Play and Connect, Together
Playful Spirit of Japan
From Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, we received a baton — a baton of “play.”
In 2027, at the Japan Pavilion at Expo 2027 Belgrade, we will carry that baton forward into the future through the theme of “Playful Spirit of Japan.”
To play is to connect. When we follow our curiosity and lose ourselves in play, the distance between us begins to disappear, transcending differences in language and culture.
In Japan, “play” also means something more. It can be a sense of openness and ease, a creative touch that enriches everyday life, or asobigokoro — a playful spirit filled with imagination and humor.
The Japan Pavilion aims to be a place where encounters with Japanese culture, through exhibitions and experiences, become a starting point: where people connect with people, ideas connect with ideas, and those connections grow into international exchange and new opportunities for business and collaboration.
By playing together and connecting with one another, we open the way to a future yet to be imagined.
So come and play with us in Belgrade — where Japan meets the world.
Play and Connect,
Together
Playful Spirit of Japan
From Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, we received a baton — a baton of “play.”
In 2027, at the Japan Pavilion at Expo 2027 Belgrade, we will carry that baton forward into the future through the theme of “Playful Spirit of Japan.”
To play is to connect. When we follow our curiosity and lose ourselves in play, the distance between us begins to disappear, transcending differences in language and culture.
In Japan, “play” also means something more. It can be a sense of openness and ease, a creative touch that enriches everyday life, or asobigokoro — a playful spirit filled with imagination and humor.
The Japan Pavilion aims to be a place where encounters with Japanese culture, through exhibitions and experiences, become a starting point: where people connect with people, ideas connect with ideas, and those connections grow into international exchange and new opportunities for business and collaboration.
By playing together and connecting with one another, we open the way to a future yet to be imagined.
So come and play with us in Belgrade — where Japan meets the world.
Logos and Symbols
Through Kirie,
the World Connects.
This logo and symbol mark is inspired by kirie, the Japanese art of paper cutting, in which a work is created from a single sheet of paper.
Using this traditional Japanese technique, we created imaginary flowers that come into being only through the work of human hands. The design features flowers cut from a single sheet of paper, interconnected and blooming together in profusion. The forms, born from the fundamental human activity of play, have a distinctive gentleness and beauty. The vibrant colors evoke a lively atmosphere, almost as if you could hear the cheerful voices of people enjoying one another’s company.
“It’s good to be different.” Embracing this belief, the design expresses hope for a future where diverse individuals coexist in harmony. At the same time, the logo symbolizes Japan’s connections with other countries and the diversity within Japan itself.
By sharing diverse perspectives at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan and affirming its support for the ideals of international expositions, the Japan Pavilion will fulfill its responsibility at a time when action is needed to address global challenges.
This logo and symbol mark was selected through an invitation-only design competition and embodies a fusion of traditional Japanese aesthetics and graphic design.
“With just a single sheet of paper, we can each create a world of our own imagination. For this design, I folded a square sheet of origami paper and cut it with scissors to create a flower. Even I didn’t know what kind of flower it would become while I was making it. When I unfolded the paper, I came face to face with a flower I had never seen before.
That surprise of a first encounter is not something that exists only between the paper and me. I can share it with someone else simply by being there together, even if we do not speak the same language or belong to the same generation. This is the joy of creating.
Here, it is not about being skilled or unskilled. There is no need to compete. We can recognize, respect, and celebrate one another’s individuality. Whether made by a preschool child or a grandmother, each flower is unique and irreplaceable to the person who made it.
In this way, a world created from a single sheet of paper becomes a bridge to others. I placed my hope in these paper-cut flowers as a symbol of that spirit—a starting point for people to understand one another and gently reach out to each other.”
Ikki Kobayashi
Graphic designer. Born in 1992. After graduating from the Department of Graphic Design at Tama Art University, he gained experience as an in-house designer before becoming independent. He currently serves as a part-time lecturer at Joshibi University of Art and Design and Tama Art University.
Note: Ikki Kobayashi’s logo proposal was created with the cooperation of Fuyu Hashigami.
PR Ambassador
Dragan Stojkovic Pixy
Football Legend and Former Head Coach of Serbia
Dragan Stojković is one of Serbia’s most celebrated football figures, with a distinguished career as both a player and coach.
Known as “Pixy,” he represented Yugoslavia internationally and played for leading clubs in Europe and Japan. His relationship with Japan began in 1994 when he joined Nagoya Grampus Eight. Over seven seasons, he became a defining figure of the early J.League era, admired for his talent, leadership and respect for Japanese culture.
He later returned as Head Coach of Nagoya Grampus, leading the club to its first J.League championship in 2010. In 2015, he received Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, for his contributions to Japanese football and Japan–Serbia relations.
As Head Coach of Serbia, he led the national team to the 2022 FIFA World Cup and UEFA EURO 2024, its first European Championship appearance in 24 years.
His strong ties to Japan and achievements in both countries make him a natural ambassador for the Japan Pavilion at Expo 2027 Belgrade.
Sachiko Nakajima
STEAM Educator, Mathematician, and Jazz Pianist
While in high school, she became the first Japanese woman to win a gold medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad. After graduating from the Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, the University of Tokyo, she went on to pursue an international career as a jazz pianist, composer, mathematician, educator, and media artist.
In 2017, she founded steAm, Inc. and has since promoted STEAM education in Japan and abroad. She has served on a range of education-related committees for organizations including Japan’s Min
MYAKU-MYAKU
Official Character of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan
A mysterious creature born from the fusion of cells and water. Friendly but goofy, often making silly mistakes.
Kenichi Shimura
Artist
He studied at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, Toho Gakuen School of Music, and Senzoku Gakuen College of Music.
Since 2013, he has conducted and produced over 300 orchestral concerts featuring anime and video game music across 52 cities worldwide, including performances in Serbia and other European countries, promoting international cultural exchange through music.
He has served as Music Partner of the Tokyo Chamber Orchestra, Representative of the Tokyo Nihonbashi Symphony Orchestra, and Principal Guest Conductor of the Chelyabinsk State Symphony Orchestra. Since 2026, he has been Principal Guest Conductor of the Serbian Symphony Orchestra.
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Hello Kitty
Sanrio Character
Her name is Kitty White. She was born in the suburbs of London, England. She is five apples tall and weighs as much as three apples. She is a cheerful and kind girl.