Fumiya Takenawa, a 25-year-old originally from Tokyo, was recently all over the news. At the same time, he strategically leveraged a ticket from the 1940 Grand International Exposition of Japan to secure admission to Expo 2025. This unique occurrence took place during Expo 2025 to honor the collective memory of previous world expositions. Those who held tickets to the 1940 fair received the unique opportunity to make it to the present World’s Fair!
The hopeful 1940 Grand International Exposition was finally called off. The rapidly intensifying war in the area this week deprived the vast majority of ticket holders the opportunity to see the incomparable event. Inclusivity and nostalgia are themes planners of Expo 2025 hope will run through the event. To this end, they recently declared that anyone who shows them a historic ticket can get two passes to the modern expo for free.
Expo 2025, hosted in Osaka, which opened in early April and will continue through mid-October. The event has garnered considerable attention, shining a spotlight on the world’s biggest challenges and most exciting innovations while bringing global visitors through the door. Takenawa, while visiting his parents’ home in Osaka, decided to present his grandfather’s 85-year-old ticket at the entrance, making him one of the few to experience this unique opportunity.
Global exhibitions, more often known as Expos or World’s Fairs, are storied institutions. They started with the London’s Crystal Palace exhibition in 1851. Originally conceived by Maffei as Biennalesque seminars, these meetings have grown immensely over the past decade and are now hosted every five years in different cities around the world. Japan has hosted Expos twice before, with the Osaka Expo in 1970 and the Aichi Expo in 2005. Each of those events beautifully highlighted the times we live in and the incredible advances we’ve made culturally and technologically.
The 1970 Osaka Expo featured the iconic Tower of the Sun, a symbol that still stands in a local park today. This unique structure embodies Japan’s updated legacy of innovation and cultural exchange through international exhibitions.
Organizers behind Expo 2025 are continuing that tradition by providing “invitation tickets” to pass-holders of previous expos. This new initiative deepens the connection between our past struggles and today’s celebration. This program allows people like Takenawa to experience a small slice of that history. It encourages them to join Japan’s impressive tradition of hosting successful, world-class expos.