This report covers the words and expressions aligned with the theme "Life will bloom" presented at the official ceremony and events on Japan Day (July 3) at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo, showcasing Japan's traditions and culture.
Key Points
1. Japan Day Overview and Significance
- Date: July 3, 2025 (midpoint of Expo period)
- Held as National Day for host country Japan
- Venue: EXPO Hall within Osaka-Kansai Expo grounds
- Theme: "Life will bloom"
- Showcased attractions expressing Japanese tradition and culture
2. Calligraphy Performance by Tottori Johoku High School Calligraphy Club
- Performers: 16 high school students from Tottori Johoku High School Calligraphy Club
- Two-time consecutive champions at the National High School Calligraphy Performance Championship
- Powerful yet delicate calligraphy performed with large brushes while singing
- Words presented: "I have dreams I want to fulfill while alive / The quiet, passionate heartbeat guides me toward my dreams / Believing in certain miracles, I live my present / Bloom magnificently, dream flowers / Become the light of hope that brilliantly illuminates the world"
- Central character "命" (life) overlaid with the theme "Life will bloom"
3. Reading Performance by Norika Fujiwara, Japan Pavilion Honorary Director
- Content based on experience of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake (30 years ago)
- Introduction of "Shiawase Hakoberuyouni" (composed by a Kobe elementary school teacher)
- The song has been passed down from Kobe to Tohoku, Kumamoto, and Noto
- Quoted lyrics: "With a strong heart that won't be defeated by earthquakes / Let's cherish each day living for those who have passed"
4. Message of Regeneration and Hope
- Cyclical concept: "Regeneration creates hope. Hope creates regeneration"
- Strong message: "The brilliance of life never fades"
- Community consciousness: "When each person thinks and wishes, we connect, bond, and radiate dazzling brilliance"
- Emphasizing the importance of maintaining hope amid global disasters, conflicts, and divisions
5. Connection to Expo Theme
- Concrete expression of the Expo theme "Designing Future Society for Our Lives"
- Each performer expressed their experiences and thoughts
- Content serving as a compass for many people to reflect as the Expo approaches its end
- Transmitting Japanese cultural values (connection, bonds, regeneration) to the world
The article shows that Japan Day's stage was not merely a performance but an important opportunity to convey Japan's vision of a "future society where life shines" to the world through Japanese experiences and values.