holdings and Osaka Metropolitan University pavilion is more than just an exhibit. It’s a vision of how we might be living very soon. But before diving into the future, let’s talk about the incredible structure that houses it...

This pavilion holds not one but two Guinness World Records:

1. Largest building wrapped in Jacquard fabric

2. Largest roof shaped like a traditional Japanese fan

(You won’t see that roof in my photos—I'm not tall enough! But I highly recommend looking it up online.)

... and the inside was just as extraordinary. Their concept of blending tradition and cutting-edge technology to design smart homes and smart cities for future smart living.

Japan is known for certain things around the world - electronic goods, bullet trains, manufacturing, anime - but people will be completely awe-struck at some of their innovations - Japan is truly living in 2050 in some cases already. Walking around this pavilion brought that home to me.

Blending Tradition and Technology for Future Living

A showcase of next-generation smart homes and sustainable cities. The concept? Integrate tradition with state-of-the-art technology to create what they call “smart living.”

Think:

• An AI wellness doctor, personal trainer, and household butler—all built into your home.

• A “Check-Up Gate” that scans your vitals as you walk through and gives you personalized health insights.

  
  

I had hoped to reserve a 40-minute walkthrough to test all these features, but the line was already closed. I shot a video of their model city of the future —forgive my running commentary to my brother in the background.

(Corrected video angle.) Video of Model City in the Iida Group Holdings & Osaka Metropolitan University Pavilion

Pasona Natureverse:

Another impressive experience came from the Pasona pavilion, where the exhibit began with The Tree of Life Evolution. This installation used a tree to depict the past, present, and potential future of humanity in its inner layers.

Our present encompasses the emergence of humans, the birth of computers, and the evolution of AI. The character of Astro Boy ('Mighty Atom' when translated directly from Japanese) is used to tell the story of our present-day quest to undo some of the damage to our planet, restore balance with nature, and give ourselves the best chance for a healthy and thriving future. It was thought-provoking, to say the least.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia   

A desert sand colored compound of interconnected buildings and courtyards with palm trees swaying in the night air. I jumped at the invitation to enter to see a dance performance that was just about to start.

Wandering from room to room via open air corridors viewing cultural artifacts, hearing an artist tell his story of reimagining traditional materials in new ways to create lasting art, listening to a soundtrack of traditional music, and seeing the efforts being made by the country to harness the power of the sun and ocean sustainability made for a bit of desert adventure.

I’ve yet to visit their rooftop restaurant (word is, it’s amazing)—as food, after all, is one of the best ways to connect with a country.

Stay tuned...More to visits come.

** Burton Consulting International (BCI) is sharing our personal summary accounts of our expo visits to share the wonders, innovations, inspiration, and cultural richness of EXPO 2025 with those who cannot attend in person.