The event that symbolized Japan in 2025 was the Osaka-Kansai Expo, held for six months on the artificial island of Yumeshima in Osaka. It attracted an average of 1 visitors per day, a cumulative total of over 15.8 million, and generated a profit of 2500 billion yen. The enthusiasm was evident from the fact that the average number of visits per person using the 370 full-season passes sold was 11.8 times. Approximately 40% of visitors expressed satisfaction, and 9% reflected that it was a great success, making it an important event that communicated the appeal of Japan to the world.
The 155-hectare venue, centered around the much talked about giant roof ring, contained several sacred areas that even the most enthusiastic visitors who had conquered all the pavilions could not enter. The most prominent example of this was the beautiful "State Guest House," where only dignitaries such as kings and presidents were invited.
In a sense, the hospitality at this facility can be said to be what the Japanese government considers to be the highest level of hospitality in Japan today. As part of our New Year's project, we would like to explore what the highest level of hospitality in Japan today is.
Nearly 50 guests, including kings from around the world, visited the Expo
The exterior of the State Guest House is black. The entire building is surrounded by a high black fence, and the gate is only opened when a guest's car passes through. From the outside, it is almost impossible to see what is going on inside.
During the 184-day period of the Osaka-Kansai Expo, Crown Prince Akishino, who served as Honorary President, and his family attended the opening and closing ceremonies, and the Japanese Imperial Family also visited frequently, including the Emperor and Empress, who visited twice.In fact, many dignitaries from all over the world also visited.
In addition to the visits of four kings from Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands and the Kingdom of Lesotho in southern Africa, numerous other state guests also visited, including two king-like figures, including the Duke of Luxembourg, four crown princes, 24 presidents, 15 prime ministers and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
The main purpose of the visit was to participate in the National Day events held at each country's pavilion, where one country was chosen each day to celebrate, as well as events celebrating the country's holidays.
Incidentally, the first country to have its National Day celebrated (April 14, the second day of the Expo's opening) was Turkmenistan, and President Serdar Berdimuhamedov visited Japan for the ceremony. The Turkmenistan Pavilion, which later became one of the most popular pavilions, was not opened to the public until after the president's tour had finished.
The "Guest House," a sacred space not open to the public
The guest house expresses the "beauty of Japan" by letting in natural light and breezes. In the center of the circular (donut-shaped) facility is a large water basin with a lone willow tree standing on it, on which the day's sky is projected.
Now, when these distinguished guests arrived at the Expo site in a procession of cars, they were first shown to the State Guest House.
It was positioned as the most prestigious facility among the Expo sites, and was headed by Takeshi Hikihara, who also served as Consul General of Japan in Boston, Deputy Director-General of the Minister's Secretariat of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ambassador to Japan for European Affairs. In addition to the Japanese Imperial Family, including the Emperor, and the dignitaries mentioned above, delegations sent to celebrate the national days of various countries have also visited the facility.
Although it wasn't shown on the Expo map, the location is directly behind the "EXPO National Day Hall," which is right next to the "EXPO Hall (nicknamed Shine Hat)," where the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as numerous other ceremonies, concerts, and stage performances, were held. Normal passes don't allow you to get close to the perimeter of the building, and even with a staff ID, the building is surrounded by a high black fence, so you couldn't see inside (although you could actually look down from the observation deck on the roof of the EXPO National Day Hall).
The circular (doughnut-shaped) facility made of glass and concrete stands on a site of approximately 4600 square meters, about two-thirds the size of a soccer field. In the center is a large water area with a single willow tree standing there, reflecting the wide sky. The facility is said to express the "beauty of Japan" by incorporating natural light and breezes. It was designed by Nikken Sekkei, constructed by Obayashi Corporation and Oike Construction, and overseen by Sou Fujimoto, the venue design producer for the Osaka-Kansai Expo, who also worked on the large roof ring.
The daily routine of welcoming guests
Luxury cars from Japan and Europe, as well as electric minibuses, were prepared to welcome the guests, and license plates featuring the Myaku Myaku symbol were also prepared to coincide with the year of the Expo.
The guests visited the State Guest House. First, a representative sat at this table and signed the guest book.
National Day is held in two different formats, morning and afternoon, but most countries visited in the morning. Since the ceremony is scheduled to start at 11:00, most guests arrived at the State Guest House around 10:30 in cars provided by the government.
As the number of visitors, preferences, and needs vary from country to country, 12 vehicles were prepared, including minibuses, minivans, sedans, and SUVs. The vehicles included domestically produced cars such as the Toyota Alphard and Vellfire, Nissan Serena, and Honda Odyssey, as well as BMW i7s and Range Rovers. Also on board were electric minibuses from EV Motors Japan and Alphabus Japan. These included electric buses from Alphabus Japan and EV Motors Japan, with the EV Motors Japan minibus being a special vehicle prepared just for this Expo.
When guests arrive within the black walls of the State Guest House in these vehicles from the airport or their accommodation, they are greeted by a Japanese government representative in a receiving line at the entrance to the venue and then escorted to the "signing desk" just to the left of the entrance. After the "head of the delegation" signs the document here, the delegation is shown to one of three VIP rooms.
Guests are usually shown to the largest room, "Yumeshima" (approximately 120 square meters), but when there are a large number of attendants, "Sakishima" or "Maishima" (approximately 80 square meters) may also be used. In the VIP room, a representative of the Japanese government explains the day's schedule, and a tea ceremony in the Ryureishiki style is served by the three Sen schools (Omotesenke, Urasenke, and Mushakojisenke).
The State Guest House has three VIP rooms, each named after an island in Osaka. The largest room is named after Yumeshima, the site of the Expo. Tea was served in a standing style by a tea master from the three Sen schools. Windows at the feet offer a view of the rock garden, which can be seen from all three VIP rooms. Some VIP guests arrived here by car directly from the airport, so they apparently used closets and other facilities here to change clothes and groom themselves.
Products from Clé de Peau Beauté and Shiseido Men were selected as amenities to welcome guests at Yumeshima.
After passing the three VIP rooms and going halfway around the circular building, there is a narrow passageway that actually leads to the EXPO National Day Hall. Just before 11:3, guests are guided through this passageway to the EXPO National Day Hall.
After the National Day ceremony, the guests returned to the State Guest House via the same corridor, and then walked a little further clockwise around the circular corridor to a dining room of approximately 250 square meters, decorated in Japanese red. There, lunch was held for just over an hour, starting around noon.
The dining room was run and the food was provided by Osaka's leading luxury hotel, the Rihga Royal Hotel, and guests were able to choose from four options: Japanese cuisine (Kaiseki course, Shosoin bento), a Japanese-Western fusion, or a Western course, with the theme of "spreading the charm of Japan." To promote Japanese brewing techniques, four carefully selected types of sake, as well as Japanese red and white wines, were served.
The desserts feature the Expo's official mascot, "Myaku Myaku," the venue's symbol, the "Large Roof Ring," and a unique design that incorporates the "Water Plaza," visually expressing the world of the Expo. Reflecting the changing seasons, there are two versions available: a "Summer Version" and an "Autumn Version (Figs and Autumn Leaves)."
Afterwards, the delegation would typically enter the Expo site and inspect the pavilions, etc. (In the afternoon session, they would arrive at 15:30 p.m., the ceremony would start at 16:00 p.m., and then a dinner would be held).
Apart from this general flow of events, some countries would host a return reception (party) in the evening. The State Guest House also had a banquet room prepared for this purpose.
What's interesting is that the guest rooms at the State Guest House are arranged in a circular pattern, like the face of a clock, in a clockwise direction, and the flow of guests' movements starts at the entrance and continues clockwise. The guest book signing desk, VIP room, corridor to the ceremony venue, dining room, and banquet room all connect in a natural flow. This flow design was conceived to provide the highest level of hospitality within a limited time frame, without causing stress to guests.
Directly opposite the entrance to the State Guest House is the corridor leading to the National Day Hall, from which delegations from each country headed for National Day events.
The dining room next to the National Day Hall features striking red walls. Behind the guests was a tapestry called "CUT: C/U/T_CC-CM_I" created by Kawashima Selkon Textiles under the design and supervision of contemporary artist Aya Kawato.
For lunch and dinner, three types of cuisine were available: Japanese, Western, and a fusion of Japanese and Western. Guests were able to choose according to their preferences. The Japanese cuisine was served at Nadaman, while the other dishes were supervised by Chef Rei Watanabe of the Rihga Royal Hotel, who served desserts with a Myaku Myaku motif.
Artwork that conveys the "beauty of Japan"
Some countries hold a return reception at the end of their national day, and a banquet room was set up for this purpose. Two pieces commissioned by Kawashima Selkon Textiles from contemporary artist Aiko Tezuka were on display here. The piece shown here is "Reweaving the Times (A Reflection on Courage and Curiosity)," which is based on maps of Japan and the world drawn during the period of national isolation (16th-17th centuries).
Just behind the guest book signing desk in the guest house, there was a display of works by Kawahara Takakuni made from Birudan washi paper, a type of Etchu washi paper. Eight pieces were produced, and the exhibits were changed according to the season. Pictured here is No. 07 Artral Compass. Kawahara himself is pictured on the right.
The State Guest House also displayed several pieces of art to give visitors a sense of the beauty of Japan.
On display just to the left of the entrance, behind the registration desk, are works by Kawahara Takakuni (Kawahara Manufacturing), the sole heir to Birudan Washi, one of the Etchu Washi varieties of Toyama Prefecture.
"I have always wanted to spread the appeal of washi paper to the world, so this was the perfect opportunity. Since it was such a great opportunity, I wanted to take on the challenge not just by myself, but with as many people as possible, so I began to envision creating works that made use of materials from all over Japan," he said, adding that his aim was to "make new washi paper using materials from all over Japan" while preserving traditional techniques.
A total of eight pieces with different colors and motifs were produced, and the exhibits were changed according to the season. Incidentally, Birudan Washi, which was created 400 years ago, is characterized by the fact that everything from cultivating the raw material, the Abelmoschus tserrata, to making the paper is done by a single craftsman.
The strikingly bright red dining room is decorated with the tapestry "CUT: C/U/T_CC-CM_I," designed and supervised by contemporary artist Kawato Aya and produced by Kawashima Selkon, a leading Japanese manufacturer of luxury interior fabrics (textiles) formed by the merger of Kawashima Textiles, a long-established Kyoto company founded in 1843, and flooring manufacturer Selkon. The tapestry is intricately woven using threads dyed in 1800 colors, and although it is flat because it is woven, it creates an optical illusion that softens the three-dimensionality of a folding screen.
Kawato Aya is an artist who has created abstract paintings using grid structures and colors on the theme of "control and deviation." Influenced by her experience studying dyeing and weaving in Kyoto and her father, a neuroscientist, she focuses on the fluctuations in vision and cognition, perceiving the minute deviations that arise from meticulous handwork as "beauty," and has created numerous works in which the layered colors create an optical illusion. This work is on display until March 31st to commemorate the renewal of the Kawashima Selkon Textiles Tokyo Showroom in Toyosu.
In fact, Kawashima Textiles is a long-established company with strong ties to the World's Fair, having exhibited at the Paris World's Fair in 1889. In addition to this large piece, the dining room is sponsored by two smaller pieces made of silk and washi paper by Kawato, as well as two pieces by contemporary artist Aiko Tezuka for the banquet room where the return reception will be held, for a total of five pieces.
Tezuka Aiko, an artist who splits her time between Berlin and Tokyo, has created two pieces that weave Japanese history into her work. "Reweaving the Era (Reflections on Courage and Curiosity)" features maps of Japan and the world drawn during the period of national isolation (16th-17th centuries), while "Guest House (In the Process of Weaving: From Meiji to Reiwa)" is based on the Senpukukan, a guest house in Osaka during the Meiji period, and the guest house at the World Expo.
The State Guest House, hidden from the general public, could be said to have been, in a sense, the "other face" of the Expo. In this space, which welcomed nearly 50 distinguished guests, Japanese tradition and innovation coexisted naturally, from the 400-year-old Birudan Washi paper to the latest electric buses. The sky reflected in the circular architecture designed by Sou Fujimoto, the standing tea ceremony by the Sansenke school, and the optical illusion tapestries by Kawashima Selkon Textiles—all spoke to the "beauty of Japan" from different angles. Now that the 184-day event has concluded, the experience of the State Guest House will be etched in the memories of the distinguished guests from around the world who visited, and will spread throughout the world as a new image of Japan.
VIP service also available at the pavilion
Incidentally, most guests who entered the Expo site were shown to a VIP room prepared within the pavilion they visited and welcomed by the pavilion's representative. They were then usually guided inside the site when there were few (or no) other visitors. Some smaller pavilions did not have VIP rooms, but many of the larger pavilions were prepared for such special treatment.
Some pavilions even prepared artworks and special experiences for these VIP rooms. For example, the popular Italy Pavilion featured a large painting by Italian artist Matteo Ceccarini, who lives in Japan. Another signature pavilion, the Jellyfish Pavilion, produced by Japanese jazz pianist and mathematics educator Sachiko Nakajima, featured an Urasenke tea room.
Many pavilions had VIP rooms to welcome VIP guests. The Jellyfish Pavilion, a playground for life produced by Sachiko Nakajima, which has a relaxed and fun atmosphere, also had a VIP room that was a formal Urasenke tea room.
The popular Italy Pavilion also has several VIP rooms, each with its own artwork. The work, "Star of Italy," is a large-scale oil painting by Matteo Ceccarini, an Italian artist living in Japan. Seven figures are arranged in a star shape, with six representing the key fields that support modern Italy—scientific and technological research, cutting-edge industry, fashion and design, music, and fine art—as well as a "new Italian" with Asian features, creating a star that symbolizes Italy.
The Japan Pavilion also has a large VIP room, which has been used for events for creators hosted by the Japanese government. You can also see the tapestries that decorated the State Guest House.
Kawashima Selkon Textiles Tokyo Showroom Tapestry Special Exhibition
Exhibited work: Tapestry "CUT: C/U/T_CC-CM_I"
Design and supervision: Aya Kawato (contemporary artist)
Produced by Kawashima Selkon Textiles
Date: December 1, 2025 (Monday) - March 31, 2026 (Tuesday)
Hours (closed on Wednesdays): 10:00-18:00 (no reservations required)
Venue: Kawashima Selkon Textiles Tokyo Showroom
NBF Toyosu Garden Front 6th floor, 5-6-15 Toyosu, Koto-ku, Tokyo
As a guest house to welcome distinguished guests,
Osaka Kansai Expo "Guest House"
Purpose: A facility for welcoming, welcoming, and entertaining dignitaries such as kings, presidents, and prime ministers from around the world.
Structure: Steel frame
Number of floors: Single-story building
Floor area: 4,624.06㎡
Basic design: Nikken Sekkei Ltd.
Detailed design, construction and supervision: Obayashi Corporation, Yahagi Construction Industry Joint Venture, Nikken Sekkei Ltd.
Design supervision: 2025 World Expo, Japan Venue Design Producer Sou Fujimoto / Sou Fujimoto Architects
Profile
Nobuyuki Hayashi
Began writing for domestic and international media as a tech journalist in 1990. Covered the latest trends and conducted interviews with influential figures who played key roles in shaping the IT industry. In the 2000s, came to believe that technology alone cannot enrich people's lives and shifted focus to promoting the importance of good design through design-related reporting and activities such as serving as a juror. Around 2005, foresaw the transformative impact AI would have on the world and expanded into exploring contemporary art and education that question the essence of human existence, as well as delving into Japan’s regional and traditional culture. Currently, with the belief that Japan’s traditional philosophies hold invaluable inspiration for the future of society, is dedicated to sharing these values with the world. Additionally, serves as an advisor or external board member for several companies and holds the title of Visiting Honorary Professor at Kanazawa College of Art. Fondly known as "Nobi."
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