The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition (hereinafter referred to as “the Association”) held a presentation and tasting event on Tuesday, 4 February 2025 for 11 companies participating at the “Futuristic Commercial Facilities”, “Futuristic Challenge Shops”, “EARTH TABLE – Future Diner”, and “Sustainable Food Court”. Each company unveiled the details of their stores and the products they will offer at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan (hereinafter referred to as “the Expo”.
In the latter half of the event, Osaka native, TV personality, restaurant owner and Special Supporter of the Expo, HARUNA Ai, hosted a talk show to promote the appeal of the food on offer at the Expo.  

(Organiser’s Remarks)

ISHIGE Hiroyuki, Secretary-General, Japan Association for the 2025 International Exposition, Japan
One of the great pleasures of the Expo is the ability to take a gourmet trip around the world and into the future. One of the keywords of this Expo is “SDGs” – sustainability of life. We hope that this presentation will give visitors a sense of the possibilities of food in the future, aiming to realise sustainability not only for human beings but for all lives. At present, there will be about 100 restaurants and other food and beverage facilities throughout the Expo site. We plan to release more information about food and drink in the future. The Expo is not just about pavilions and events. We hope that visitors will also discover new and unprecedented enjoyment through food that brings them closer with the world and the future.

(Participants’ Presentations)

Kura Sushi Inc. (Futuristic Challenge Shop)
Based on the concept of a “revolving sushi bar that brings the world together”, the restaurant has 338 seats, the largest seating capacity of any Kura Sushi restaurant, and the longest revolving belt at approximately 135 metres. Sushi and other menu items made from sustainable ingredients such as under-utilised fish, smart farmed fish, and high value-added organic fish. The revolving belt also offers iconic dishes from around 70 countries and regions participating in the Expo.

Suntory Holdings Limited (Futuristic Commercial Facilities)

With the theme of “Living with Water”, Suntory will open three restaurants. One is a shaved ice restaurant supervised by “Kakigori no Mise Noan®”, a famous shaved ice shop from Shonan, serving shaved ice made from natural water refined deep underground over more than 20 years . The second is a restaurant by Suntory x Daikin, who collaborated on the water show, where visitors can feel the fresh water and air of the Japanese highlands, and the third is a restaurant specialising in farmed fish, including the famous “Kindai tuna”.

FOOD & LIFE COMPANIES Ltd. (Futuristic Challenge Shop)

The concept of this restaurant is “Sustainable Sushi Sourcing: To the Future of a Sushi Restaurant in 2050”. With consideration to continuation of abundant marine resources into the future, this will be the first time that all sushi products offered will be made with 100% farmed ingredients. In addition, the large “Digiro” touch displays have been further developed and equipped with new and exclusive functions to create an enjoyable dining experience that will continue into the future.

Aoki shofuan Co.,Ltd. (Futuristic Challenge Shop)/

Based on the theme of “Japanese sweets are medicine”, Aoki Shofuan will sell “KIN NO TSUKIGESHO” containing golden euglena, which helps to reduce mental and physical fatigue. A mobile café in collaboration with “Unagi Pie”, a souvenir from Shizuoka, is also being developed.

SHIROHATO FOOD CORPORATION (Futuristic Challenge Shop)

With the concept of “ Farm to table sweet potatoes, strawberries and apples”, we want the shop to showcase the future of Japanese agriculture. Using a movable cultivation system, we grow strawberries while also growing sweet potatoes in steel containers. We also grow enticing apples in high-density cultivation. The restaurant will offer photogenic sweet potato desserts.

MANEKI FOODS Co.,Ltd. (Futuristic Challenge Shop)

Under the theme “Be Ambitious”, this restaurant will serve the soul food of Himeji “Ekisoba” and Kobe beef. The ultimate and most delicious ekisoba will be served in Wajima-nuri containers. The restaurant will also pay homage to its routes as an “ekiben” bento shop by serving a special Expo bento.

KENMIN FOODS co., ltd. (EARTHTABLE – Future Diner)

Based on the concept of “delicious ramen for everyone”, the restaurant offers gluten-free ramen without wheat flour so that everyone can enjoy ramen, a part of Japanese culture. Not only the noodles, but also the soup, pork and other ingredients, are all gluten-free.

TAKESHITA SEIKA Co., Ltd (EARTHTABLE – Future Diner)

With the concept of “EARTH SWEETS”, the restaurant will offer 100% gluten-free churros made from domestic rice flour and plant-based ice cream made from a combination of plant-derived ingredients. The churros are made from rice flour that would otherwise be discarded after sake rice is polished, helping to reduce food loss.

Nichirei Foods Inc. (EARTHTABLE – Future Diner)

Terrace Nichirei will use Nichirei Foods’ unique technology and automatic cooking machines to provide special fried rice that can be customised to each customer’s taste, Imagawa-yaki that can be eaten frozen, and acerola mix smoothies that use both the skin and seeds.

TONKATSU NOGUCHI (EARTHTABLE – Future Diner)

This independent store will promote tonkatsu, a traditional Japanese delicacy, to the world at Osaka, which has long been known as the ‘kitchen of the nation’. We are also considering collaboration with chefs from Osaka in the spirit of living and creating together.

SHIROHATO FOOD CORPORATION (Sustainable Food Court Osaka Noren Meguri – Food and Festival EXPO)

The future of Japan, created by Osaka’s famous restaurants, will be presented to the world. Gourmet food from Osaka’s long-established, traditional and authentic restaurants will be gathered in one place. The food court will also incorporate the SDGs through the use of robots for serving and guiding customers, and materials made from eggshells.

(Comment from HARUNA Ai)

As a shop owner myself, I listened to the presentations from the companies and was inspired and impressed. Opening a shop at the Expo is a step up for each company and an opportunity for change. I want people to enrich their minds through food and through the Expo. After eating all the food today I have to go on a diet, but they were all delicious and I loved them all. I thought that the word ‘Itadakimasu’ means not only to appreciate the life of the food, but also to thank the people who made it and their feelings.

(Categories of shops and restaurants)

・Futuristic Commercial Facilities
　Part of the Future Society Showcase organised by the Association, these are facilities in which visitors can experience new technologies and culture related to food. The link with sponsored exhibitions and events is another attraction.
・Futuristic Challenge Shop
　Based on the same concept as the Futuristic Commercial Facilities, these shops encourage the participation of a wide range of companies and organisations and presents a vision of the future without limiting the size or type of business.
・EARTH TABLE – Future Diner
　Located in the vicinity of the Signature Pavilion of Theme Producer KOYAMA Kundo, this is a future-oriented food and beverage facility that will enable visitors to consider the food and the values of the future when the conventional wisdom of food will change significantly.
・Sustainable Food Court
　This is a next-generation restaurant model that reflects the future society in which robots and humans work together.

(For Reference)

・First Round of Details of Restaurants and Shops at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan Venue Friday, 18 October
　https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/news/news-20241018-02/

・Second Round of Details of Restaurants and Shops at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan Venue Friday, 15 November
　https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/news/news-20241115-07/

・Third Round of Details of Restaurants and Shops at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan Venue Wednesday, 25 December
　https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/news/news-20241225-04/

・Final Round of Details of Restaurants and Shops at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan Released
　https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/news/news-20250319-02/