The Mission of the Japan Cultural Expo
To encourage people worldwide to discover the charm of Japanese arts and culture through cultural content.
The Japan Cultural Expo is an initiative of the Japanese government to enhance the appeal of Japanese arts and culture. Our mission is to encourage people to discover the charm of Japanese culture while enjoying programs of cultural content, including art exhibitions, performing arts, and art festivals.
Led by the Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Japan Arts Council, it is a collaborative, inter-agency project drawing on the cooperation of numerous public and private sector partners.
The Japan Cultural Expo serves as an information hub for people to experience Japanese arts and access community culture.
We also pursue new ways for people to enjoy and share Japanese culture.
Our Vision
To build connections with people worldwide and vitalize communication through arts and culture.
The Japan Cultural Expo forges partnerships and interacts with a variety of organizations and participants.
We take the initiative to deepen respect for diversity, share universality, and solve social challenges, leading to new economic and social growth through this project.
We hope this initiative will vitalize communication between Japan and the world through culture and the arts and promote world peace.
The Concept of the Japan Cultural Expo
"The Beauty and The Spirit of Japan" is the concept of Japan Cultural Expo.
The Beauty of Japan is a reflection of various "kokoro" which shape Japanese aesthetics.
The Japanese word "kokoro" means "spirit," "heart," or "mind," but it also widely implies feelings such as emotion, sense, empathy, and will. "Kokoro" is also the essence of understanding Japanese arts and culture.
Since prehistoric times, during Japan's Jomon era, people lived with the belief that each and everything has a spirit.
People's relationships with nature and the seasons have fostered creativity, enriched their emotions, and shaped their philosophies.
Against this background, aesthetics in Japan have been created in everyday life. People enhanced expressing their "kokoro" as a prayer or reverence for nature. They refined their sensibilities by incorporating them into their lifestyles, including clothing, food, and housing.
Furthermore, Japanese culture has developed in various ways, incorporating foreign cultures and the sensibilities of each era.
The aesthetic sense and expression of predecessors manifested in cultural properties and traditional performing arts have influenced contemporary art, design and fashion, manga, anime, and the like leading to the creation of new culture and value.
Our History
The Japan Cultural Expo was launched as a nationwide celebration of Japanese arts and culture to coincide with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
From 2019 to 2021, over 1,000 projects were held across Japan, led by the Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Japan Arts Council.
Now, Japan Cultural Expo 2.0 has taken over those cultural initiatives and is connecting people with culture.
We hope that the Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai will be an opportunity for many foreign visitors to visit Japan and enjoy its diverse charms.