Aichi Expo 2005

Exposing The World

Note: This review appeared in the May 2005 issue of InTouch, the monthly magazine of the Tokyo American Club. It was written by Christine Miki, author of Tokyo Stories, a humorous novel on expatriate life in Japan.

On a recent weekend, I hopped on a bullet train for the 90-minute ride to Nagoya to catch the opening of the 2005 World Exposition in Aichi Prefecture: an extravaganza of technological displays, cultural exhibits, educational must-sees and all-round fun that runs until September.

The Aichi Expo’s theme is “Nature’s Wisdom,” and organizers say it’s the most environmentally conscious expo ever because of its efforts to reduce waste and promote self-sufficiency by integrating recycling into almost every aspect of the event. Material left over from the demolition of buildings on the site, for instance, was used to landscape various areas, while the official guidebook is printed on recycled paper and uses colored ink made from waste vegetable oil. Meanwhile, a biodegradable plastic derived from plants was used to make disposable tableware for the expo restaurants. The used tableware is then recycled into trays and plant pots, or converted into compost to fertilize the land around the site. The vegetables grown with this compost and served in the restaurants complete the cycle.

Nevertheless, this expo will probably be best remembered for its robots, which are everywhere. They perform chores (cleaning floors and collecting garbage); look after children; put shows on; guide visitors; and are part of the site security staff—clearly, a glimpse of what the future holds.

Many countries have also set up pavilions (more than 120 nations are taking part) to give visitors a taste of their respective cultures. The Thai and Indian pavilions serve curry made by chefs specially flown over for the event; the Jordanian pavilion sells beauty products from the Dead Sea; the Philippine pavilion offers coconut oil massages; while the Swiss pavilion gives 15-minute simulated expedition tours of the Swiss mountains (an Alpine peak is has been recreated inside the pavilion!).

The main attractions of the expo, however, are the experiential pavilions set up by major Japanese companies, which have the resources and cutting-edge technology to create displays and performances that rival even the likes of Disneyland and Universal Studios. At the Toyota pavilion, which is the expo’s top crowd-drawer, visitors can enjoy a sound and light show featuring seven robots playing music instruments. Another invention with a touch of the sci-fi is i-foot, an oval-shaped robot on two legs that can carry a person up and down a flight of stairs—reportedly the first of its kind in the world. The show also includes Toyota’s i-unit2, a single passenger vehicle that looks like a comfortable armchair on wheels.

Humanoids and robots are so ensconced in the site that you might end up asking directions from one. Actroid is a humanoid information booth worker who looks like a young Japanese woman and understands 40,000 phrases in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean. Her movements and gestures are said to be disturbingly human.

Another top expo attraction is a ride on the Linimo (be prepared for long lines): Japan’s first magnetically levitated train, which takes passengers to the expo from Fujigaoka Subway Station.

Among my favorites was Global House, a pavilion hosted by the expo organizers, which includes the head of an 18,000-year-old frozen woolly mammoth that was excavated in Siberia. I also enjoyed the Mitsui-Toshiba pavilion with its animated sci-fi film “Grand Odyssey.” This interactive movie takes digitized photos of members of the public and uses them as the characters in the movie. It’s a lot of fun to see your face on screen as an animated space explorer; even the most serious-looking adults in our group clearly enjoyed themselves.

EXPO TIPS

- The Aichi Expo is expecting massive crowds (15 million over six months) so it’s best to go on a weekday, if possible. Reservations for particular pavilions and events can be made online up to one month in advance, and are highly recommended for the more popular areas.

- Most visitors want to ride the Linimo so they take the subway route to the Aichi Expo from Nagoya. If you’d like to avoid the crowds and get to the expo as early as possible, it’s advisable to take the expo shuttle bus from JR Nagoya Station.

- The most convenient hotel to stay in is the Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel, which is in the JR Nagoya Station itself. You can simply hop off the bullet train, check in, then catch the shuttle bus to the expo from the terminal next to the hotel.

HOW TO GET THERE
Train
103 minutes by Nozomi bullet train from Tokyo Station to Nagoya Station. Change to the Aichi Loop Line for Yakusa Station from where you can take the Tobu-Kyuryo Line to the expo site. Or you can take the subway to Fujigaoka Station and change to the Tobu-Kyuryo Line. Alternatively, you can catch a shuttle bus direct to the site from Nagoya Station.

Car
Four hours by the Tomei Expressway or Chuo Expressway from Tokyo to Nagoya.

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