OSAKA – Some Japanese department stores and other businesses have continued selling items related to the World Exposition in Osaka, as demand for merchandise has remained strong even after the end of the event that drew over 25 million visitors.
Kintetsu Department Store Co.’s main outlet in the western Japanese city has continued to run an official shop beyond its planned closure on Oct. 13, which was the final day of the six-month expo, adding to its lineup items that had been only sold at its shop inside the event venue, and even planning to release new products.
“The excitement of the expo will remain for some time,” Kintetsu Department Store President Takahiro Kajima told a press conference on Oct. 10, expressing his intention to continue promoting the festival after achieving its sales target in August.
Another major department store in Osaka, operated by Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores Co., doubled its floor space for expo goods in November.
West Japan Railway Co. has said it will continue to operate its official expo stores at key transport hubs — Osaka and Shin-Osaka stations — while MaruzenJunkudo Bookstores Co. has set up a section for expo merchandise at a store in the city.
Major sushi restaurant chain operator Kura Sushi Inc. has recently started offering at its nationwide outlets selected dishes from a range of internationally inspired cuisines it sold at its restaurant at the expo site.
Official merchandise featuring the expo’s popular mascot Myaku-Myaku will also be sold until the end of March, with the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition approving sales at shops and online beyond Oct. 13 due to the strong demand.
The expo, held on the artificial island of Yumeshima, featured 158 countries and regions and drew crowds through exhibitions showcasing advanced technologies and cultures from around the globe.
AloJapan.com