Inside the Future City Pavilion at Osaka Expo

With less than a month to go until the highly anticipated World Exposition in Osaka opens on April 13, much of the site remains under construction. Despite this, one major milestone has been reached — the Future City Pavilion has been completed and unofficially opened with a special media preview earlier this month.

Among the most ambitious exhibits at the Expo, the Future City Pavilion spans 3,300 square meters and is designed to envision the cities of tomorrow. During the opening ceremony, 18 key figures — including Hiroyuki Ishige, secretary general of the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition — spoke on the pavilion’s significance and unique attractions.

According to Ishige, three standout features make this pavilion particularly special. First, it is one of the largest pavilions at the Expo. Second, it is a collaborative effort between 12 of Japan’s leading companies and organizations. Lastly, it is designed as an engaging learning space where children and students can explore the future through play. Additionally, its waterfront location provides stunning sunset views over the Akashi Strait.

A Glimpse Into the Future

With contributions from some of the most innovative companies and organizations in Japan today, the Future City Pavilion offers 15 immersive experiences designed to simulate life in a sustainable and technologically advanced society. Covering themes such as transportation, energy, urban development and food production, the pavilion embodies the Expo’s core vision: achieving a harmonious balance between economic growth and solving social challenges.

One of the pavilion’s standout features is its innovative design. Encased in a double-layered white membrane coated with titanium dioxide, the exterior self-cleans with sunlight, breaking down dirt while actively purifying the air. A fine cloud-like mist is released around the base, cooling visitors during the summer months, and by night, the structure illuminates beautifully with a futuristic aesthetic.

Visitors can explore the Future City in both physical and virtual form, with a Metaverse version accessible via the aU app. This allows users across Japan to navigate the city, interact with its features and experience futuristic innovations remotely.

Realistic Innovations

The inside of the pavilion houses five key exhibition fields, each showcasing transformative technologies—not distant dreams, but real innovations that could shape our world today:

Society 5.0 and the Future City (Hitachi, KDDI)

An interactive theater in which visitors use tablet devices to tackle real-world challenges faced by future citizens.

Environment and Energy (Niterra, Hitachi Zosen, IHI)

Displays autonomous portable energy cycles, sustainable water systems and immersive VR rides showcasing Earth’s resource cycles.

Transportation and Mobility (Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Kansai Transmission & Distribution)

Highlights include smart poles for urban energy solutions and next-gen sustainable mobility systems.

Manufacturing and Urban Development (Kobe Steel, Asunaro Aoki Construction, CP Concrete Consortium)

Innovations in CO2-absorbing concrete and underwater construction robots are on display.

Food and Agriculture (Kubota Corporation)

Interactive exhibits explore food sustainability and smart farming techniques designed to support global populations.

Sustainability at the Forefront

The expo has placed sustainability at the core of its operations, achieving ISO20121 certification for event sustainability management. This commitment is evident in the Future City Pavilion’s extensive use of eco-friendly materials, including cardboard structures and seating along with CO2-absorbing concrete tiles and benches.

Outside, visitors can engage with the smart poles introduced inside the exhibition. These “electric poles of the future” offer disaster-resistant communications and solar-powered phone charging stations.

The expo’s large-scale sea of solar energy efforts were also noticed and visible as the press bus approached the pavilion.

Blueprint for Tomorrow

The Future City Pavilion is more than just an exhibition — it’s a collaborative testing ground for innovations that may soon become part of everyday life. Whether you visit in person or through the virtual Future City, this pavilion promises to be one of the most thought-provoking and visually stunning highlights of the expo.

© Japan Today