A Myaku-Myaku monument is seen at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai venue in the city of Osaka’s Konohana Ward, on Oct. 13, 2025. (Mainichi/Haruno Kosaka)
OSAKA — Posts claiming that a “second chapter” for Myaku-Myaku, the official mascot of the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, will begin next year have been circulating on social media in Japan, capturing the hearts of those experiencing “Expo loss.”
The rumors suggest that “Myaku-Myaku cafes will open in Osaka’s Umeda and Namba areas in spring 2026” and that “Osaka Metro will begin operating special trains featuring Myaku-Myaku-themed designs starting in 2026.”
When these posts appeared on social media on the evening of the event’s closing day, Oct. 13, they quickly spread to other platforms, sparking an outpouring of excitement with comments like “Yay, can’t wait!” and “I’m definitely going!” One of the posts was viewed over 1.3 million times. However, both of these claims are false.
The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition firmly denied the opening of the Myaku-Myaku cafes, telling the Mainichi Shimbun, “We have made no announcement regarding the cafe, and no such fact exists.”
This photo provided by Osaka Metro Co. shows a train inspired by the Myaku-Myaku colors running on the Midosuji Line.
Osaka Metro Co. also denied the claims. While the subway operator is running red, blue and white-decorated trains inspired by Myaku-Myaku until the end of November, it clarified there are no plans for special operations mentioned in the posts.
While some may see “Expo loss” as a business opportunity, caution is advised. According to the Expo association and the Japan Patent Office, the official Expo mascot and logo are trademarked by the association and remain protected even after the event’s closing. If a third party opens a store using the Myaku-Myaku name without permission from the association, it may infringe on trademark rights.
The Patent Office warns, “If deemed a trademark infringement, the rights holder could potentially file a lawsuit against the infringing party.”
(Japanese original by Haruno Kosaka, Osaka City News Department)
AloJapan.com