The ‘World Expo’ is an exhibition that is used by nations to feature their best works in art, architecture and technology. Over the years the Japanese have gone far and beyond in displaying their prowess in many fields. The first World Expo that was held in Japan was in 1970. This Expo is called Osaka Banpaku (大阪万博) because it was held in Osaka. The theme of Expo ’70 was “Progress and Harmony for Mankind”. One of the most famous exhibitions from this Expo was:

Taiyo no to or “Tower of the Sun” (太陽の塔) has three faces that represent the past, present and future.

In 1985, Japan hosted another World Expo called the Kokusai Kagaku Gijutsu Hakurankai (国際科学技術博覧会), also known in English as “The International Science Technology Exposition”. This time the theme was “Dwellings and Surroundings- Science and Technology for Man at Home”. The Expo took place in Tsukuba (つくば市), which was a city in Ibaraki Prefecture (城県). One of the most memorable attractions was the Technocosmos, which at the time was the world’s tallest ferris wheel.

The Technocosmos was modernized and installed with solar panels with air conditioning.

ASIMO

The World Expo in 2005 took place in Aichi Prefecture (愛知県) mainly in the town of Nagakute (長久手町). The theme of this Expo was “Nature’s Wisdom”. One of the major attractions was ASIMO (アシモ). ASIMO was a 130 centimeter robot that could walk. It was made by Honda (本田), one of Japan’s major car manufacturers. Another popular attraction was a recreation of a setting in Hayao Miyazaki’s famous movie “My Neighbor Totoro” (となりのトトロ).

Recreation of "My Neighbor Totoro"

Even though Japan did not host the 2010 World Expo, the Japan Pavilion was still a hit in Shanghai, China. The Japan Pavilion was nicknamed the “Purple Silkworm Island”. The structure resembled a live cell or organism. After WWII, Japan was a country torn by postwar famine and disease. However, in a matter of decades Japan has become of the most creative and industrialized nations in the world!

Japan Pavilion