All but one pavilion now open to visitors at Osaka Expo

Asahi Shimbun

01-05-2025

Organizers and visitors celebrate the delayed opening of the Vietnam Pavilion at the Osaka Kansai Expo on April 30. (Akina Nishi)
The Vietnam, India and Brunei pavilions have officially opened at the Osaka Kansai Expo, more than two weeks later than those of other countries, leaving only Nepal's pavilion yet to begin operations.
The delayed openings mark a major milestone for the expo, which has faced construction setbacks and operational challenges.
The Vietnam Pavilion opened on April 30, rather than the expo's launch on April 13, due to delays in preparing exhibits.
Vietnamese officials chose the date for its symbolic significance, marking the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.
Visitors to the pavilion can partake in a rich display of Vietnamese culture, including lanterns adorned with traditional art.
The venue also offers live water puppet performances—a theatrical tradition with more than a thousand years of history—held four times daily. No reservations are required for the show.
Staff said they hope many visitors will experience the country's cultural heritage from past to present.
'The live performance of bamboo instruments was wonderful, and the pavilion was so vibrant and beautiful,' said a 72-year-old woman from Osaka who visited after hearing the news of the opening.
The pavilions for Brunei and India opened on May 1.
Due to rising construction costs and a tight schedule, Brunei chose to share a pavilion with other countries that was built by expo organizers.
Officials cited delays in crafting wooden interior arches and additional design-related issues raised by the organizers as reasons for the late debut.
The Indian pavilion's later opening date was due to exhibit-related concerns raised by the organizers.
Nepal remains the only participating country yet to open its pavilion. Construction has been stalled since January and no timeline has been announced for its opening.
(This article was compiled from reports by Akina Nishi, Yasukazu Akada and Juntaro Oka.)