- Introduction: Don’t Give Up on the Best Expo Experience!
- The Ultimate Weapon for Avoiding Crowds: 6 Insider Hacks
- 【Ken’s Choice】Short Lines, High Satisfaction! 7 Hidden Gem Pavilions You Can Still Enjoy
- The Unexpected Hidden Gem: Deciding to Focus on “Food” and “Shows”
- Ken’s Final Advice: Create Your Own Expo Memory
Introduction: Don’t Give Up on the Best Expo Experience!
Hi! I’m Ken, the editor-in-chief of Tokyo Insider Guide.
“I want to go one last time before it closes!” “But won’t it be incredibly crowded if I go now…?”
With the closing day of October 13, 2025, fast approaching, many people are likely feeling this mix of excitement and anxiety. Seeing the reports of overwhelming crowds every day, it’s natural to hesitate about going now.
But it’s too early to give up. If you read this article, you’ll learn “the smart way to navigate the Expo” to beat the last-minute rush and still have a great time. Let’s grab the best Expo experience from an insider’s perspective!
The Ultimate Weapon for Avoiding Crowds: 6 Insider Hacks
Don’t just charge in blindly. The final days of the Expo are an information war.
- Hack #1: Aim for the “Evening Pass”: While many people stay until closing, the evening pass, which allows entry after 5 PM, is a great option. You can avoid the peak heat and crowds of the daytime and enjoy the beautifully illuminated Expo at night.
- Hack #2: Shift Your Mealtime to After 3 PM: Restaurants are most crowded between 12 PM and 2 PM. Focus on pavilions during this time and eat a little later, after 3 PM, to significantly reduce your waiting time.
- Hack #3: Master the Official App: The official app, which shows real-time waiting times for each pavilion, is an essential item. Use it to aim for less crowded spots and move around efficiently.
- Hack #4: Enter Through the East Gate: Compared to the main gate, the east gate tends to be relatively less crowded. It’s worth considering if you want to reduce stress upon entry.
- Hack #5: Go on a Rainy Day: Check the weather forecast; if it’s just a light rain, it could be your chance. The number of visitors decreases significantly, and you might be able to enjoy the indoor pavilions comfortably.
- Hack #6: Join a Foreign Language Tour: If you’re proficient in a language like English, joining a foreign language tour offered by some pavilions can be a smart move. They sometimes have shorter waiting times than the Japanese tours.
【Ken’s Choice】Short Lines, High Satisfaction! 7 Hidden Gem Pavilions You Can Still Enjoy
The Expo isn’t just about waiting for hours at the super-popular pavilions. I’ve personally selected some hidden gems that offer high-quality experiences with relatively short waiting times.
① Africa Joint Pavilion
Ken’s Point: Since many small countries are exhibiting together, each display is compact, but there’s almost no waiting time, and you can experience a diverse and colorful range of cultures all at once. It feels like you’re taking a trip around the world.
② Netherlands Pavilion
Ken’s Point: Instead of flashy videos or rides, this pavilion offers a superb exhibition that makes you quietly contemplate the “Future of Food” in a beautifully designed space, true to its theme of “Common Ground.” It’s a precious spot to find a moment of peace amidst the crowded venue
③ Osaka Pavilion
Ken’s Point: The local Osaka Pavilion always has a warm and welcoming atmosphere. You can experience the futuristic side of Osaka, like future healthcare experiences, which is surprisingly little known. It tends to be relatively easy to enter compared to other popular pavilions.
④ UAE Pavilion
Ken’s Point:The beautiful, futuristic building designed to look like a “sand dune” immediately catches your eye. This is such a hidden gem that people say they’ve “never seen a line,” so you can often enter smoothly. Inside, you can experience the history of the UAE and its vision for future cities through magnificent visuals. It’s the perfect “oasis” pavilion for when you’re tired of the crowds.
⑤ Turkey Pavilion
Ken’s Point: It features a shop with authentic Turkish goods and a restaurant where you can enjoy delicious Turkish coffee. Since you can enjoy it not just by viewing the exhibits but also for “shopping” and “dining,” it’s a pavilion with high satisfaction even with a short wait.
⑥ Jordan Pavilion
Ken’s Point: Inside the pavilion, the “Wadi Rum” desert, which was a filming location for ‘Star Wars,’ is recreated. The experience of walking barefoot on real sand is very unique and memorable.
⑦ Czechia Pavilion
Ken’s Point: The entire pavilion is structured as a spiral ramp that you walk up. Because of this, you’re not so much waiting in line as you are viewing art at your own pace while walking. It’s a prime example of a low-stress pavilion that you can enjoy without stopping.
The Unexpected Hidden Gem: Deciding to Focus on “Food” and “Shows”
Deciding “I’m not waiting for any pavilions today!” is actually a smart strategy for enjoying the final days of the Expo to the fullest.
The restaurants and food courts, where you can enjoy authentic cuisine from around the world, are surprisingly easy to get into if you go at off-peak times. Also, the free street performances and shows that happen guerrilla-style in the plazas are top-tier entertainment that you can enjoy with zero waiting time.
Ken’s Final Advice: Create Your Own Expo Memory
Try to let go of the idea that you “have to see all the pavilions.” The real secret to enjoying the final days of the Expo is to find your own theme, like “Today is for eating my way around the world,” or “Tomorrow is for discovering cultures I don’t know about yet.”
Don’t be swayed by too much information; find the experiences that will stay with you. I sincerely hope you can make the best memories at the very end of the Expo!
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