ORIX’s top team of photographers and wordsmiths braved the crowds and the heat to bring you more images from Japan’s second-largest city, capturing the final days of this year’s Osaka World Expo.
In terms of popularity, publicity, and impact, the event has been a huge success, welcoming more than 25 million visitors—many more than once.
Large crowds were certainly in evidence, with many traveling from overseas. Our team talked to tourists from Mexico and France as well as people from all parts of Japan.
And while that meant that there were long waits to enter some of the country pavilions, everyone made do…
…with some finding shelter from the sun under the wooden Grand Ring that has come to symbolize the Expo.
Technology continued to attract attention, from the ‘Next Future’ pavilion to robots large (this is Gundam)…
…and not so large.
And, of course, Myaku-Myaku, the official mascot whose name means ‘the heartbeat of life’, was everywhere in sight.
The next generation of air mobility is showcased at the ORIX-run Vertiport.
The Vertiport played host to a range of different eVTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft), often nicknamed ‘air taxis’ or more playfully, ‘flying cars’. These aircraft are a key part of Urban Air Mobility (UAM), focused on city transport, and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), the broader concept covering both urban and regional air travel.
Here is one designed and built by Joby Aviation, powered by six electrically driven rotors…
…that seems to have attracted the attention of ORIX President & COO Hidetake Takahashi.
And here it is being put through its paces during a test flight.
The eVTOL was much quieter than a helicopter.
… while its smaller rotors, which stopped spinning as soon as the motors were stopped, made it much easier to embark and disembark. The flight successfully completed a spin over Osaka Bay.
As we say goodbye to Banpaku, we want to leave you with a glimpse of the future. As this view from the top of the Grand Ring shows, construction has already started on Japan’s first ever ‘Integrated Resort’ – a combination of hotel, casino and conference center – right next door to the current exhibition grounds on Yumeshima island. And who is behind this flagship project? ORIX.
AloJapan.com