The entire city of Minami in Osaka is turned into a theme park! Minami is one of the largest public spaces in Japan, and aims for a sustainable downtown area by enlivening EXPO2025 led by the townspeople.

In Osaka Minami, known as “the city of food and live entertainment,” community-led events will be held for about six months from a year before the opening of EXPO2025 Osaka Kansai, using public spaces such as Dotonbori, Ebisubashisuji, and Namba Square. Those events are called as “Jumping ahead Expo 2024” and held every month from 13th April (Saturday) to 13th October (Sunday) this year. By multiply utilizing one of largest public spaces in Japan and turning the entire city into a “theme park,” this will be a new form of city development aiming at creating a sustainable downtown area.

For the events, organizations adjacent to public spaces in Minami in Osaka (Dotonbori, Ebisubashisuji, and Namba Hiroba) have teamed up to form the Namba/Dotonbori Public Space Utilization Liaison Committee (NDK Liaison Committee). “Jumping ahead” the EXPO 2025 Osaka, which will welcome global visitors, the committee will monthly hold “interesting/entertaiment” events to build momentum around the city. The potential weekly visitor in the area is estimated as 6.3 million; approximately 900,000 daily passengers in Namba area, and 1.79 million daily trafic in Namba Square. Furthermore, both during and after EXPO2025, OUGI will continue to create contents enhancing the ease of travel by utilizing Minami’s attractive resources. The entire townspeople will work together in sustainably providing events.

In April, “Dotonbori Takoyaki EXPO2024” will be held as the first event of the “Jumping ahead Expo 2024”. By using gourmet ingredients from 8 countries, whose pavilions scheduled to be exhibited at EXPO2025, 8 recipes of creative takoyaki (octopus balls, a local food in Osaka) menus will be available in 8 stores in Dotonbori (8 comes from the number of legs of octopus). For 3 days from 26th April (Friday), the townspeople of Minami will come together to enliven EXPO2025 and hold an opening event in Namba Square for reconstruction from 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, sponsored by Dotonbori store association and Ebisubashisuji Promotion Union, also cooperated by the NDK Liaison Committee. Featuring the official character, Myak Myak, there will be powerful live stage performances by many Osaka-related artists. As many oversea tourists visit Minami, there will be a circus as a non-verbal performance that everyone can enjoy, as well as a beautiful 20-meter-long flower carpet made by the participants using loss flowers from the disaster-stricken area of Toyama, and a sales area introducing local products from the disaster-stricken area of Hokuriku. The events will provide smiles, energy, and support.

Every month from May onward, we plan to hold events to turn the entire city as a theme park. For example, to decorate the entire city with art and flowers, to showcase live performances, and collaboration events, as well as to introduce local coins. So, please look forward to it.

Furthermore, today, at 11:00am. 12th April (Friday), ahead of the “Jumping ahead Expo 2024”, there is “Minami Greeting Parade”, where the 30 smiling participants (performers, towns people, and international students) will clean up the street from Dotonbori Shopping District to Tonbori river walk by picking up trash while waving.

[Inquiries]
Minami Frying Expo PR Secretariat (in Sunny Side Up Inc) Email: mfb@ssu.co.jp

“Jumping ahead Expo 2024” Event Overview

Let’s enliven EXPO2025 by the townspeople!

Having a slogan as “we’ve started it already!”, OUGI will turn the entire city of Minami, Osaka into a theme park. The potential PR impact of Minami is estimated by 6.3 million visitors per week. Using the space as media, monthly events with different themes will be held for the half a year from a year before the EXPO 2025. This is a new form of town development that is typical of Osaka Minami, which is a place filled with “interesting things.”

Turned the entire city of Minami, Osaka into a theme park! Aiming for a sustainable downtown area

The main area is 2 shopping districts (Dotonbori store association and Ebisubashisuji Promotion Union) and Namba Square, located in Minami, Osaka. By holistically using the attractive resources of the area, which is one of the largest public areas in Japan, OUGI supported to create contents enhancing the ease of getting around. The new approach to add value by turning the city into a theme park aims to sustainable development of the downtown.

[Event Name] Jumping ahead Expo 2024
[Event Period] 13th April 2024 (Saturday) to 13th October 2024 (Sunday) *Also during EXPO2025
[Venue] Public spaces in Minami area (Dotonbori, Ebisubashisuji, Namba Square, etc)
[Main content] Monthly events set in the city to enliven EXPO2025

◎12th (Friday) April: Minami Greeting Parade
◎13th (Sat) – 28th (Sun) April: Dotonbori Takoyaki EXPO2024
◎26th (Friday) April: “Minami Jumping ahead Expo 2024” Opening Ceremony
◎27th (Sat) – 28th (Sun) April: “Minami Jumping ahead Expo 2024” Opening Event
◎After May onward: We will sequentially announce on the information on the official website and news etc.

• Flower art: Environmental maintenance and clean-up activities through urban flower art and guerilla florists using loss flowers. Beautiful flowers all over the city make great photo spots.
• Artistic Minami: The entire city is decorated with sparkling art created by children, students, and young artists from Osaka.
• Street performances: Creating non-verbal circuses and performances in Minami, Osaka that can entertain all people.
• Minami Greeters: No matter where you go and who you meet, greet everyone around town with a wave and a smile.
• Minami Greeting Parade: a clean-up activity with smiles by tourists, international students, volunteers, and people from the shopping district to keep together the city clean to attract repeaters.
• Stage/Square Events: With various concepts, such as artists’ live performances and collaboration events, Minami can be a fun city to visit anytime.
• Minami Coin: Plans to introduce local coins and a city guide app to further enjoy “Minami Jumping ahead Expo 2024”

[Organizer] Namba/Dotonbori Public Space Utilization Liaison Committee (NDK Liaison Committee): Chairman, Katsuya Ueyama (Chairman of Dotonbori store association)
(Dotonbori store association, Ebisubashisuji Promotion Union, Nankai Electric Railway Co., Ltd., and OUGI Inc.)
[Inquiries] Executive Committee of Minami Jumping ahead Expo 2024
minami-f-expo2024@ougi-japan.co.jp
Official website: https://minami-expo.jp/

“Dotonbori Takoyaki EXPO 2024” Event Overview

The first commemorative event of the “Minami Jumping ahead Expo 2024” is “Dotonbori Takoyaki EXPO 2024”. Takoyaki (octopus balls) is a local food in Osaka. In that event, themed as 8 legs of an octopus, 8 takoyaki stores in Dotonbori Takoyaki Club led to present 8 recipes of creative takoyaki menus by using gourmet ingredients from 8 countries, whose pavilions scheduled to be exhibited at EXPO2025. During the event, a photo contest will be held, and ones whose photos ranked top 10, such as “eye-catching takoyaki” or “interesting takoyaki”, won the “free takoyaki ticket” that can be used at the 8 stores.
and those whose photos are selected as the top 10, such as “eye-catching takoyaki” or “interesting takoyaki”, will receive a “free takoyaki ticket” that can be used at the eight stores.

[Event Name] Dotonbori Takoyaki EXPO2024
[Sales Period] (Saturday) 13th April 2024 – (Sunday) 28th April 2024
[Sales Contents] 8 Country Pavilions x 8 Stores in Dotonbori Takoyaki Club = 8 Original Takoyaki Menus

①France x Creole (JUNK Store) = Truffle salt and cream cheese sauce takoyaki
②America x Takoya Dotonbori Kukuru (Dotonbori Main Store) = U.S. Steak Takoyaki Jack Daniel’s BBQ Sauce
③Korea x Takoya Dotonbori Kukuru (Konamon Museum Store) = Yangnyeom Takoyaki with Kimchi
④Thailand x Takoyaki Douraku Wanaka (Dotonbori Store) = Sweet Chili Takoyaki
⑤Italy x Creole (Dotonbori Store) = Tomato Sauce and Parmesan Cheese Takoyaki
⑥Germany x Takohachi (Dotonbori Main Store) = Takoyaki with Frankfurt ⑦Switzerland × Takoyaki 18th (Dotonbori Store) = Cheese Fondue Takoyaki
⑧China × Odoridaco (Dotonbori Store) = Spicy Sauce Takoyaki

[Organizer] Dotonbori Takoyaki Club
[Support] Osaka Pavilion in EXPO 2025
[Supporter]
U.S. Embassy U.S. Agricultural Trade Office
Consulate General of the Kingdom of Thailand, Osaka
Consulate General of Switzerland in Osaka
Consulate General of China in Osaka
[Inquiries] Shirohato Food Corp. (PR, Kikuchi)
TEL: 080-1406-5590
Official website: https://minami-expo.jp/

“Minami Jumping ahead Expo 2024” Opening Event Overview

The opening ceremony and stage events of “Minami Jumping ahead Expo 2024” will be held for 3 days at Namba Square. The event aims to build momentum for EXPO2025 and support reconstruction from the Noto Peninsula earthquake. On the ＜Main Stage＞, we will welcome the official character of EXPO2025, Myaku myaku, and hold live events by many young artists with ties to Osaka supporting us. In the ＜Circus and Merchandise Area＞, we will hold a “non-verbal” circus performance unique to Minami, which is full of oversea tourists, and support the profits by setting up merchandising booths of the disaster-stricken areas. Also, in the ＜Flower Area＞, we will hold a “Flower Carpet” and “Flower Workshop” using thousands of loss flowers from Toyama Prefecture. By using about 10,000 loss flowers, guerrilla art turns the place suffered by abandoned bicycles and garbage into photo spots. Reducing loss flowers will support farmers and change the future of the city.

[Event Name] “Minami Jumping ahead Expo 2024” – the townspeople liven up EXPO2025 –
1st ~ Wishing for recovery from Osaka Minami ~ Let’s send smiles and support to Noto! [Event Period] 10:00-18:00, 26th (Friday), 27th (Saturday), 28th (Sunday) of April 2024 [Event Venue] Namba Square (free entry) and others
*Program details will be announced on the official website around Thursday 18th April

＜Main Stage＞

◎Opening Ceremony & Live Stage: (Friday) 26th April, 13:00-
[Part 1] Let’s liven up EXPO2025 together with Miyaku miyaku!
[Part 2] Wishing for recovery from Minami ~Reconstruction support live~
◎Reconstruction support stage: (Saturday) 27th and (Sunday) 28th April
Bringing young energy from Minami! Osaka LIVE Power Stage

＜Circus/Merchandise Area＞

◎From Minami to tourists from all over the world: Minami Nonverbal Circus
◎Various booths/Merchandise booths from the three Hokuriku prefectures, EXPO2025 booths/pavilion introductions, various food trucks

＜Flower Area＞

◎From Minami, with hopes for recovery: Expo Flower Carpet made by everyone
◎From Minami to mothers in the disaster-stricken areas: Early Mother’s Day/ Smile Flower Relay
[Participation Fee] Free (excluding merchandise)
[Expected Attendance] 3,000 people
[Organizers] Dotonbori store association and Ebisubashisuji Promotion Union
[Support] Namba/Dotonbori Public Space Utilization Liaison Committee (NDK Liaison Committee), Nankai Electric Railway Co., Ltd., and OUGI Inc.
[Planned Supporters] Chuo Ward Shopping Street joint association, Osaka Prefecture/Osaka City Expo Promotion Bureau, EXPO2025 Osaka Convention and Tourism Bureau, Flower Life Promotion Association, Japan Professional Greeter Association, Japan Flower Corporation inc., FM802 (*Some applications are pending)
[Inquiries] Executive Committee of Minami Jumping ahead Expo 2024
minami-f-expo2024@ougi-japan.co.jp
Official website: https://minami-expo.jp/