On October 13, the Osaka Prefecture, Osaka City, and Osaka Vitality Creation and Promotion Project Executive Committee held the “1st Anniversary EXPO 2025 — Relive That Wonder and Excitement — @ Osaka, Come On Over! ‘EXPO Beat Jam’” event, commemorating the first anniversary of the Expo’s closing, at Universal Studios Japan.
Approximately 3,500 guests gathered at “Grammercy Park,” which features a large stage. With people wearing their favorite Myaku Myaku merchandise and sporting “Bound” outfits, the scene looked as if the Expo venue from exactly one year ago had been brought back to life.
Three minutes before the show began, the park echoed with the TOA Group’s “7-stroke chime”—the same one used at the Expo site—and a pre-show announcement delivered in a synthesized voice. Guests, reminded of those days, let out a murmur of anticipation: “Ooh!”
Amid a warm atmosphere that felt just like a high school reunion, the sister dance duo “SIS”—who choreographed the opening and closing ceremonies of the World Expo—and students from the Osaka School of Music took the stage. Dressed in the uniforms of the Signature Pavilions, they performed a series of dances inspired by each pavilion.
Once all the pavilions had finished their solo performances, Myaku Myaku appeared from the left side of the stage and struck a sharp, decisive pose right in the center! The energy in the venue quickly reached a fever pitch.
In addition to the MCs, Football Hour and Lisa Takagi, Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura and Osaka Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama took the stage for the opening remarks.
Mayor Yokoyama said, “All of us who spent time together at the Expo—you’re all part of the eternal Expo family! This isn’t the end. It’ll keep going next year and beyond. We’re going to keep ‘rubbing’ it in—and we’re going to rub it in until we’re blue in the face!” His remarks, brimming with Osaka-style humor, instantly put everyone at ease.
Governor Yoshimura then added, “We also held the ‘1,000 Days Until Opening’ event (in 2022) at USJ, and that’s exactly when the name ‘Myaku Myaku’ was decided. In other words, USJ is the birthplace of Myaku Myaku! “So let’s keep hyping up the Expo and giving it a little nudge no matter what (laughs),” he said, drawing laughter while revealing the deep connection between USJ and the Expo.
With the excitement from the talk still in the air, the audience moved on to a special performance by “New School Leaders,” who had also appeared at the Expo’s opening ceremony. They instantly captured the audience’s attention with their signature song “Otona Blue,” then fired up the crowd with an intense performance of their new song “Oi AG,” singing, “A real revolution—can we pull it off? Which is it?”
The finale was “Chanka Chanka,” a piece inspired by traditional Japanese festival music. A collaboration with the Awa Odori group “Naniwa-ren” brought the venue to life in an instant, turning it into a festive celebration. Memories of the Expo—which had been buzzing with festivals from around the world day after day—came flooding back, and the audience responded to the excitement by waving their hands in unison.
The highlight of this event, the “USJ × Myaku Myaku Collaboration Stage,” will kick off with “Ao to Niji no Parade,” a song familiar to fans from the Expo’s water show.
“Those days when people from all over Japan and around the world came together, each striving for a future where life shines brightly, and forged their hopes for the future. The inspiration and light of those days continue to shine in all of your hearts—and right here in Osaka.”
Following that announcement, a dazzling dance featuring ribbons—reminiscent of the nightclub shows of yesteryear—is performed.
Furthermore, in a nod to the “10,000-Person Ninth” performance that marked the opening day of the World Expo, when Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 9” began to play, Myaku Myaku, standing on the runway, waved her arms adorably, just like a conductor.
As the song shifts to an upbeat arrangement, the park’s popular characters—Woody Woodpecker, Elmo, Hello Kitty, and Snoopy—appear one after another. Together with Myaku Myaku, they perform a lively, marching-style dance, building a sense of unity with the audience through a call-and-response routine in 3-3-7 time.
Following the Expo Medley, the theme song for USJ’s 25th anniversary, “No Limit Parade,” rang out. In time with the chant “Right Here, Right Now!,” Myaku Myaku waved his hands, jumped energetically, and wiggled his bottom, expressing his joy with his whole body.
In the arranged version of “Pomp and Circumstance” performed during the finale, the characters took turns performing solos on the runway. The event concluded with the theme “From that day to today. From today to the future ahead!” being announced, and the collaborative stage performance ended to thunderous applause.
🔴 “EXPO Beat Jam”—1st Anniversary Event Marking the End of the World’s Expo 🔵 The USJ × Myaku Myaku collaboration stage featured a total of five songs under the theme “From that day to today. From today to the future.” ✨ We’ll be sharing more about the event in an article later today ✍️ #UniversalStudiosJapan # Hamikuma #MyakuMyaku https://t.co/4i4HYbPzAc — Travel Watch (@travelwatch_jp) October 13, 2026
Headlining the event was the Osaka-based duo “Kobukuro,” who composed the Expo theme song “The Continuation of This Earth (Hoshi).” They performed one classic ballad after another—including their second major-label single, “Wadachi,” and their 12th single, “Sakura”—songs beloved by people of all ages.
When the performance ended, Shunsuke Kuroda suddenly stepped off the stage onto the center aisle, saying, “Excuse me for a moment—I’m going up front.”
“Since there are so many important people here today, I’ve been told not to make any unnecessary remarks as the MC…” she said by way of an excuse, but she still gave a big wave to the fans in the back before rushing back to the stage—a playful moment.
Meanwhile, Kentaro Obuchi, who had remained on stage, whispered a quip: “That person looks huge… (because they’re standing up front, they look even bigger…)”
Following the new song “Kasumi Biyori”—reportedly produced ahead of their national tour—the final song performed was, of course, “Kono Chikyu no Tsuzuki o.” Members of Myaku Myaku and the USJ crew rushed to the stage once again, and with Mr. Kuroda even doing a voice-over impression of Myaku Myaku, warm smiles spread throughout the entire event.
As the song reached its final chorus, confetti in the “Myaku Myaku Colors”—red, blue, and silver—filled the sky. While cheers erupted at this fantastical, one-day-only spectacle, some guests could be seen reluctantly picking up the fallen confetti. Even after the Expo ends, this bond will never fade—a profound sense of emotion, one that left no doubt in anyone’s mind, gently enveloped the entire venue.
During the closing segment, Governor Yoshimura made a surprise announcement that Kobukuro had been appointed as “Come to Osaka Ambassadors.” When asked about Osaka’s must-see spots and delicious foods as his first task as an ambassador, Kuroda—caught off guard by the sudden, unreasonable request—couldn’t help but blurt out, “Can I ask ChatGPT…?”—a moment that kept the audience in stitches right up until the very end.
When asked for closing remarks, Mayor Yokoyama declared emphatically, “We’ll always be part of the Expo family. We’ll hold events every year, from the opening to the closing.” The passion and bonds forged by the Expo seem set to continue pulsing deeply through the streets of Osaka.
© Source travel watch