In April 13, 2025, the “Sumitomo Pavilion” welcomed its grand opening at EXPO2025 Kansai, Osaka, Japan!
Sumitomo Group is bringing together the wisdom, technology, and talent it has accumulated over the years to address social issues through the collective power of the Group. The Sumitomo Pavilion is designed to be a venue where people will gather and interact, inspired by fantastic entertainment and exhibits that stir emotion, spur change, and create hope for the future.
Let’s take a closer look at the highlights of the Sumitomo Pavilion, following the grand opening.
Within the forest, visitors will encounter countless “stories of life” that have gone unnoticed or are unknown to humankind. Here, there are animals hiding, traces of living creatures, trees communicating through the soil, and the life of a centuries-old tree unfolding before your eyes—all await discovery. With a lantern in your hand, follow your inclination as you wander freely through the forest and enjoy an adventure filled with these diverse stories of life.
The Mother Tree has supported and nurtured the UNKNOWN FOREST since ancient times. This performance traces her journey from her beginning as a tiny seed that awoke in the dark warm soil, revealing fragments of her memory and culminating in her final moments. Set on the “Performing Theater” stage approximately 20 meters wide and 7.5 meters tall, the climax of the UNKNOWN FOREST unfolds in a powerful spectacle. A gentle breeze blows as mist drifts through the space. Performers, sound, and computer graphics come together in a dynamic finale.
The Sumitomo Forest, cherished by Sumitomo for centuries, is the backdrop to the Sumitomo Pavilion. Here, visitors can take part in a “Tree Planting Experience” that connects them to future forest creation. As they engage with seedlings and soil, participants will learn about the relationship between forests and people, as well as the importance of sustainable forestry. Through this experience, visitors will be encouraged to reflect on nature and the future. This is an opportunity for them to deepen their connection to the forest.
This is a large-scale participatory co-creation project where people from all over the world, together with Sumitomo Group, will continuously generate ideas for the future. Inside the Sumitomo Pavilion, the technologies and initiatives of Sumitomo Group, along with the “Seeds for The Future” born from them, will be showcased. In addition, a dedicated website will be launched, allowing anyone, from anywhere, to create their own ideas.
The shop offers a variety of exclusive items available only at the Sumitomo Pavilion, including products made from the trees of Sumitomo Forest, UNKNOWN FOREST-related merchandise, and unique products incorporating Sumitomo Group’s state-of-the-art technologies.
The Virtual Sumitomo Pavilion is a digital space where you can experience Sumitomo Group’s 400-year history and its challenges toward the future. Visitors can explore a forest of trees shaped like the Sumitomo Pavilion’s symbol mark and venture into a cave inspired by the tunnels of the Besshi Copper Mines, which were the foundation of Sumitomo Group’s development. Users can discover ideas that open doors to the future and much more.
The Sumitomo Pavilion is constructed using approximately 1,000 trees from the Sumitomo Forest, including cedar and cypress. Guided by the principle of “valuing each life,” the trees were processed into thin strips using a rotary cutter to minimize waste. The pavilion’s design is inspired by the Besshi Mountains of Shikoku, home to the copper mines that figured prominently in Sumitomo’s development.
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