Osaka Expo 2025: Worth the Chaos of the Final Days

 There's only 3 days left before the expo ends, and i mistakenly assumed that the crowd would die down by the time we came to visit. I was totally wrong. The minute we got off the station, the sheer sea of people dawned on us. I tried to stay optimistic, thinking, "Maybe it's just people here at the station". But as we snaked our way through the entrance, I saw from afar that there was a huge line of people just there, apparently waiting to get in.

Osaka Expo Manhole and Stamp Passport

The Sensory Overload

After what felt like forever-around 45 minutes- we finally got in. There were just endless streams of people on all sides. It was pure sensory overload. The moment we saw The Grand Ring, we were in awe. There was so much to see, so much to do. Pop-up merchandise/souvenir stores were all over the venue underneath The Ring, and they had lines too. Every major booth had a line, and we quickly realized we had absolutely no strategy.

 

Thailand Pavilion

The Philippine Pavilion Mission

Our main goal was to go and see the Philippine Pavilion. We were incredibly lucky because they accepted walk-ins, as most of the other major international pavilions needed reservations. Even so, we still had to wait for almost an hour, and we were inside for only maybe 10 minutes tops. We managed to buy a few pieces of souvenirs and then headed out to see which other pavilions didn't have any lines.

Outside of  the Philippine Pavilion

The Price of Admission (and Lunch)

We got there at 12 noon, and by around 3 PM, we started to get hungry. Since we were inside the massive grounds, we did not have any choice but to pay premium prices for food. They were good, but then again, they were undeniably pricey.

A Day is Not Enough

Around 5 PM, we came to our humbling realization that one day is simply not enough. We hadn't even scratched the surface and probably experienced about 10% of the entire expo. We were still just glad that we got to go. A World Expo does not happen every five years, and everyone should at least be able to go to one in their lifetime.

Accessorize Your Life: The Delightful Obsession with Japanese Bag Tags/Charms

 After numerous trips to Japan, I've finally succumbed to a local trend I used to only observe: adorning my handbag with charismatic, and often oversized, bag tags and charms. It's a joyful, infectious, and deeply characteristic piece of everyday Japanese fashion.

Assorted Charms

These accessories are far more than the simple keychains we see back home. They are bold declarations of personality. The must-have Labubu plushies are currently wildly popular, but the trend covers a spectrum: from chunky silicone anime characters and rubber mascots to astonishingly large plush dolls-I once saw a full-sized teddy bear-like anime figure dangling from a commuter's bag!

 
Streets of Osaka

Luxury Bags, Loud Charms

It doesn't matter your walk of life or your choice of carry-all. Everyone from students to business people participates. This is where Japan's unique sense of style truly shines: a love for being "out there" and different. You might be carrying a beautiful LV Neverfull or an Hermes Evelyn, but in Japan, that bag is merely a canvas. You want  to accessorize it with something that makes it yours. 

 

A sumo wrestler with a Labubu & an Osaka Expo Attendee

Think exclusive items like the Pikachu available only at Tokyo Central Station, Myaku-Myaku, the eye-catching mascot of the recent Osaka Expo, or just a random, beloved anime character. These charms inject character and a personal story into most functional part of your ensemble. For the true enthusiasts, one is never enough-you'll often see bags rocking a curated collection of two or three tags for maximum impact. Even my trusty overseas go-to, a regular Trader Joe's tote, now proudly display its own collection!

A Collector's Paradise (and a Traveler's Tip!)

If you're looking to dive into this trend, the best advice is to buy them in Japan. The selection is a collector's dream, offering an immense array of characters, limited-edition regional exclusives, and the latest trendy anime and mascots.

 

Limited Edition Starbucks Shibuya Bear & USJ Spy X Family Merch

More practically, items like the collectible Labubu plushies and anime charms are often priced far more affordably in Japan-sometimes for the original blind-box price of about $10-$20 USD-compared to the marked-up prices and limited availability in the US.

When you go, make sure to visit places like:

* Tokyo Central Station Character Street for all the major mascot shops.

* Nakano Broadway or Akihabara for vast selection of anime and second-hand collectible merchandise

* Gachapon (capsule toy) machines everywhere for cheap, random, and addictive little bag tags!

* Thrift stores such as Book-Off and Hobby-Off scattered all over the country

 

Harajuku crowd & us strolling through Ueno

It's an accessible, fun way to bring a piece of Japanese pop-culture home and express your personality every single day. Happy hunting!