Inside Osaka Expo with Sean Ep. 1: Monster
Hunter, Sweets & More

My Japanese friends gave me some good advice when they heard I was going to the Expo. Since the venue is located right by the sea, the wind can get pretty strong—and they even said the rain sometimes hits sideways!

I packed my rain gear, a hat, bottled water, some candies for energy boost—all in a compact, lightweight, but durable nylon bag. I also layered some clothes for flexibility—a T-shirt and a light shirt over it—and wore comfortable sneakers, ready to tackle the 20,000 steps I’d heard people walk at the Expo!

I thought about color-coordinating with a Myaku-Myaku theme, but my priority was choosing a style that lets me sit anywhere and move around easily and quickly. After spending a day at the Expo, I know it was the right decision.

I met up with Shymaa at Osaka Metro’s Yumeshima Station at 8 am, and wow—there were already a LOT of people! I was pretty surprised by how crowded it was. It even exceeded my expectations, even though I’d heard about it beforehand. But the station staff were great—they were working hard to guide everyone and make our day go smoothly. I felt like the Expo experience had already started right here.

Myaku-Myaku was smiling down from the signage, and I was starting to feel pretty excited! We went through the East gate. Entry was super smooth with the QR code. I’d brought my map printout with me, all set and ready for the day at the Expo!

I was more than stoked that my day kicked off at the Moster Hunter Bridge. This special exhibit at the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion was created exclusively for the Osaka Expo and is the only place in the world where you can fully immerse yourself in the world of Monster Hunter! It’s a highly popular attraction and I was really looking forward to it!

As we walked toward Osaka Healthcare Pavilion’s XD HALL, a sculpture of Felyne came into view. We snapped a photo right away—it looked pretty cute in 3D! We followed Felyne’s footprints and headed straight to a mural of Rathalos!

The sumi-e style artwork was so cool—it really pulled us into the world of Monster Hunter, where a giant Rathalos, Lagiacrus, and Rajang were all there to welcome us! I was so excited, I was literally vibrating with excitement! But don’t worry, I still managed to take tons of pictures, lol.

At the front desk, we each received an invitation card with Monster Hunter Bridge-themed straps. We also found lockers to store our bags. We put away our phones, and Shymaa even took off her rings and other jewelry. This was all for safety since we were about to put on an AR devices and move around a lot! With everything set, we were ready to go!

We heard the announcement in the waiting room. Five groups of five people lined up to receive their AR devices. I expected them to be heavier, but they were actually pretty lightweight. You could adjust the fit using a screw on the back and check the AR images through the viewfinder. This was my first AR experience, but it felt surprisingly comfortable.

In the AR frame, my hand was outlined in white light and moved perfectly in sync with my own movements. I felt like I was totally in a different world!

And our adventure with Felyne began!
A beautiful, lifelike scene surrounded us on the 360-degree screen. In every direction I looked, everything felt incredibly real. Wind, light, sound, and even the earth’s vibrations were perfectly in sync, and every time the monsters moved, I truly felt like I was there. I blurted out a scream without thinking and found myself moving my hands and whole body with all my strength. The 11 minutes flew by in a flash, but the excitement stayed with me long after.

I can’t reveal the details, but there’s a particular moment at the end of the experience—something fitting for the Osaka Expo—that had me both laughing and completely amazed all at once. Monster Hunter Bridge is truly a one-of-a-kind experience you can only have at the Expo!

What’s more, this pavilion isn’t just for Monster Hunter fans—it’s also great for those who’ve never played the game. My friend Shymaa had no prior experience with Monster Hunter but still found the immersive experience exciting and unforgettable.

It’s not real, but it feels real. Technology has come so far—it’s amazing how convincingly it creates a virtual world like this. I was genuinely impressed. I’d love for everyone to experience it!

Getting a reservation for Monster Hunter Bridge isn’t easy, but don’t give up—keep trying and grab your chance. I promise it’ll be an experience of a lifetime!

I knew from the start that I wanted to try some futuristic sweets, so we headed to Earth Sweets, located near EARTH TABLE in the Forest of Tranquility, a peaceful green-filled space in the center of the Expo venue. Earth Sweets blends Japanese and global culinary traditions, offering a fresh take on sweets. It was also perfect for Shymaa, who’s vegan.

The first item we spotted was gluten-free rice flour churros! I ordered one right away—I had to get the Myaku-Myaku shaped churro!—and snapped a picture. We also got a churro dog, which sounded perfect as we were starting to get a little hungry. It wasn’t too greasy and had a really nice texture.

Shymaa was happy to have safe options and chose the kinako and brown sugar syrup parfait, made with plant-based ice cream. It looked so good, I couldn’t resist—I ended up ordering the Black Mont Blanc, too. Earth Sweets’ version is different from the ones you find at convenience stores. It’s been reimagined with more plant-based ingredients (though it does contain some dairy). Sustainable sweets for the future!

As we were enjoying our desserts and snapping photos, one of the staff members surprised us by bringing out a giant Black Mont Blanc—LOL!

The excitement kept us going strong in the morning, but as the sun rose higher, we started to feel a bit tired. In moments like that, it’s important to stay well hydrated.

Water refill stations were busy on such a hot day, but I made a point of refilling my bottle every time I saw one—there are 32 stations throughout the venue.

I have to mention the restrooms. At the Osaka Expo, you rarely need to wait in line because there’s always another restroom nearby. Apparently, no matter where you are inside the Expo venue, there is a restroom within a 5-minute walk.

I also heard about the stylish designer restrooms—you can have fun trying to find one! I tried using an all-gender restroom for the first time and found it very comfortable.

Japanese restrooms are always clean and pleasant to use. You might have heard about the sound feature available in Japanese public restrooms that makes flashing noises. It’s an example of how Japanese culture and technology value humility and modesty.

The same care is evident throughout the Expo—the restrooms are all spotless and pleasant. It’s little details like this that fascinate people about Japan.