# Expo 2005

Expo 2005 was a world expo held for 185 days between Friday, March 25 and Sunday, September 25, 2005, in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, east of the city of Nagoya. Japan has also hosted Expo '70 Osaka (World Expo), Expo '75 Okinawa (Specialised Expo), Expo '85 Tsukuba (Specialised Expo), and Expo '90 Osaka (Horticultural Expo) and will host Expo 2025 Osaka (World Expo). The site of the expo would become the Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park after it ended and is now the home of Ghibli Park.

## Theme

The theme of the Expo was "Nature's Wisdom", with national and corporate pavilions expressing themes of ecological co-existence, renewable technology, and the wonders of nature. In Japanese, this is rendered as Ai-chikyūhaku (愛・地球博), which means (roughly) "Love the Earth Expo," as well as being a play on the name of the host prefecture, 愛知 (Aichi). According to the official website:
    We must come together and share our experience and wisdom, in order to create a new direction for humanity which is both sustainable and harmonious with nature.

## Location

The main site of the Expo was a forested area in Nagakute, east of Nagoya, covering an area of about 1.73 square kilometres (430 acres). A smaller area of 0.15 square kilometres (37 acres) nearby, accessible by gondola from the main site near Seto was also part of the Expo. Great care was taken to build the pavilions out of recycled or recyclable materials, to minimize environmental impact on the site, and to provide environmentally friendly transportation to and within the Expo area.
The cost of the Expo has been estimated at 340 billion yen ($3.3 billion). However, the recorded 22,049,544 visitors greatly exceeded the target of 15,000,000 and the Expo made a profit of over 10 billion yen.
The nearby city of Toyota also held some related events, although there was no special area set aside.
The area in Nagakute can be reached from Nagoya by subway (Higashiyama line) to the last stop in Fujigaoka, followed by a ride on the newly built Linimo magnetic levitation train.

## Participants

121 Participants of countries set date for their own Pavilions.
| Country | Receipt of Announcement for | Location | National Day | Aichi Hospitality Partner | Participation | (common) |
| Angola | 2003/ 3/17 | 5 | September 6. | Haruhi Town | | |
| Argentina | 2003/ 1/ 8 | 2 | July 11 | Okazaki City | | |
| Armenia | 2003/ 6/17 | 4 | June 7 | |
| Australia | 2003/ 7/16 | 6 | April 21 | Anjo City | (Japanese only) | Obu City |
| Austria | 2003/ 5/14 | 4 | April 27 | Kozakai Town |
| Azerbaijan | 2003/ 4/14 | 4 | May 17 | Shippo Town |
| Bangladesh | 2004/ 4/18 | 1 | June 9 | Nisshin City |
| Belgium | 2003/ 1/23 | 4 | June 14 | Nagakute Town |
| Belize | 2003/ 2/21 | 2 | August 19 (SICA) | Miyoshi Town | (Japanese only) |
| Benin | 2001/10/11 | 5 | September 21 | Ichinomiya Town |
| Bhutan | 2001/ 6/20 | 1 | June 2 | Handa City |
| Bolivia | 2001/ 5/11 | 2 | August 5 | Toei Town |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2003/ 6/ 9 | 3 | | Ichinomiya City |
| Brunei Darussalam | 2003/ 7/19 | 6 | May 18 | Takahama City | (Japanese Only) |
| Bulgaria | 2002/10/28 | 4 | May 13 | Toyoake City |
| Burkina Faso | 2003/ 6/19 | 5 | June 16 | Konan City |
| Burundi | 2001/12/21 | 5 | September 12 | Isshiki Town | (Japanese Only) | |
| Cambodia | 2002/10/ 9 | 6 | May 10 | Kota Town | (Japanese Only) | |
| Cameroon | 2001/12/26 | 5 | June 21 | Tsushima City |
| Canada | 2001/ 5/ 2 | 2 | April 5 | Kasugai City | (English) (Portuguese) (Chinese) (Filipino) | Kariya City |
| Chad | 2001/ 8/29 | 5 | June 8 | Aisai City |
| China | 2002/ 8/28 | 1 | May 19 | Toyohashi City |
| Congo | 2003/ 4/ 7 | 5 | September 14 | Seto City |
| Costa Rica | 2003/ 3/31 | 2 | August 19 (SICA) | Tsugu Village | (Japanese only) |
| Côte d'Ivoire | 2002/ 7/ 5 | 5 | August 3 | Anjo City | (Japanese only) |
| Croatia | 2003/ 5/27 | 3 | April 12 | Hekinan City |
| Cuba | 2002/ 5/ 9 | 2 | July 26 | Iwakura City |
| Czech Republic | 2002/ 1/ 4 | 4 | June 24 | Otowa Town |
| Democratic Republic of Congo | 2003/ 2/ 4 | 5 | May 31 | Obu City |
| Denmark | 2003/ 6/13 | 4 | April 20 | Anjo City | (Japanese only) |
| Djibouti | 2002/12/26 | 5 | June 28 | Kariya City |
| Dominican Republic | 2003/ 2/ 6 | 2 | May 25 | Atsumi Town |
| Ecuador | 2003/ 6/30 | 2 | August 10 | Komaki City | (Japanese only) |
| Egypt | 2003/ 1/14 | 5 | July 22 | Kira Town | (Japanese only) |
| El Salvador | 2003/ 3/31 | 2 | August 19 (SICA) | Nishiharu Town |
| Eritrea | 2004/ 1/30 | 5 | June 10 (W / Rwanda) | Inuyama City |
| Ethiopia | 2003/ 3/ 3 | 5 | May 16 | Horai Town |
| Fiji | 2003/11/24 | 6 | June 22 | Taketoyo Town | (Japanese only) |
| Finland | 2003/ 6/25 | 4 | May 12 | Toyota City | (English) (Portugues) (Espanol) |
| France | 2002/ 3/27 | 3 | April 14 | Seto City Jushiyama Village |
| Gabon | 2003/ 3/ 7 | 5 | July 12 | Aisai City |
| Georgia | 2002/ 4/23 | 4 | September 22 | Kasugai City | (English) (Portuguese) (Chinese) (Filipino) |
| Germany | 2002/ 9/20 | 3 | April 13 | Inuyama City. Toyohashi City |
| Ghana | 2001/ 9/ 2 | 5 | June 30 | Ichinomiya Town |
| Greece | 2002/10/15 | 3 | May 20 | Inazawa City | (Japanese only) |
| Guatemala | 2003/ 3/24 | 2 | August 19 (SICA) | Handa City |
| Guinea | 2001/10/19 | 5 | August 26 | Inazawa City | (Japanese only) |
| Honduras | 2003/ 6/13 | 2 | August 19 (SICA) | Toyohashi City |
| Iceland | 2003/ 6/17 | 4 | July 15 | Chiryu City |
| India | 2001/12/10 | 1 | July 20 | Kariya City |
| Indonesia | 2002/ 8/ 6 | 6 | August 17 | Togo Town | (Japanese only) |
| Iran | 2002/ 5/29 | 1 | April 1 | Jushiyama Village |
| Ireland | 2003/ 7/18 | 4 | March 31 | Kiyosu City | (Japanese only) |
| Italy | 2003/ 5/21 | 3 | April 28 | Ichinomiya City |
| Jordan | 2002/11/27 | 3 | July 5 | Kasugai City | (English) (Portuguese) (Chinese) (Filipino) |
| Kazakhstan | 2002/11/11 | 1 | June 15 | Toyota City | (English) (Portugues) (Espanol) |
| Kenya | 2002/ 4/15 | 5 | August 18 | Higashiura Town | (Japanese only) |
| Kiribati | 2002/ 3/19 | 6 | August 15 (W / Tuvalu) | Ichinomiya Town Obu City |
| Kyrgyzstan | 2001/ 6/29 | 1 | August 4 | Tomiyama Village |
| Lao People's Democratic Republic | 2002/ 1/14 | 6 | June 13 | Tahara City |
| Libyan Arab Jamahiriya | 2003/ 3/24 | 3 | April 7 | Tahara City |
| Lithuania | 2002/ 4/10 | 4 | July 6 | Toyohashi City |
| Madagascar | 2003/ 4/ 1 | 5 | May 30 | Nukata Town |
| Malaysia | 2003/ 6/ 9 | 6 | August 31 | Tokoname City |
| Mali | 2003/ 5/ 5 | 5 | September 1 | Jimokuji Town |
| Marshall Islands | 2003/ 8/29 | 6 | | Tobisihma Village | (Japanese only) | |
| Mauritania | 2001/ 8/22 | 5 | July 14 | Nishio City | (Japanese only) |
| Mexico | 2002/11/ 6 | 2 | September 15 | Toyota City | (English) (Portugues) (Espanol) |
| Micronesia | 2003/11/27 | 6 | August 22 | Konan City |
| Mongolia | 2002/ 4/18 | 1 | May 27 | Kanie Town | (Japanese only) |
| Morocco | 2003/ 4/ 4 | 3 | July 1 | Toyoyama Town | (Japanese only) |
| Nepal | 2001/12/ 6 | 1 | July 7 | Toyota City | (English) (Portugues) (Espanol) |
| Netherlands | 2003/ 9/ 5 | 4 | April 19 | Yatomi City | (Japanese only) |
| New Zealand | 2003/ 9/ 9 | 6 | June 3 | Ichinomiya City Nishio City | (Japanese only) |
| Nicaragua | 2003/ 3/20 | 2 | August 19(SICA) | Oguchi Town | (Japanese only) |
| Nigeria | 2003/ 4/10 | 5 | August 23 | Oguchi Town | (Japanese only) |
| Norway | 2003/ 7/ 3 | 4 | April 11 | Inazawa City | (Japanese only) |
| Pakistan | 2003/ 4/25 | 1 | August 11 | Tsushima City |
| Palau | 2003/ 7/29 | 6 | July 8 | Nissin City |
| Panama | 2003/ 6/13 | 2 | August 19 (SICA) | Aisai City |
| Papua New Guinea | 2003/ 3/28 | 6 | September 16 | Toyota City | (English) (Portugues) (Espanol) |
| Peru | 2003/ 3/28 | 2 | July 28 | Toyokawa City |
| Philippines | 2003/ 3/ 7 | 6 | September 20 | Toyokawa City |
| Poland | 2002/ 8/23 | 4 | May 9 | Gamagori City | (Japanese only) |
| Portugal | 2003/ 3/25 | 4 | May 24 | Oharu Town | (Japanese only) |
| Qatar | 2003/ 3/23 | 1 | September 2 | Chita City |
| Republic of Korea | 2002/ 3/ 8 | 1 | May 11 | Toyota City | (English) (Portugues) (Espanol) | Shikatsu Town |
| Romania | 2002/ 4/23 | 4 | June 1 | Minamichita Town |
| Russian Federation | 2002/ 5/28 | 4 | June 17 | Toyota City | (English) (Portugues) (Espanol) |
| Rwanda | 2002/10/23 | 5 | June 10 (W / Eritrea) | Kiyosu City | (Japanese only) |
| Samoa | 2003/ 6/13 | 6 | August 30 | Shitara Town | (Japanese only) |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | 2003/ 6/11 | 5 | July 21 | Tokai City | (Japanese only) |
| Saudi Arabia | 2001/ 8/ 8 | 1 | September 9 | Toyone Village | (Japanese only) |
| Senegal | 2003/ 3/ 6 | 5 | April 8 | Fuso Town | (Japanese only) |
| Singapore | 2001/10/13 | 6 | August 9 | Mihama Town | (Japanese only) |
| Solomon Islands | 2003/ 9/15 | 6 | July 13 | Agui Town | (Japanese only) |
| South Africa | 2003/ 8/13 | 5 | April 26 | Aisai City |
| Spain | 2001/ 5/24 | 3 | July 25 | Kiyosu City | (Japanese only) |
| Sri Lanka | 2002/ 5/28 | 1 | July 27 | Toyota City | (English) (Portugues) (Espanol) |
| Sudan | 2003/10/12 | 5 | August 16 | Kasugai City | (English) (Portuguese) (Chinese) (Filipino) | Kariya City |
| Sweden | 2003/ 6/26 | 4 | April 6 | Okazaki City |
| Switzerland | 2001/12/19 | 4 | April 15 | Shinshiro City | (Japanese only) |
| Tajikistan | 2003/ 4/ 7 | 1 | September 13 | Shikatsu Town |
| Thailand | 2003/ 3/10 | 6 | August 12 | Inazawa City | (Japanese only) |
| Tonga | 2003/ 1/15 | 6 | July 4 | Owariasahi City |
| Tunisia | 2002/12/19 | 3 | June 23 | Seto City |
| Turkey | 2002/12/19 | 3 | August 2 | Tokai City | (Japanese only) |
| Tuvalu | 2003/12/29 | 6 | August 15 (W / Kiribati) | Cita City |
| Uganda | 2001/ 5/24 | 5 | September 7 | Kiyosu City | (Japanese only) |
| Ukraine | 2002/11/12 | 4 | August 24 | Hazu City | (Japanese only) |
| UK | 2003/ 7/19 | 4 | April 22 | Toyota City | (English) (Portugues) (Espanol) |
| United Republic of Tanzania | 2002/ 2/19 | 5 | May 26 | Komaki City | (Japanese only) |
| US | 2003/11/18 | 2 | June 20 | Toyohashi City Toyota City | (English) (Portugues) (Espanol) | Anjo City |
| Uzbekistan | 2001/ 6/ 1 | 1 | September 8 | Ichinomiya City |
| Vanuatu | 2003/11/10 | 6 | August 1 | Gamagori City | (Japanese only) |
| Venezuela | 2003/ 4/11 | 2 | June 29 | Toyohashi City |
| Viet Nam | 2002/ 9/16 | 6 | September 5 | Miwa Town |
| Yemen | 2002/ 5/ 6 | 1 | May 23 | Nishio City | (Japanese only) |
| Zambia | 2003/10/28 | 5 | July 19 | Okazaki City |
| Zimbabwe | 2003/ 7/14 | 5 | April 18 | Mito Town |
In regards to the companies & municipality, the ones who were present are as follows:
* Wonder circus - Federation of Electric Power Companies.
* Central Japan Railway Company
* Wonder wheel - Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association.
* Mitsubishi
* Toyota
* Hitachi
* Mitsui&Toshiba
* Mountain of Dreams - Chunichi Shimbun joint pavilion organizing committee.
* Fire magic theater - The Japan Gas Association.
* Japanese government
* Aichi Prefecture
* Earth Tower - City of Nagoya.
* Chubu community for Millennial Symbiosis - Chubu regional exhibition executive committee.
* Expo with the Corporate Pavilions in the background
* "Wonder Circus", the Electric Power Pavilion
* PokéPark 2005 at De La Fantasia

## Mascots

Morizo (モリゾー) and Kiccoro (キッコロ), collectively known as "Moricoro," (モリコロ) were created to be Aichi Banpaku's mascots. The popular fluffy green creatures are both from the forest of Seto.

## Attractions

* "Satsuki and Mei's House," was a recreation of the house from Hayao Miyazaki's movie My Neighbor Totoro, and located inside the “Forest Experience Zone”. It re-opened to the public on July 15, 2006 and would spark the creation of an entire Ghibli Park, which opened in 2022.
* ASIMO, Honda's humanoid robot, was shown off at the Expo as one of its many public appearances.
* The Toyota Partner Robots made their debut.
* Chickens Suit a clothing range for chickens by Edgar Honetschläger made its debut with chickens on a runway.
* The Growing Village Pavilion featured a variety of tree shaping art work.
* The Franklin Spirit at the USA Pavilion, designed by award-winning experience designer Bob Rogers and the design team BRC Imagination Arts, presented the American statesman, Benjamin Franklin, using an innovative multi-plane 3D effect that suspended layered planes of digital media on stage, where Franklin visited the world of 2005 to celebrate his 300th birthday, as he discussed the pending advances in science, technology freedom and enterprise that will improve the lives of people worldwide.
* The Forest Experience Zone contains three areas, the ‘Nature School Forest’, ‘Satsuki and Mei’s House’, and the ‘Japanese Garden’. This forest explores the relationship between people and nature.
* The Street Art experience was performed in the park by multi artists, giants reproductions art exhibited open air. The French artist Gailord Bovrisse was one of them.

## Theme songs

The official theme song of the Expo was "I'll Be Your Love," composed by Yoshiki, and performed by Dahlia, an Okinawan-American musician (then aged 24) from Honolulu, Hawaii. On March 24, 2005, Yoshiki conducted an orchestra and performed the song for the opening ceremony of the Expo. Pop singer Ayumi Hamasaki also performed a classical version of her single "A Song Is Born" on the event's opening day.

## New transportation system

* Linimo - magnetic levitation train using trains from Chubu HSST Development Corporation
* Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle Bus (FCHV-Bus)
* Intelligent Multimode Transit System (IMTS)

## Holder

The holder was Japan Association for the 2005 World Exposition whose president was Shoichiro Toyoda, the honorary president of Toyota Motor Corporation.