Osaka Expo’s Grand Ring Timber to Aid Housing in Ishikawa

Newsfrom Japan

Oct 2, 2025 15:55 (JST)

Osaka, Oct. 2 (Jiji Press)–Timber used in the Grand Ring, a symbol of the World Exposition in the western Japan city of Osaka, will be reused for public housing for recovery from last year’s strong earthquake and heavy rain in the central prefecture of Ishikawa, people familiar with the matter said Thursday.

Suzu, an Ishikawa city heavily damaged in the disasters, will receive the dismantled timber from the world’s largest wooden architectural structure free of charge after the Expo closes on Oct. 13.

“We want to carry on the Expo’s legacy and make it a symbol of our recovery,” a Suzu city official said.

The ring structure was built with wood including Japanese cedar and cypress. A portion of the roughly 2-kilometer loop measuring about 200 meters will remain on the Expo ground as part of the site’s preservation plan.

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Jiji Press