Osaka Expo 2025 is now in the dreaded summer heat. To prevent heat illness, heat exhaustion, or heatstroke at the expo, here’s what to bring and what to know about the expo site’s summer countermeasures.
First things first:
- Get a good night’s sleep.
Without enough sleep, your body can become exhausted sooner and less tolerant of the heat, making you more vulnerable to heat illness. - Eat a good breakfast.
Drink water to replenish the water you lost during your sleep. Consume protein like milk, eggs, fish, fermented soybeans, miso soup, etc. Your blood needs protein.
What to wear:
- Light-colored clothing or clothing made of quick-drying material (if you perspire a lot).
Long sleeves can prevent sunburn on your arms. Long pants can prevent mosquito bites if you’re near the water. - Wide-brimmed hat (with string in case of strong winds) or cap.
- Sunglasses. Expo site is bright with light-colored concrete/asphalt.
- Cooling neck towel/scarf. Soak in cold water before wearing.
- Fan jacket/vest if you have one.
What to bring:
- Compact umbrella
For portable shade under the sun, a dark-colored rain umbrella (blocks sunlight better than light-colored umbrellas) or sun umbrella. This is essential. Otherwise, you will boil under direct sunlight while waiting to enter the expo gate or pavilion. Even men should not hesitate to use an umbrella. Bring a collapsible umbrella that can fit in your handbag or rucksack. - Handheld battery-powered fan or paper fan.
Called “handy fan” in Japanese, these small, battery-powered portable fans are indeed handy. A paper fan (uchiwa) is also good, but it may be tiring for your hand. - Ice/gel pack
Blue ice wrapped in a small towel can come in handy to cool your neck, wrists, head, etc. - Drinks
Drinks must be in PET plastic bottles or paper cartons. Anything in glass bottles or metal cans is not allowed. Metal water bottles (thermos) are permitted.
Besides for drinking, ice water in a thermos water bottle can be used to sprinkle cold water on your neck or face. Then use your fan to cool your skin.
Sports drinks like Pocari Sweat or Aquarius in moderation (watch the sugar) is good. The expo site also has drink vending machines and water refilling stations (free). - Light snacks
Best to buy snacks and drinks at a convenience store before you go to the expo. Less crowded. Although the expo has many food courts and pavilion restaurants, you might not have a chance or the time to eat when you’re hungry. Just something to keep your stomach happy until you are able to have a proper meal. - Portable/collapsible chair
It’s now common to see people sitting on compact chairs while waiting in line to enter the expo or pavilion. Highly recommended. Anything that saves you from physical stress makes you stronger against the heat. - Picnic mat
If you don’t want to bring a collapsible chair, at least bring a picnic mat to sit on the ground or grass.
Osaka Expo 2025’s summer heat countermeasures
It’s widely known that the expo site is vulnerable to weather elements. It has large areas of wide-open spaces and walking paths. Although the Grand Ring provides shade and some other measures have been taken such as parasols over benches and outdoor mist fans, for the most part, it is up to you to be prepared for the heat.
It might be a small comfort to know that an ambulance will be on standby at the expo site for anybody falling ill. First they will take you to a first aid station. If it’s serious, the ambulance will take you to a hospital.
Here are the things the expo site provides for the summer heat:
Information Center (East Gate)
This Information Center is in a round, black building which you can see after entering the East Gate. Although it’s a little cramped, there’s some space to stand or sit inside the air-conditioned space if you are overheated from standing in line to enter the gate. Expo maps are also sold inside.
Grand Ring
The Grand Ring is a huge circular, wooden structure forming a 20-kilometer ring around the expo site. It’s the go-to place for summer shade. On busy days, there aren’t enough benches, so people sit on the ground. A collapsible chair will come in handy. Some pavilions also use the Grand Ring to shade their long line of visitors waiting to enter.
The Grand Ring also has drink vending machines, trash bins, and mini gift shops.
Drink vending machines and water filling stations
The expo site has vending machines for drinks. Many are under the ring. Mostly water, tea, and soft drinks. Reasonably priced. Cash not accepted, so use an IC card (Suica, etc.) or credit card. If you push the button for a drink and it does not work, it means it’s sold out.
Water filling stations dispense free, cold water for your water bottle. It works automatically. There’s sensor detecting your bottle placed in the dispenser. Just place your bottle, and the water comes out. The water stops as soon as you remove your bottle. Note that there might be a long line of people at the water filling station.
Food courts (Marketplaces)
Food courts on the northern rim outside the ring are the largest (West and East Ringside Marketplaces). They would be air-conditioned on the inside. Near the Water Plaza in the south are the Water Plaza East and West Marketplaces. However, they are small and crowded.
The least crowded food court is in Future Life Zone (green) near the West Gate. The Wind Plaza Marketplace food court is usually less crowded because most people don’t go that far.
Pavilion cafes/restaurants
Many pavilions have a cafe, restaurant, or food stand. However, not all have an air-conditioned dining room. The food is delicious.
Festival Station
Festival Station is next to the French Pavilion facing the large plaza toward East Gate. It occupies the space where the Russian Pavilion supposed to be before they pulled out. Festival Station is an event hall. When there are no events, you can freely enter and sit and rest in the air-conditioned space. Or you can stand in the air-conditioned lobby (no chairs) to cool off.
Commons halls (A, B, C, D, F)
Easiest buildings to enter. They are large halls with booths or small rooms representing smaller countries. Air-conditioned with restrooms. However, they don’t have any place to sit and rest.
Ice Cool Spot (氷のクールスポット)
In front of the Netherlands Pavilion is this small, round building called the Ice Cool Spot with the circular wall fitted with ice. Cold air is also blown at your feet. Really cool, but capacity is only 30 people and there’s only one Ice Cool Spot. Wish there were more.
Forest of Tranquility
Forest of Tranquility is in the center of the expo site. Planted with over 1,000 tress including Japanese blue oak, Japanese maple, Japanese snowbell, sawtooth oak, jolcham oak, and camellia. The trees were transplanted from parks in Osaka Prefecture including Expo ‘70 Commemoration Park in Suita.
Thanks to all this greenery, the forest air is noticeably cooler. So it’s a good idea to walk through the forest instead of around it. However, there’s nowhere to sit and the pond is gone due to excessive levels of legionella bacteria that can cause lung problems if breathed in.
Inochi Park
Next to Signature Pavilions, Inochi Park spews a water mist from a large circle in the ground every 15 minutes. Kids love it. Don’t run around blindly in the mist. You can easily bump into somebody.
Pavilions with outdoor shade
Many pavilions provide shade for people waiting in line to enter. Italy and USA Pavilions have the longest lines and wait times to enter. Good that they provide shade for the long wait. Amazing how patient many people can be in Japan.
Shaded benches
Besides benches under the Grand Ring, some random benches are also shaded or semi-shaded.
Tour group rest areas
You might see large, covered areas like this for tour groups. They are hardly used, so they are also open to anybody. This one on the waterfront is near Future City pavilion near West Gate.
Mist fans
Cold air blowers and mist fans can be found here and there, but they are not that effective.
Night Ticket
One effective way to beat the heat at the Expo is to buy the cheaper Night Ticket (¥3,700 for adults) and go from the late afternoon (4 pm) until closing at 10 pm. Sunset in Osaka is around 7:15 pm in summer and it gets cooler under the moon and stars. It’s also less crowded to make evenings the best time to enter the popular pavilions. (On fireworks nights once a month, it will be very crowded.)
Conclusions
Japan’s weather bureau is forecasting hotter than average summer temperatures this year. Osaka and Kyoto are known for hot summers, and the rainy season ending exceptionally early in late June is another sign of a long, hot summer. Hopefully, we won’t have a drought and be forced to conserve water.
Lots of enjoyable summer events are scheduled for Osaka Expo 2025. I wish you an enjoyable visit while keeping cool as much as possible.
Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025 Fact Sheet
- Period: April 13th to Oct. 13th, 2025, open 9:00 am to 10:00 pm (pavilion entry may close by 8:00 pm).
- Location: Yumeshima island on the waterfront in the city of Osaka. Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/zGqQgtyEbLigBZH28
- Getting there by subway: Take the Chuo Line (green) Osaka Metro subway to Yumeshima Station (夢洲駅) outside the East Gate of the expo site. Details here… Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/6ycS1o5FcSD6FZhJ9
- Getting there by bus: Shuttle buses run from major train stations in Osaka and Sakurajima Station. Airport Limousine buses from Kansai Airport (KIX) and Osaka/Itami Airport (ITM) also go to the West Gate. Make reservations here…
- Area: 155 hectares (383 acres) (Three times larger than Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, bigger than Tokyo Disney Resort.)
- Pavilions: 150+ international pavilions (including about 60 standalone pavilions and 94 booths in shared halls) and 27 Japanese pavilions. (As of this writing, Nepal Pavilion remains closed due to incomplete construction.)
- Theme: Designing Future Society for Our Lives
- Official mascot: Myaku-Myaku
- Official website: https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/
- Official expo maps (English): https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/expo-map-index/map/
- Expo tickets: https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/tickets-index/
- Official apps: https://www.expovisitors.expo2025.or.jp/service-support/about-related-app
- Official social media (only in Japanese, no visitor support): https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/officialsns/
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