Expo Memorial Park / Tower

What this place is

Expo Commemoration Park (万博記念公園, Bampaku kinen kōen) or Expo '70 Commemorative Park is a park in Suita, Japan, to the north of Osaka (about 15 km (9.3 mi) from Umeda). The park is the former site of Expo '70, a World's Fair held between March 15 and September 13, 1970. It is about 264 ha (650 acres) of lawn and forest, and has education and recreation facilities. The National Museum of Ethnology, the Osaka Expo '70 Stadium, and part of the Expoland are in this park. The National Museum of Art used to be here but was moved to Nakanoshima area, Kita-ku, Osaka. The park has the Tower of the Sun, a symbolic landmark of the Expo '70, which has been preserved and repaired a number of times. Some of the materials used or built in the Expo '70 remain.

Expo Memorial Park / Tower (万博記念公園) is one of the standout places to visit in Osaka. Give yourself unhurried time for photos, seasonal views, and nearby food stops. IC cards such as Suica, Pasmo, or ICOCA cover most trains and city buses.

Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)

Why it is worth the trip

A planting plan that guarantees something in bloom or colour in almost every month.

Paths, ponds and pavilions arranged so that the view reframes itself every few steps.

A local gathering place: morning walkers, picnic blankets, festival stalls and evening illumination.

What you can do here

Do a slow loop of the main path and stop at each designed viewpoint.

Bring a bento or grab something from a nearby konbini and picnic on the lawn.

Photograph the seasonal star — check the park's bloom calendar before you go.

Rent a bike where available; larger parks are far quicker to see on two wheels.

Photos