In a fascinating blend of history and modern celebration, 25-year-old Fumiya Takenawa from Tokyo recently entered the 2025 World Expo in Osaka using a ticket originally issued for the 1940 Tokyo International Exposition, which never actually took place.
The 1940 expo was meant to be a grand event showcasing Japan’s emergence on the world stage, but it was canceled due to the outbreak of World War II and the country’s increasing military conflicts in Asia. Despite its cancellation, thousands of commemorative tickets had already been printed and sold.
Takenawa, a passionate fan of world expos and a collector of historical memorabilia, came across one of these original 1940 tickets on an online auction site earlier this year. Intrigued by its historical value and curious to see what would happen, he brought the ticket to the 2025 Osaka Expo venue at Yumeshima Island.
To his surprise and delight, expo officials not only accepted the 85-year-old ticket but also honored it with two free one-day passes to the current expo. A representative from the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition confirmed the gesture, explaining that it continued a tradition of recognizing and respecting the legacy of past expos. Similar goodwill acts were carried out during the 1970 Osaka Expo and 2005 Aichi Expo, when people also brought 1940 tickets and were granted entry.
“This is more than just a ticket—it’s a symbol of hope and continuity,” Takenawa told reporters. “It’s incredible to think that something printed before the war can still open doors today.”
The 2025 Expo in Osaka, themed “Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” opened in April and is set to run until October 13. The event features cutting-edge innovations in sustainability, health, and technology, and has already attracted millions of visitors from around the world.
Takenawa’s experience has drawn significant attention on social media, with many praising the organizers for honoring the past in such a meaningful way.
