EXPO 2025 Osaka closed with visitors topping over 29 million

EXPO 2025 Osaka was a true success by attracting over 29 million visitors during its six-month tenure. Organizers confirmed the figure during the closing ceremony on Monday, October 13.

Since opening its gates on April 13, the Expo was a major international attraction, bringing together people from across the world to explore new ideas for a more sustainable and connected future. Of the total, more than 3.4 million visitors entered using accreditation passes, a testament to the strong professional and institutional engagement the event has generated.

Record Attendance and Strong Engagement

The popularity of EXPO 2025 has been reflected not only in attendance but also in ticket sales. Since sales began on November 30, 2023, the event has recorded 22,069,546 tickets sold, a number that continues to climb as the Expo progresses through its six-month run. Organizers have noted that these figures are provisional, with final calculations to be made after the event concludes.

Visitors have shown a clear preference for flexibility and accessibility, with the One-Day Ticket emerging as the top choice, accounting for nearly half of all sales. The surge in attendance also highlights the success of Japan’s transportation infrastructure, which has efficiently handled the large influx of visitors to the Yumeshima site.

Themed “Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” EXPO 2025 has been praised for showcasing cutting-edge solutions to global challenges. From architectural innovation to sustainable technologies, the Expo has served as both a laboratory of ideas and a celebration of human creativity. During the official closing ceremony, Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) representatives described the Osaka edition as “a symbol of resilience,” emphasizing that collective intelligence and international cooperation remain vital in an uncertain world.

A total of 45 Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards, along with four Sustainability Awards, were presented during the closing ceremony. Among them, the Kingdom of Bahrain Pavilion received the Gold Award for Best Architecture and Landscape in the self-built pavilions under 1,500 m2 category.

The dismantling of pavilions already started. A handful of them will be fully rebuilt somewhere else, most are being recycled. As an example, the resin membrane of the Swiss pavilion will be used as furnishings for embassies and consulates of Switzerland. While the Netherlands pavilion will be moved to Awaji Island as part of a new sustainable project. 

Eyes on the Future: EXPO 2030 Riyadh

Expo 2025’s star attraction, the Grand Ring – the world’s largest wooden structure created by renowned Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto, should be partially preserved on the artificial island that will become a new park for Osaka. Authorities look at keeping a 200m section of the ring, while a petition circulates to save it in its entirety.

As Osaka’s success story unfolds, global attention is already turning toward the next World Expo — EXPO 2030 Riyadh. Scheduled to take place from October 1, 2030, to March 31, 2031, the event will be held under the theme “Foresight for Tomorrow.” The Riyadh Expo aims to build on the spirit of Osaka by exploring how innovation, sustainability, and design can guide humanity toward a more balanced future.

The master plan for EXPO 2030 is being developed by a team of advisors led by the architectural firm LAVA, guided by three central design principles: Nature-Led Urban Design, Nature-Inspired Regeneration, and Sustainable Mobility Without Compromise. These concepts seek to redefine how global expos interact with their environments—turning large-scale events into catalysts for ecological and social progress.

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