Expo 2010: Pavilions – Japan & Korea (Zone A)

Japan Pavilion: purple silkworm island

The Japan Pavilion designed by Nihon Sekkei has secured a 6,000-square-meter plot at the Expo site. The 24-meter-high pavilion is the largest the country has ever built for a World Expo. It is also one of the largest pavilions at Expo 2010.

The concept of Eco-Breathing Architecture—a structure that breathes like a living organism—was adopted in the construction of the Japan Pavilion, otherwise known was the Purple Silkworm Island.


Design concept

The Japan Pavilion combines traditional Japanese knowledge for living in harmony with the environment, such as ennoshita (the utility space under verandas) and uchimizu (the sprinkling of water by hands to reduce heat) with the latest environmental control and materials technology.

Vertical hollows are strategically placed in the pavilion to make use of ancient Japanese knowledge for maximum incorporation of the power of nature, such as bringing in sunlight, using stored rainwater, and circulating air naturally. A cool environment is created with the generation of mist in areas where visitors will wait.

The Japan Pavilion is designed so that major spaces within the Pavilion are covered with large roofs, creating a distinct exterior that appears to be alive. The base color for the exterior of the Japan Pavilion is a reddish violet. This color is viewed as a natural color that arises from the harmony of red, symbolizing the sun, and blue, symbolizing water. The outer covering changes to highlight and complement changes in daylight or at night, so that the movement of nature can be felt.


The exhibition message of the Japan Pavilion is “Connect for a Harmonious Future,” and is composed so that visitors can experience the connections being formed in Japan, China, and the world for the future. The message centered on “connections” is expressed using a range of exhibition techniques including animations, robots, computer graphics, and musicals to make it easy to understand and accessible for everyone from children to senior citizens.

Zone 1:


The theme of Zone 1 is “Wonders of Connections.” In the past much time and energy was spent transmitting and sharing information over long distances. The Japanese envoys to China in the Tang Dynasty and other predecessors went through much hardship to bring Japan information on Chinese culture and technology. Visitors will feel how this has taken root in various forms in modern Japan.

Zone 2:


The theme is “From ‘Connections of Knowledge’ to ‘Connections between People.’ Humankind is confronting common problems, such as environmental problems, that extend beyond national borders. This exhibit asks what we should do so that the technology to resolve these issues and future-oriented efforts to build connections between people will grow into full bloom.



The theme of this zone is “Balancing ‘Connections between People’ and the Future.” Through connections based on feelings of concern for the earth, humanity, and children of the future, small efforts will before long lead to a balanced future. The message expressed is that these small efforts can produce huge results.

The show expands on the motif of the Japanese, which is a symbol of the friendship between Japan and China as well as a symbol of environmental preservation activities.

Symbol Mark

japan_pavilion_symbolThe symbol mark for the Japan Pavilion, “Smile to Smile,” is an expression of the importance of “connectedness,” in particular the connections between people, which is a key phrase in the message in the Japan Pavilion.

“Smile to Smile” traces a line that elicits feelings of kindness with just a look by adults and children alike. The coloring is the pale rose color of the Japanese crested ibis that appears in the exhibition of the Japan Pavilion as a symbol of friendship between Japan and China. The logo was selected through a design competition featuring 23 designs by 6 designated young designers.



Korea Pavilion

With land culture (China) and sea culture (Japan) surrounding the peninsula, Korea has been permeable to imported cultures and global influences, whose progressive mix defines contemporary Korean society.

The Korea Pavilion is an amalgamation of ‘sign’ (symbol) and ‘space’: Signs become spaces, and simultaneously, spaces become signs.


Design features

The Korea Pavilion will cover an area of 3,000 square meters with more than 10 companies participating in the exhibition. The Korea Pavilion, whose theme is “Friendly City, Colourful Life,” will explore urban living today.

The structure will look like the 20 basic letters of the Korean alphabet otherwise known as Hanggul. The country’s 2010 exhibit will feature a theme on “Friendly City, Colorful Life,” echoing the Shanghai event theme — “Better City, Better Life.” It will also unveil plans for the Yeosu Expo 2012.


Visitors will be greeted on the ground with a microscopic view of the capital city Seoul. The iconic buildings and mountains in the city will be shrunk 300 times.

A performance stage and a waterfall will be built there as well. Visitors can watch traditional folk shows and a short film directed by the famous Korean director Kim Seong Soo.

korea_pavilion_inside 2

The main exhibition area on the second floor will be divided into four sections – culture, technology, humanity and nature —where visitors will experience the current and future urban life of the country.

One of the center pieces of the pavilion will feature four hologram guides, including a Korean fashion model, a foreign chef, a lady and an IT engineer will show visitors where to go. This floor will also feature a restaurant serving Korean food. Korean pop stars may also show up in the pavilion to welcome visitors.



日本   rì běn   Japan

韩国  hán guó  Korea

紫蚕岛  zǐ cán dǎo    purple silkworm island

音乐剧  yīn yuè jù    musicals

前任   qián rèn       Predecessor

连通性    lián tōng xìng        Connectedness

微观    wēi guān      microscopic


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