More Than the Tower of the Sun! A Family Guide to Spending a Full Day at Expo '70 Commemorative Park

Built as the symbolic structure of the Theme Pavilion for the Japan World Exposition 1970, the first world expo ever held in Asia, this tower stands Approx. 70 meters tall.
It was designed by artist Taro Okamoto. Today, it has become an iconic symbol of Osaka and Expo Park.
Out of the expo’s total attendance of Approx. 64.21 million visitors, the Theme Pavilion attracted more than Approx. 9 million people, making it one of the most popular pavilions. As a result, it was preserved even after the expo closed, contrary to the original plan.
It remained closed to the public for many years, but after seismic reinforcement and restoration work on the interior exhibits, it opened to the public on March 19, 2018.
In August 2020, it was designated as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan.

The Japanese Garden was created as a government exhibit facility for the Japan World Exposition 1970.
It covers 26 hectares and stretches 1,300 meters from east to west and 200 meters from north to south.
Created using the finest landscaping techniques, the Japanese Garden is full of highlights, including the 3.5-meter-tall Komorebi Waterfall, the charming Bamboo Grove Path, and the dry landscape garden of Senri-an, inspired by the gardens of Zen temples. Beautiful scenery unique to Japan can be found throughout the grounds.
Paths can become slippery in the rain, so be sure to wear shoes with good grip when exploring.

The Steel Pavilion from the Japan World Exposition was renovated into a memorial museum displaying materials and products that were exhibited at the time.
The permanent exhibition room in the main building displays Approx. 3,000 items, including photographs and pamphlets. You can also view drawings of the former Steel Pavilion.
The Space Theater preserves the very space where shows were once held, complete with the latest sound and lighting technology of the time.
Although visitors cannot enter the hall today, the facility allows you to experience the production from behind glass.
The annex displays the first Golden Face of the Tower of the Sun, measuring 10.6 meters in diameter.

Opened as the successor to the Japan Folk Crafts Museum pavilion from Expo '70 Osaka, which introduced the beauty of practical crafts cultivated in daily life under the theme of “the beauty of everyday living.”
In addition to valuable works by Shoji Hamada, the museum’s first director, and leading figures of the folk craft movement such as Kanjiro Kawai, Keisuke Serizawa, and Shiko Munakata, the museum also collects and displays a wide variety of craftworks from Japan and abroad, including ceramics, dyed and woven textiles, wood and lacquerware, and basketry.
The building itself is also distinctive, combining elements of traditional Japanese architecture with the modern feel of an expo pavilion.

One of the world’s largest ethnology museums, it conducts research in cultural anthropology and ethnology and houses Approx. 345,000 items, including everyday tools and ethnic costumes collected from around the world.
The main building’s regional exhibits are divided into nine areas: Oceania, the Americas, Europe, Africa, West Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central and North Asia, and East Asia. The fascinating layout takes visitors on an eastward journey around the world starting from Oceania.

Adjacent to Expo '70 Commemorative Park, this is one of Japan’s largest multi-use complexes, bringing together all-day entertainment facilities such as LaLaport EXPOCITY, home to Approx. 300 shops including fashion, lifestyle goods, interiors, restaurants, and cafes, NIFREL, a living museum themed around diversity, OSAKA WHEEL, the tallest Ferris wheel in Japan at 123 meters, and ANIPO, themed as a “mobile amusement park created by animals.”

A new type of museum produced by Kaiyukan that blends an aquarium, zoo, and art museum.
Its concept is “touching the senses,” and it expresses each theme throughout the space by combining changing lighting, music, and visual effects.
The exhibitions are divided into eight themed zones: Colors, Skills, Swimming, WONDER MOMENTS, Camouflage, Waterside, Movement, and Connection.

Universal Studios Japan, also known as USJ, is a major theme park enjoyed by a wide range of visitors, from children to adults.
The park is divided into distinct areas, each with its own character, bringing together world-class entertainment and letting you enjoy very different worlds in one place.

Inside the aquarium, natural environments surrounding the Pacific Ocean are recreated, and a total of 620 species and 30,000 living creatures can be found here.
The main highlight is the Pacific tank, where whale sharks, large sharks, and rays live together. This enormous tank is 9 meters deep, up to 34 meters long, and holds 5,400 tons of water, giving you the feeling of being underwater as you watch the fish swim.

Opened in 1977 using the building of the Museum of Fine Arts, which had been constructed for the Japan World Exposition 1970 in Suita, Osaka Prefecture.
Later, due to the aging of the building and other reasons, it was newly built and relocated to its current site in Nakanoshima in fall 2004. Its fully underground design is rare even by global standards, and its stylish exterior was inspired by “the vitality of bamboo and the development and growth of contemporary art.”
The museum collects and exhibits outstanding works from Japan and abroad, centered on postwar contemporary art and not limited by genre.

Located on the second floor of LaLaport EXPOCITY, this set-meal restaurant lets you choose your favorite side dishes and create a meal to suit your tastes.
The “Eraberu Watashi Teishoku” offers around eight choices, including fried dishes, grilled fish, and simmered dishes.
Recommended items include fried chicken seasoned with a special sauce made with Hakata mentaiko and chicken nanban topped with mentaiko tartar sauce.

True to its concept, “Wonderful table style for Nice people!,” this restaurant offers a fulfilling time along with “wonderful” food.
The interior is a natural space wrapped in the warm texture of wood.
There are also terrace seats with a pleasant breeze, and at night the giant Ferris wheel is illuminated, creating a unique atmosphere for dining.

Founded in 1933, this long-established takoyaki restaurant has been serving customers for more than 90 years.
It originally sold rajioyaki filled with beef tendon and konnyaku, but it is said that the founder created takoyaki by adding octopus after taking inspiration from Akashiyaki in Hyogo Prefecture, which is why it is also famous as the original takoyaki restaurant.

This hotel is located on the highest floors, from the 33rd to the 40th floors, of Nakanoshima Festival Tower West, directly connected to the Osaka Metro.
It offers easy access to both Kita, where Osaka Station is located, and Minami, where Namba Station is located, making it convenient for both business and leisure.
True to its concept, “Your Address in the Sky - Beyond the Clouds -,” the panoramic view overlooking Osaka from 200 meters above ground is breathtaking.
You can enjoy these spectacular views from the guest rooms, restaurants, spa, and meeting rooms throughout the hotel.

Since its predecessor, the New Osaka Hotel, first opened in 1935, 86 years have passed.
This flagship hotel of the RIHGA Royal Hotel Group has built up a long history and tradition on the riverside in Nakanoshima, in central Osaka.
With its elegant atmosphere, up-to-date facilities, and exceptional hospitality, it is considered one of Japan’s leading hotels and is often called “Osaka’s Guest House.”

A unique high-rise building with a triangular structure that has drawn attention as a new landmark in the Umeda-Chayamachi area.
Harmonie Embrassee Osaka occupies guest rooms on the high-rise zone from the 12th to the 21st floors.
Each floor offers four room types, with different design concepts such as classic modern and sophisticated elegance.