In this edition of Expo news, we take a close look at how to beat the summer heat at the Expo site!
We will introduce cool spots and rest areas at the Expo site and share some top tips for keeping cool. We hope this article will help you enjoy summer at the Expo to the fullest!
If you want make the most of the Expo and avoid heatstroke, preparation starts before you even leave your house!
It’s a good idea to wear clothes made from lightweight, breathable, quick-drying materials and sweat-wicking underwear.
Check the packing list below for what to bring:
✅Drinks
It’s vital to stay hydrated, even if you don’t feel thirsty.
We recommend bringing your own water bottle, which you can refill at one of the many convenient water stations around the site. There are also plenty of vending machines available.
(Please note: drinks in cans or glass bottles are not permitted)
Bonus tip: If you freeze a plastic bottle of water, it can double as an icepack and you can enjoy a nice chilled drink as it melts.
✅Hat or Parasol
A hat or a parasol will protect your head and upper body from the sun’s rays. The latter can also double as an umbrella if you get caught in a sudden rain shower! When using a parasol in crowded places, be aware of those around you.
✅Salty drinks and snacks
When you sweat, you lose not only water but also salts. Use sports drinks, salt candy etc. to keep your electrolytes topped up.
✅Portable fan/ hand fan
Tip: Cool your skin with a damp towel and then use a fan to evaporate the water to cool you down.
✅Neck cooler
Cooling the neck is an efficient way to cool the body.
✅Cooling towel/scarf
Hang it around your neck or place it against your skin to cool your body.
✅Folding stool
These are useful when there’s no free benches or when waiting in line for pavilions. (Please note: Stools will be inspected by X-ray at the entrance gate. Items exceeding 600mm x 400mm x 900mm are too big for the X-ray machine so cannot be brought in!)
Once you have decided on a date and time to visit, make sure to check out the Expo’s Official Online Store and pick up some cute and useful heat-protection items, such as MYAKU-MYAKU cooler bags, towels, sunglasses, etc.
These items are also available at the official stores at the Expo site, so be sure to check them out!
Did you know that the Grand Ring is the largest wooden structure in the world with a circumference of 2 km!? Not only that, but it also acts as a massive sunshade, creating the perfect shady spot to take a break. Here you’ll find plenty of benches, vending machines and water fountains to rest your legs and rehydrate. Make sure to keep your eyes peeled for the fun artworks that decorate the pillars!
For frequent hydration, we recommend bringing your own water bottle or water bottles! Both the bottle washers and water fountains at the Expo site are free to use.
There are 10 located throughout the Expo site. You can clean and sterilize your bottle in about 20 seconds!
Free water fountains have been installed around the site to help prevent heat stroke and reduce plastic waste and CO2 emissions.
If the queue for the water fountain is too long, you can also grab a drink from one of the many vending machines.
The Expo site is full of rest areas that showcase the creativity of their creators. Here we take a closer look at some of them, including spaces with sustainable systems and with rich designs created by up-and-coming architects!
You can find this wooden lattice rest area in the Progress Plaza in front of the Netherlands Pavilion. The secret of this cool spot lies in the ice panels built into the walls. The panels are frozen overnight using electricity generated by the solar panels on the roof. By maintaining a surface temperature of 3-8℃, the ice panels deliver a cool sensation that feels like you’re inside an actual icehouse. Make sure to drop by for a bit a respite from the summer heat.
Located near the Ground Plaza is a cute rest area with huts that look like igloos. These huts were built using a 3D printer with plant-based biodegradable resin., The building’s surface is covered with handmade paper containing plant seeds. It is envisioned that after the Expo closes, the building will be decomposed and return to the soil to become a forest. Pipes run underground to bring in cool air from the soil beneath the benches. During the hot season, ice will be placed between the benches to cool the air even further. .
Located near the EXPO Exhibition Hall “WASSE”, the large bright circular roof is reminiscent of a circus tent? Or perhaps a Mongolian yurt? Underneath the tent is a spacious area with benches. Facing the ocean, a pleasant sea breeze blows through and there are all-gender toilets and a calm-down down room for those with sensory issues.. Nursing rooms and breast-feeding areas are also available, which is great for those with young children!
*Under maintenance as of June 27.
Some of the electric buses have been stationed at the Expo site as extra rest areas. The interior of the bus is designed to be friendly to people with disabilities, with a completely flat floor. Visitors can take a rest in the air-conditioned cabin.
You can find the Green Park Bus, a lounge bus for resting, between the Netherlands Pavilion and Commons D. There’s also charging points for smartphones inside the bus!
Take a breather surrounded by mist or indoors away from the sun! The group rest area for school groups (Bento Plaza) and the West Group Rest Area Osaka Bay are also open to the public after 14:30 on weekdays and on weekends and holidays, so please feel free to use them.
There are plenty of unique spots that you’ll want to share on social media and tell all your friends about! Here is a selection of cool spots that are not only photogenic but are also perfect for resting your tired legs! Please be considerate of others when using these spots during busy times.
These two-headed objects are displayed in front of the Osaka Health Care Pavilion. In fact, it can be used as a bench for two people. These “Wolf Benches” were created by artist KONOIKE Tomoko specially for the Expo. Each of the 10 wolves has a unique shape and design, so you can find your favorite wolf!
This staircase-shaped wooden structure is located on the south side of the Azerbaijan Pavilion in the Forest of Tranquility zone. Climbing the stairs on the roof, you will see the deep green Forest of Tranquility. The stairs also make a great bench under the light-blue parasols. There is also toilets on the first floor (with all-gender toilets). With its central location and impossible-to-miss design, it makes a great meeting spot!
This mobile bench is made from upcycled solar panels. The seat is made of traditional Japanese tatami mats and the solar panels on the roof power a fan to keep you cool. Three units are in situated around the Expo site. They are also equipped with a USB (Type-A) socket so you can charge your smartphone or mobile battery, killing two birds with one stone!
Located in the middle of the signature pavilions, this plaza is a cool spot where mist erupts every 15 minutes for about 3 minutes. The mist that sprays up from the ground is so strong that it quickly obscures your surroundings immersing you in a mystical world.
Some pavilions utilize architectural design to protect visitors from the heat, such as the Gas Pavilion Obake Wonderland, which uses radiant cooling materials, and the Saudi Arabia Pavilion with its corridors that funnel a cool breeze from the west.. Others are keeping visitors cool with their “refreshing hospitality”.
Visitors are greeted at the entrance by mist spray. It creates a dramatic effect, but it is also a welcome treat for those waiting to enter the pavilion, giving them a moment to cool off. The silky fine mist sprayed at the museum is an ultra-fine mist produced by a two-fluid nozzle. In addition to the cooling effect of evaporation, the direct spraying of the mist on the skin produces a pseudo perspiration effect, making visitors feel even cooler.
The Osaka Healthcare Pavilion boasts three exciting machines that are a hit with visitors! The cute cat-shaped robot that serves food at restaurants has evolved into the “BellaBot Pro” a water mist robot! The robot sprays visitors with a mist of invisible ultra-fine bubbles of about 100 nm. By instantly evaporating, it removes the heat from people and spaces and delivers a sense of coolness. Since the mist is formed by extremely minute water particles, there is no risk of getting wet.
Free rental umbrellas/parasols are available for visitors waiting to enter pavilions when the sun is shining or rain is falling. At the East Entrance Plaza, 3,000 parasols are also available for those waiting to enter the Expo site.
Each pavilion also has its own hospitality measures in place.. You can catch a glimpse of each country’s character through their choice of umbrella: the Dutch Pavilion is orange, the Nordic Circle is bright blue with the pavilion’s logo, and so on. There are many other pavilions offering umbrella rentals.
In addition, “untule umbrella,” which are available for rent at the NTT Pavilion, not only block UV rays, but also lower the temperature under them by up to 19 degrees Celsius! Don’t miss out on experience their heat shielding effect.
There are several pavilions with free areas that don’t require a reservation to enter. So you enjoy the exhibits while taking a break from the heat or simply relax in the cool breeze that blows through the area.
The “Play Mountain” and “Vibrations of Life” areas, can be entered without reservations and are filled with objects and musical instruments that combine art, sound, and mathematics. Workshops are also available without reservations. You’ll have so much fun playing with art and sound that you’ll forget about the heat!
The Mitsubishi Pavilion aims to be an “open pavilion”. As part of this effort, a part of the waiting area in the basement of the pavilion is open to visitors as a rest area. Visitors who do not have a reservation for the pavilion can take a break by asking the staff at the entrance.
Please note that the vending machines may be out of stock.
Vending machines for official Expo branded neck coolers are now in operation at Rest Area 2, which is well-known for its stone pergola! The neck coolers focus on cooling your neck which efficiently lowers your body temperature. They are sold already chilled, so you can buy and use them right away!
If you feel unwell or are injured, please ask a nearby staff member or security guard for help! First aid is available at three clinics and five first aid stations located within the Expo site.
The Expo site is vast, and moving between facilities can be strenuous. The eMover, a bus service that circles the Expo site, allows visitors to reach their destinations in a short time. It is important to conserve your energy in the hot season so we recommend using buses to get around more efficiently.
As the weather heats up the Expo is too with lots of exciting events! Make sure to keep the following points in mind to help you enjoy the Expo to the max!
・Please be sure to take regular breaks
・Stay hydrated with water and salts
・Use parasols, hats, and other items to block out the sun.