Is The Osaka Expo Worth It? Honest Review + Tips (2025)
Last Updated on April 28, 2025 by Kay
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission on any purchases through those links at zero additional cost to you. Whatever I make goes to keeping this website running and I am forever grateful for the support. See my Privacy Policy for more information.
Osaka is one of the most popular cities to visit right now due to the World Expo 2025, which is currently being held until October 13th, 2025. However, you might be wondering whether it’s worth your time and money to visit World Expo 2025 while you’re in Osaka. After all, this event is only held once every five years, and in a different city each time.
In this article, I’ll share my detailed experience visiting Expo 2025 in Osaka as a Canadian who lives in Japan. I will also share my husband’s thoughts as a Japanese national, what it’s like to visit the Osaka Expo with kids, and provide some helpful tips that I think everyone should know before they go.
Table of Contents
Expo Osaka Review
The World Expo highlights culture and technology, the Osaka Expo in particular bringing together over 100 countries and their ideas for a sustainable and utopian future.
My family of three visited World Expo 2025 Osaka on a weekday at the end of April. I had never been to a World Expo before, but my husband had gone to the World Expo 2005 in Aichi and enjoyed it.
Since I don’t like crowded places, I honestly never would have visited the Osaka Expo if I hadn’t received free tickets from my daughter’s kindergarten in Japan. We live in Osaka, and many school kids residing in and around the prefecture were gifted free tickets to attend. This is very important to know when it comes to anticipating how crowded it will be, which I will explain later.
We thought a weekday would be less crowded than weekends, especially since my friend had no luck winning any lotteries when she visited on a weekend. Surprisingly, though, we could only get entry from 11 AM and only won lotteries for two pavilions in the evening. We would find out later why this happened.
We took public transport to the Osaka Expo because it’s the cheapest option, and unlike the buses, you don’t need to make reservations in advance.
Here’s the route we took from Osaka Station:
We took the Midosuji Line to Hommachi Station and then switched to the Chuo Line, riding until Yumeshima Station. However, the Chuo Line was packed when we rode, since many people had the same thought process as we did.
Yumeshima Station was built exclusively for the World Expo 2025, so it’s very easy to get to the Osaka Expo site from there. In fact, it took us less than five minutes — we just climbed up the stairs and could see the East Gate entrance!
But as I mentioned before, there were a lot of people despite it being a weekday. Here’s what the station crowd looked like when we arrived:
You can’t go straight to the East Gate entrance — instead, you’ll be led through what I can only describe as a very looping, enclosed line that will take you to baggage screening.
We started lining up at 10:53 AM for 11:00 AM entry, and by the time we got through the baggage screening and had our tickets scanned, it was 11:33 — it took us a whopping 40 minutes just to get inside! (And we waited while listening to a super noisy helicopter hovering above us.)
For this reason, I recommend arriving about 30 minutes before your scheduled entry time.
After your ticket is scanned and you’re inside Osaka Expo, you’re allowed to try to reserve one more pavilion using the official Osaka Expo website. Many of them were completely booked, but we managed to get a spot for Blue Ocean Dome in the evening.
Osaka Expo Zones
To make our visit to the Osaka Expo easier to understand, it’s important to know that the Expo is divided into eight zones, which are color-coded and consist of the following:
- East Gate Zone (red)
- West Gate Zone (blue)
- Connecting Lives Zone (light blue)
- Saving Lives Zone (orange)
- Empowering Lives Zone (green)
- Forest of Tranquility Zone (greenish yellow)
- Signature Zone (purple)
- Future Life Zone (lime green)
East Gate Zone
There’s a lot of walking at Osaka Expo, and my friend said her daughter was exhausted after two hours, so we decided to rent a stroller for our daughter. This was such a lifesaver and I cannot recommend it enough!
Stroller rentals are free and are located to your left at the Baby Center (pictured above, the building on the left) after you go through the East Gate.
There are also shops here where you can buy mobile phone essentials, such as cables and batteries, and a washroom.
You’ll also see a LAWSON convenience store here, and there was absolutely no line when we arrived, so we bought some onigiri just in case the lines for food were long.
After the LAWSON, there’s an EXPO souvenir store, but the lines to get inside and then pay were really long. We wanted to get an official Osaka Expo stamp book but didn’t want to waste time in line, so we gave up. I’m glad we did because we later found a shop selling it with a much shorter line (more on that later)!
Our Osaka Expo Pavilion Reservations
You’re only able to reserve up to three pavilions for the Osaka Expo. We applied for five pavilions seven days in advance but only won a spot for one pavilion in the evening. Three days before the day you visit, you can book another pavilion, but the only ones available were in the evening, again. And once we were at the Osaka Expo, we found out why the only available spots were in the evening.
School kids.
Lots and lots of Japanese school kids, ranging from elementary school to high school. All of these school kids had reservations for popular pavilions, like Panasonic’s The Land of NOMO. As I mentioned earlier, my daughter received free tickets for the Osaka Expo through her kindergarten, and I believe the schools in Japan have a special arrangement with the Osaka Expo for school trips where they get priority entry to pavilions.
Many other pavilions had long lines ranging from 40 minutes to over two hours long!
My friend had mentioned that the bread sold at the France pavilion was quite good, but the line at a little past noon was an hour long, so we decided to come back later.
We weren’t interested in wasting our day waiting in line, so we just decided to talk around and look for Pokémon statues. The official Osaka Expo app will tell you where these Pokémon are located, which was super helpful.
You can also do an Expo 2025 Pokémon GO stamp rally, but I didn’t want to stare at my phone while at the Expo, so I didn’t do it.
While searching for Pokémon statues (we decided to look for Mew first since that’s my daughter’s favorite), we popped into pavilions that had little to no line.
Flying Car Pavilion (Advanced Air Mobility)
This is a pavilion my friend recommended where you can see a “flying car”. It looked like a little helicopter. The experience was underwhelming since you can only sit inside if you made a reservation in advance. But considering we didn’t have to wait to see it, I didn’t mind. It took five minutes in total.
There is also a demonstration of this flying car in action, but we weren’t able to see it. (And recently, the news reported that the demos are currently cancelled because of broken parts, but will resume once the issue is identified and fixed. )
After we left the pavilion, my daughter played in an area near the Forest of Tranquility Zone (next to the Commons-A Pavilion, P03) and we snacked on our onigiri.
I loved the wisteria growing on the cage net above us, it smelled so nice! This was overall a great place to take a short break and for my daughter to have fun.
Earth at Night Pavilion
This is another pavilion that had a short line that moved very quickly. It showcases a beautiful globe made using a Japanese craft style called wajima-nuri.
It isn’t very exciting for kids, but my husband and I enjoyed reading about the craft and seeing the stunning product. This pavilion also took about five minutes.
Another Short Food Break
While heading to the Mew statue, we found a small shop in the East Ringside Marketplace selling Osaka Expo souvenirs, and they had the stamp book! There were hardly any people in line, so we grabbed one for 1100 yen.
After that, my daughter said she was still hungry so we went to a small German restaurant in the East Ringside Marketplace. At 1700 yen, I was surprised by not only how expensive the German beer was but also the fact that most types were sold out! The Osaka Expo had been open for less than two weeks so it made me wonder why this happened, especially since the number of visitors was fewer than the organizers had anticipated.
We got a plate of some sausages, schnitzel, and a pretzel, which was underwhelming. I don’t recommend it.
After eating, we found the Mew statue and took some pictures before deciding to see the giant Gundam Statue.
Our first choice for the advanced pavilion lottery was the Gundam Pavilion, but we didn’t get it, which disappointed my husband (who’s a huge fan). But we could at least see the statue! It was really impressive, and we’re glad we went early because we found out we could try to get a reservation later on in the day!
We cancelled our reservation for the Blue Ocean Dome, since you can only make one reservation on the day of your visit, and luckily, we each got a spot for Gundam!
There’s an area next to the Gundam Pavilion where kids can play, and the small metal rocket ship occasionally dispenses bubbles.
Our reservation for Gundam was at 4 PM, so we decided to check out what the West Gate looked like.
West Gate Zone
The West Gate is far less crowded than the East. There were lots of school kids there who had come using chartered buses, so I’m unsure how crowded it was in the morning when they arrived.
There is a 7-11 convenience store near the West Gate, as well as some restaurants where the food is considerably cheaper than at the East Ringside Marketplace. There’s a Kura Sushi as well (a very affordable revolving sushi restaurant).
We saw some food trucks here, too, including one for vegan food!
I saw lots of areas here as well for water stations where you can fill up your water bottle for free.
There were plenty of vending machines here, too, and some carried special Osaka Expo Limited Pepsi Zero in peach flavor!
Future Life Zone
This was a fun area. There weren’t many people so we could pop in and out of little pavilions.
My daughter enjoyed sitting in a “ghost” chair and cloud chair (she didn’t want to leave), and the Future Life Zone overall was a good place to easily get stamps.
I also highly recommend trying the Kimochi Kiosk. It’s like a tiny convenience store where you “shop” for items. This is located in D6, right behind the little stone pavilion pictured above.
Each type of item has a saying or feeling written on it, which is something you want to express to the person you’re with. For instance, “You have a great smile!” (my translation, the actual English translations aren’t very good). You get to choose up to three items and you don’t pay for anything (nor keep).
I “shopped” for things that expressed what I wanted to tell my husband, but he had my daughter shop for things she wanted to tell me.
When you check out, the person you shopped for gets to see what you chose and the message. Here’s what my daughter chose that she wanted to tell me — she’s such a sweetheart!
Afterwards, the staff will take a photo of you, which they will print on the “receipt,” and you get to choose a sticker, too!
We all loved this fun little experience.
The Future Life Zone is also right next to Osaka Bay, so you can see the ocean and boats in a rest area next to Future City, which is very lovely.
Chile Pavilion
We didn’t have much time before our reservation for the Gundam Pavilion so we decided to stay nearby. First, we checked out the Chile Pavilion since there was no line.
It was very small and consisted of images of Chile displayed on a screen, some cultural artifacts, and a wooden structure that smelled quite nice.
The entire experience took about five minutes, so this isn’t a pavilion I would necessarily line up for, but since we didn’t have to wait, it was perfectly fine to spend the time to look around.
Commons-C Pavilion
Next, we went to the Commons-C Pavilion since there was also no line. I’m really glad we visited because this area was great!
They have lots of small pavilions for different countries all in one place, making it can especially great place to gather stamps!
I especially liked the immersive video at the Panama Pavilion (although my daughter got bored really fast, I think she was just focused on the stamps).
One pavilion had wine tasting as well, but there were too many people there, so I didn’t try any.
The only downside is that I felt it was a little warm, although my husband wasn’t bothered by it (which is strange because it’s usually the other way around!).
After this, we took a photo with Snorlax, who was right outside the Commons-B Pavilion.
The Commons-B pavilion had lots of goods from different countries for sale, including sandwiches and coffee, and the smell of dried leaves and grass from some pavilions was heavenly.
My daughter liked playing one of the instruments at the Fiji pavilion, which was a great new cultural experience for her.
We also got to dress up and take photos at the Tuvalu Pavilion. It really made me want to visit the Pacific Islands!
When we had seen everything in Commons-B, it was time to head to Gundam.
Serbia Pavilion Restaurant
It was a little before 5 PM when our experience at the Gundam Pavilion finished, so we decided to eat at the nearby Serbia Pavilion’s restaurant.
We tried one of everything, and it was all quite good, but the meat pies here are amazing. I am still thinking about it. Eating here also made me want to go to Serbia!
They also have a wine bar, but their wine is unfortunately not from Serbia.
I got a glass of red wine and it turned out to be Dark Horse from California!
Osaka Expo Wooden Ring (Grand Ring)
When we were done eating, we decided to walk on top of the Osaka Expo wooden ring, called the Grand Ring, and head to the Japan Pavilion, which we had a reservation for.
I cannot recommend walking along the Grand Ring enough! The world’s largest wooden structure, the Grand Ring is meant to symbolize world unity, and it is absolutely stunning.
If you have a stroller, you can either take an elevator up or fold up the stroller and take the escalator, which is what we did.
The view of the Expo grounds from the top of the ring is beautiful but also make sure to look inside the ring as well.
While we walked, we passed by the Water Plaza, which seemed like a great place to relax, especially on their colorful mats. This is where the water show, Under the Midnight Rainbow, takes place in the evening. There’s a seated area, but I believe you can also see it from the top of the wooden ring as well.
We had reservations for other pavilions during the show times, so we weren’t able to see this show. However, my friend who watched it with her family absolutely loved it.
Empowering Lives Zone
We descended when we reached the Empowering Lives Zone, so it took us in total twenty minutes to get there while walking along the Grand Ring from the Connecting Lives Zone. I’ve heard that it takes about an hour to walk along the entirety of the Grand Ring.
We were pleased to find a Family Mart in the Empowering Lives Zone as well as an Eevee statue!
It was around 6 PM by this time so we decided to try lining up for bread again at the France Pavilion. Thankfully the line was much shorter. While I waited, my husband took our daughter to this amazing playground nearby, which was built by Bornelund.
It was about a twenty-minute wait until I could get my bread. I got a croissant, a vegetable sandwich on a baguette, and a vanilla milkshake. My husband really liked the croissant (I didn’t) and we both loved the baguette sandwich. The mayonnaise is definitely homemade and the bread was so tasty. The vanilla shake was great as well!
When we finished eating, we headed to the Japan Pavilion where we had a reservation for 6:30 PM.
The Japan Pavilion
Oh man, we had high expectations for this pavilion but my husband and I were so let down. I think it was even more disappointing for my husband since he’s Japanese!
The design of the pavilion is stunning and I appreciate that it will be repurposed after the Expo, but I feel like the pavilion itself was somewhat lacking. Sure, there were futuristic fancy lights and displays that reminded me of a more eco-friendly version of teamLab Tokyo as well as teamLab Osaka, like this one:
And this as well:
Not to mention this:
You can also see various Hello Kitties representing different types of algae:
As well as different kinds of renewable Japanese crafts with cute illustrations of Doraemon:
But overall, the experience was underwhelming. The Japan Pavilion was meant to show how they convert waste to energy, but I felt like the demonstrations of this were a bit of a letdown. It also looked like there were other entrances, perhaps even other rooms, based on the labels, but they closed off.
And then I started thinking about how the beautiful Expo grounds will eventually be turned into a casino. Will this casino be powered by renewable energy? I’ll be genuinely shocked if it is. I feel very pessimistic about the whole thing, especially since I live in Osaka.
Overall, I personally wouldn’t recommend using one of your limited reservation spots for this pavilion.
For me, one of the most disappointing parts was seeing the Martian rock. We had to wait about ten minutes in line to see it, and the glass box that held it was so cloudy from fingerprints that it was quite off-putting. Everything moves quickly in an orderly fashion, so we couldn’t really take our time looking at it; we just snapped a photo and were off to the next room.
We did, however, purchase some cute Hello Kitty and Doraemon souvenirs from here. There’s also a spot right next to the pavilion where you can buy the same merchandise, and it’s far less crowded.
Make sure not to miss the Pokémon statues in front of the pavilion as well!
To the right of the Japan Pavilion, you’ll find a large screen with short movies. Some people were sitting on mats they brought and watching it, which seemed like a fun outdoor theatre experience. I asked my five-year-old if she wanted to watch the movies but she declined, so off we went to experience other pavilions.
Portugal Pavilion
I had heard that this was a good pavilion to visit but apart from the food (Portuguese egg tarts to go and a sit-down restaurant), I found it a little lacking.
Adults and older kids might enjoy the interactive and touch screens sharing information about Portugal in the first room. In the second room, there’s a lovely video on a huge screen about preserving nature, which was impressive, but it’s quite short.
I would recommend visiting the inside of this pavilion only if there isn’t a long line. The outside, with cascading grey ropes, is very grand and unique, though!
Brazil Pavilion
My friend told me that you can get your face painted at this pavilion but perhaps since we visited a little before 8 PM, they were no longer doing it. The inside of the pavilion looked very colorful so we decided to take a look, not realizing that it would change soon after to a greyish blue and then blood red.
The change in color and movement of the inflatable objects in the room, representing life on Earth, is meant to demonstrate the dangers of climate change. Personally, I loved watching this and felt the pavilion was very artistic and well-done, but my five-year-old was a little scared. She’s quite stubborn, though, so she insisted on waiting until the room turned rainbow again. This took about ten minutes and she said it was worth the wait.
There are movies in the pavilion as well, but we didn’t watch any of them.
If you want to try some Brazilian coffee, you can buy a cup at a food truck right next to the pavilion.
Playground of Life: Jellyfish Pavilion
This is an excellent pavilion to visit. It’s small but has lots of interactive things for visitors of all ages to do (especially kids!).
We didn’t have to wait at all to get in and my daughter could play to her heart’s content.
Make sure you tap the white bells on your way up!
Kids can raise signs toward a screen and it’ll make a noise, play instruments, scribble on cloth, make different colors by pressing down on a soft screen, and simply marvel at the beautiful decor of the pavilion.
Canada Pavilion
The last pavilion we had a reservation for was Canada, my home country.
We were a little torn between watching the “Under the Midnight Rainbow” show or going to the Canada Pavilion. But since we had reservations, we figured we should go, especially since there were still lots of people who didn’t have a reservation waiting to go inside.
I am so glad we did because this turned out to be our second favorite pavilion! (Next to Gundam.)
The Canada Pavilion is an AR experience where you point a tablet towards giant icebergs to make Canadian scenes pop up, such as people ice fishing, Niagara Falls, and the Toronto skyline with the CN Tower.
It was really whimsical and fun, although the tablet was too heavy for my daughter to hold so we had to help her out with it. The screen also sometimes didn’t show anything, but the helpful staff quickly fixed it without us even asking! (I would also like to share how incredibly friendly the staff at the Canada Pavilion were — it made me so proud to be Canadian!)
I heard visitors could try snacks at this pavilion, but we didn’t see or get any!
One World One Planet Drone Show
At 9 PM, the Osaka Expo held a drone show called “One World One Planet”.
We weren’t able to see it in the beginning while we walked from the Canada Pavilion to the East Gate (to head home), but once we were close to the Panasonic Pavilion (Land of NOMO), we could see it perfectly!
I didn’t have any expectations regarding this show so I was pleasantly surprised. They did an excellent job. (I also hope it’s more environmentally friendly than fireworks!)
Since we were right by the East Gate, going home by train after the show ended five minutes later was very easy. It wasn’t nearly as crowded as the morning and although we had to stand on the train, we had plenty of room.
Is The Osaka Expo Worth It? My Overall Thoughts
I think if you love attending World Expos or live in Japan, then it’s worth going to the Osaka Expo.
Is the Osaka Expo worth visiting for tourists? Not necessarily. There are so many other great places to see and things to do in Japan, especially in Osaka and the surrounding area. Personally, I wouldn’t waste one of my precious travel days on the Osaka Expo, especially if you have young kids. (It’s better to take them to one of these places.)
I also think the tickets for the Osaka Expo are quite pricey, ranging from 3700 yen (night ticket) for adults to a whopping 7500 yen on weekends! I think I would feel differently about recommending the Osaka Expo if the tickets were cheaper, especially since it felt like an overpriced version of a cultural festival that’s held for free every year in my hometown in Canada.
But if you like architecture (the pavilions are very stunning), are a World Expo fan, or simply have some time to kill, then I absolutely recommend visiting. Keep in mind, however, that food can be quite expensive here if you decide to eat at the pavilions.
If you live in Kansai or are traveling and curious about the World Expo in Osaka, I suggest visiting from around 4 PM on a weekday. This is when the crowds start thinning out and the students head home.
Osaka Expo Tips — What to Know Before You Go
Here are some helpful tips that every visitor to the Osaka Expo should know ahead of time. Trust me, this information will make your visit much smoother and more enjoyable.
You Can Reschedule Your Tickets for the Osaka Expo
Osaka Expo is quite open with lines to get into pavilions, so there aren’t many places to hide when it rains. This is why it’s best to avoid rainy days and reschedule, if possible.
You can reschedule your visit up to three times, but you’ll need to reapply for any reservations you had managed to snag.
Understand the Pavilion Reservation System for the Osaka Expo
Some pavilions require reservations while others do not. To make a reservation, you’ll need to use the official Osaka Expo app and have purchased a ticket as well.
You have a few chances to snag a reservation for a pavilion — two months beforehand, a week, three days, and on the day.
For two months and a week ahead of your visit, you can apply for up to five pavilions but you’ll win only three at most. We only won one while my friend got none! Of course, more popular pavilions are more competitive.
When you apply, make sure you apply in order of preference, not time.
Three days beforehand, you can apply for one other pavilion. This is based on availability rather than a lottery system, so if a time slot is available, you can get it! This goes for the day of your visit as well.
For example, here’s our pavilion application timeline:
- One Week Beforehand — Applied for five pavilions, only got one (our fifth choice, the Japan Pavilion in the evening)
- Three Days Beforehand — Looked for available pavilions that we liked using the official Osaka Expo app. Canada was available in the evening, so we snagged it.
- Day of Our Visit — Applied for the Gundam Pavilion in the afternoon and got it.
Try Not To Visit the Osaka Expo In Summer
Summer in Japan is really hot and humid. I didn’t see many places offering shade and I have no idea how organizers will try to ensure visitors don’t pass out from heatstroke.
Many countries, including Japan, also have summer vacation, so Japan is busier than usual when it comes to tourists, especially in July.
However! There is a summer pass for Osaka Expo that is only 12,000 yen. This allows you to visit Osaka Expo as many times as you want between July 19th, 2025, to August 31st, 2025. But considering the heat and crowds, I’m not sure if this is worth it.
Look at the Map and Zones in Advance
I think it’s essential that you check out the Osaka Expo map and understand where different zones and pavilions are before you go. This way, you won’t be overwhelmed when you arrive.
We were at Osaka Expo from 11:40 AM to 9:05 PM and didn’t even get to see the entirety of the Expo grounds because it’s so huge!
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, each of Osaka Expo’s eight zones is color-coded and consists of the following:
- East Gate Zone (red)
- West Gate Zone (blue)
- Connecting Lives Zone (light blue)
- Saving Lives Zone (orange)
- Empowering Lives Zone (green)
- Forest of Tranquility Zone (greenish yellow)
- Signature Zone (purple)
- Future Life Zone (lime green)
Eat Near The West Gate
There are lots of reasonably priced food trucks, food courts, and restaurants near the West Gate, which are also considerably less busy compared to other areas of the Expo grounds.
Try To Use The West Gate
The West Gate is less busy than the East Gate, especially if you come by public transportation. You can take a bus from Sakurajima Station that’ll take you straight to Osaka Expo’s West Gate. However, keep in mind that buses can take a little longer than trains to get to their destination, depending on traffic.
Stay Near the East Gate When Expo Closes
The closer you are to the East Gate when Expo closes at around 9 PM, the easier it will be to get on the train at Yumesaki Station. You can also see the drone show from here.
Visit Osaka Expo On Weekday Afternoons
Since people living in Japan have work or school the next day, late weekday afternoons tend to be less crowded, making it easier to visit pavilions and get reservations in advance for them. Passes from 5 PM are also only 3700 yen!
I also loved being able to see the pavilions during the day and night, especially since some of them light up at night!
Wear Comfortable Clothing to the Osaka Expo
You will be walking a lot, so make sure you wear comfortable clothes, especially shoes, to the Osaka Expo.
Japan is also quite hot, so I recommend wearing something cool. However, since the Osaka Expo is located next to Osaka Bay, the wind can be quite strong and sometimes cold, especially after the sun sets. For this reason, bring a light jacket as well and a bag that you can put it inside when it’s too hot to wear it.
I also saw some foreign tourists at the Expo wearing clothes that were a little inappropriate for Japan. So make sure you pack wisely!
Don’t Bring Suitcases
You’re not allowed to bring suitcases to the Osaka Expo. They’re very strict about this, I saw a woman be denied entry because she had a small rolling suitcase with her.
What to Bring to the Osaka Expo
Below are what I consider essentials for the Osaka Expo. Keep in mind that you can buy many of these things once you’re there, but it’s easier to already have these packed.
A Printout Of Your Ticket
Throughout the Osaka Expo, I saw some people having trouble loading the QR code on their phones for their ticket, so I was really glad that my husband printed out our tickets. It made entering the Expo as well as different pavilions we had reservations for super easy. The ticket also lists your reserved pavilions, which was very helpful.
A Printout Of The Osaka Expo Map
I suggest printing out the Osaka Expo map and highlighting pavilions you want to visit. We found it much easier to use a printout of the map than to use our phones.
The information counters near the East and West Gates have maps for sale at 200 yen, but there can be a long line for this, especially at the East Gate.
You can print out the map here.
Credit Cards
Osaka Expo is cashless, meaning it only accepts credit cards and digital payments.
A Hand Towel
There are no hand dryers in the washrooms at Osaka Expo so I recommend bringing a towel to dry your hands.
A Mobile Battery
The last thing you want is for your phone to run out of battery, so I suggest bringing a mobile battery to charge it. My phone was at 14% at only 3 PM!
A Portable Fan and a Parasol in Summer
There are not many shaded areas at Osaka Expo, especially when you’re waiting in line for a pavilion, so make sure you bring a portable fan (electric is best) and a parasol to shield yourself from the sun.
Water Bottle
There are plenty of vending machines at the Osaka Expo, as well as convenience stores, but if you have your own water bottle, bring it. There are also free water stations!
Where to Stay For the Osaka Expo
If you’re visiting Osaka and want to stay somewhere that has easy access to the Osaka Expo, here’s where I would recommend:
- Grand Prince Hotel Osaka Bay (15 minutes by train to Yumeshima Station)
- Quintessa Hotel Osaka Bay (18 minutes by train to Yumeshima Station)
- The Royal Park Hotel Iconic Osaka Midosuji (19 minutes by train to Yumeshima Station and one of my favorite hotels in Japan — the executive room gives you access to the lounge where you can enjoy free drinks, including alcoholic beverages and snacks at night)
- Hotel Granvia Osaka (right next to Osaka Station)