Myaku-Myaku, the official character of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, did not retire when the Expo closed on 13 October 2025. The monuments from the venue have been moving around Osaka Prefecture, and the character appeared at the first-anniversary events. At the same time, the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, which holds the rights, plans to dissolve in March 2028, and what happens after that has not been decided. Below is what official announcements confirmed as of 19 September 2026, in the order of monuments, merchandise, the anniversary events, the Association’s future and the Yokohama Expo collaborations.
At a glance
| Item | Status | Date | Announced by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monument “Wakuwaku” | Display at SENNAN LONG PARK, Sennan City, ended; now at Chihaya-en-chi, Chihayaakasaka Village | From 19 September 2026 (planned until 23 November) | Osaka Prefecture |
| Monument “Irasshai” | Display in front of Kani Doraku’s main restaurant, Dotonbori, ended; now near Fuku Station, Nishiyodogawa Ward, Osaka City | From 4 September 2026 (planned until 30 November) | Nishiyodogawa Ward, Osaka City |
| Opening-anniversary event | “EXPO2025 Futures Festival” at the Expo ‘70 park | 12 April 2026 | Association, Expo ‘70 park |
| Closing-anniversary events | “EXPO Reborn!” at ATC Hall and “EXPO Beat Jam” at USJ | 11 to 13 October 2026 | Osaka City |
| Merchandise licensing period | Extended to the end of March 2028 | Reported in March 2026 | Nikkei, Kyodo News (press reports) |
| Dissolution of the Association | Support services for dissolution and liquidation put out to tender; dissolution planned for March 2028 | Call issued 30 March 2026 | Association |
| Yokohama Expo collaborations | Myaku-Myaku x Tunku Tunku goods; triple collaboration with Mizuno | 10 March and 21 August 2026 | GREEN×EXPO Association |
1. The monuments moved from Suita to Dotonbori and Sennan
The two Myaku-Myaku monuments from the venue first went to the Expo ‘70 Commemorative Park in Suita, where they were shown near the Tower of the Sun. According to the Association’s notice of 13 March 2026 and the park’s own notices, the two stood together at “Remember EXPO” from 21 to 23 February 2026, and the park hosted the opening-anniversary event “EXPO2025 Futures Festival” on 12 April.
The two then went separate ways. The park says “Wakuwaku” finished its display there on 2 June 2026 and stood at SENNAN LONG PARK in Sennan City from 6 June to 31 August (per the park’s own notice). “Irasshai” finished on 28 June and stood in front of Kani Doraku’s main restaurant in the Dotonbori shopping street from 6 July to 31 August (Osaka Prefecture, planned dates).
The two have since moved again. As of 19 September 2026, “Irasshai” stands near Fuku Station (Hanshin Namba Line) in Nishiyodogawa Ward, Osaka City. It has been there since 4 September, planned until 30 November (announced by Nishiyodogawa Ward on 4 August). “Wakuwaku” stands at Chihaya-en-chi in the Prefectural Forest Park in Chihayaakasaka Village. It has been there since 19 September, planned until 23 November (announced at the Osaka governor’s press conference on 2 September). The governor described Chihaya-en-chi as a spot about 1,000 metres up Mount Kongo, so the monument has gone from the seaside in Sennan to the mountains.
2. Merchandise until March 2028 (press reports)
Merchandise licensing is the one item we could not confirm in an Association announcement. In March 2026, Nikkei and Kyodo News reported that the licensing period for Myaku-Myaku goods was extended from the end of March 2026 to the end of March 2028, and that from April 2026 companies that had not exhibited at or sponsored the Expo could use the design for a fee. The same reports put sales of related goods at 129.1 billion yen through March 2026, of which 6.3 billion yen went to the Association as licensing income.
These are the press figures. We could not find an announcement of the extension in the Association’s list of notices, and we will revise this section once we can.
3. First-anniversary events: 11 to 13 October
On 4 August 2026, Osaka City announced the closing-anniversary programme “1st Anniversary EXPO 2025”. On 11 and 12 October, “EXPO Reborn!” was scheduled at ATC Hall and the ATC piloti square in Suminoe Ward, with exhibits from the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion shown again and Myaku-Myaku greeting visitors. Entry was by advance lottery, with applications open from 21 August to 13 September 2026.
On 13 October, one year to the day after closing, Universal Studios Japan held the music event “EXPO Beat Jam” in its Gramercy Park area from 11:00 to 12:30. According to USJ’s announcement that day, the line-up included Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura, Osaka Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama, Atarashii Gakko!, Kobukuro and Myaku-Myaku. Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City organised it, with the Expo Association as co-organiser.
4. The Association plans to dissolve in March 2028
The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, which holds the copyright and trademarks for Myaku-Myaku, issued a call for proposals for “dissolution and liquidation support services” on 30 March 2026. The call says the Association plans to dissolve in March 2028, and the support contract runs until 28 February 2029. The same document also allows for the case where only the Expo business is wound up and the Association itself continues, and says the corporate decision will follow the discussions of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s Results Verification Committee.
That committee published its report, “Carrying Forward the Ideals and Developing the Legacy of Expo 2025”, on 16 June 2026. It set out three priorities for using the surplus: expanding connections, deepening creative activity, and carrying forward the memory of the Yumeshima site. Where Myaku-Myaku’s rights will go after dissolution, and how long the official website and social media accounts will continue, had not been announced as of September 2026.
5. Collaborations with the Yokohama Expo
Collaborations with Tunku Tunku, the official mascot of GREEN×EXPO 2027, have continued after the Expo closed. The GREEN×EXPO Association announced new and restocked Myaku-Myaku x Tunku Tunku items on 10 March 2026 and a triple collaboration with Mizuno on 21 August. The full list with prices is in “Myaku-Myaku and Tunku Tunku collaborations”. Whether Myaku-Myaku will appear at the Yokohama Expo venue had not been announced as of September 2026.
Correction (19 September 2026): we had said the notices did not give an end date for the displays; in fact Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City had announced planned end dates, and “Irasshai” had already moved near Fuku Station by the time this article was published.