Osaka Prefecture has installed the MyakuMyaku monument “Irasshai” (“Welcome”) in the Dotonbori Shopping Street from July 6, as part of the “MyakuMyaku Monuments Touring Osaka” initiative, which aims to carry on the legacy of the Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai after its closing.
The monument is located in front of Kani Doraku Dotonbori Main Restaurant in Dotonbori Shopping Street, an area that symbolizes Osaka’s lively atmosphere with views of the Dotonbori River, giant 3D billboards, and rows of restaurants. By installing the monument in the heart of this bustling district where many people come and go, Osaka Prefecture aims to create a new photo spot that visitors will want to photograph and share, generating even more vibrancy in Osaka after the Expo ends.
The installation site is the same location where the “Genkotsu Object,” a sculpture beloved as a symbol of the bid to host the Expo, once stood. By placing the MyakuMyaku monument “Irasshai,” which symbolizes the post-Expo legacy, in the spot that helped build momentum toward hosting the event, the area will also serve as a place to pass on the progress and memories of the Expo to the next generation.
Osaka Prefecture’s policy is not to let memories of the Expo be fleeting, but to continue sharing them by linking them with tourist attractions and local charms throughout the prefecture. By using visits to Dotonbori as a starting point to encourage strolling around Osaka Minami, exploring nearby shopping streets, and even traveling to various parts of the prefecture, Osaka hopes to promote travel within the prefecture and create lively communities, with the Expo legacy as the catalyst. The monument is scheduled to be on display until August 31.
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