VOL.215 MAY 2026
[SPRING SPECIAL ISSUE] ENJOYING JAPAN’S SPRING BY LOCAL TRAINS [POLICY RELATED NEWS] GREEN×EXPO 2027: Opening in Just One Year

Conceptual image of the main garden of the GREEN×EXPO 2027 (as of March 2026)
Image: Courtesy of GREEN×EXPO Association

Preparations are steadily progressing with just one year remaining until the opening of the International Horticultural Expo 2027, Yokohama (GREEN×EXPO 2027), to be held in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture. This article gives an overview of the Expo, which promotes coexistence with nature and the creation of a sustainable society through flowers and greenery, while highlighting its main attractions.

The official logo (left) and official mascot character (right) of the Expo. The character design is by video and art director MAKINO Atsushi. The mascot character’s name was conceived by KITAHARA Yae, representing a state in which people and all forms of life resonate and connect with each other.

The GREEN×EXPO 2027, to be held from March 19 to September 26, 2027, will be the largest horticultural exposition held in Japan in 37 years since The International Garden and Greenery Exposition, Osaka, Japan, 1990. Under the theme “Scenery of the Future for Happiness”, the Expo aims to reacknowledge the diverse values of plants like flowers and trees as natural capital assets, reaffirm their value, and present a picture of coexistence with nature and the happiness that comes from it. In addition, the Expo seeks to address global challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss by creating and promoting concrete actions to address them.

Yokohama City, the host site of the Expo, has served as Japan’s gateway for horticultural products since the opening of its port in 1859. Serving as the first location where roses, tulips and other Western flowers were imported, it has continuously fostered an impressive culture of gardening. The vast 100-hectare (approx. 250-acre) GREEN×EXPO 2027 site will bring together ten million flowers and much other greenery, creating a space where visitors can experience richly abundant nature and biodiversity. It will feature a variety of different flowers in bloom throughout the exhibition period, from spring to autumn. With the opening in March coinciding with cherry blossom season, visitors will be welcomed by around 600 cherry trees of 40 varieties. The Expo is expected to offer visitors a place to reflect on a happy future for the planet and deepen their understanding of the global environment, all while enjoying the diverse exhibits and experiences and feeling the soothing effects of plants, surrounded by flowers and greenery.

Four Sub-Themes and Five Villages 

To provide perspectives embodying the main theme, the GREEN×EXPO 2027 has established four sub-themes: (1) Harmony with Nature; (2) Co-existence through Greenery and Agriculture; (3) Creation of New Industries; and (4) Resolution through Co-operation. Building on these themes, the site will feature exhibition zones designed by domestic and international exhibitor, as well as five concept areas called “villages.” These areas will offer visitors a range of experiences along with exhibitions by exhibiting companies and organizations on the theme of a future society in harmony with nature.

The first is the Urban GX Village, which will feature exhibitions by telecommunications carriers, construction companies, and others, providing a venue for visitors to engage with the latest technologies for achieving a green society. The second, the Craft Village, will bring together forms of traditional Japanese craftsmanship that have been cultivated alongside nature. The third, the Farm & Food Village, will promote well-being through agriculture and food, while the fourth, the Kids Village, will provide a place for children, the future inhabitants of Earth, to have fun learning about nature and the world. Finally, the fifth, the SATOYAMA Village, will serve as a venue where visitors can rediscover the comfort of living in harmony with nature.

The latest information and events related to the GREEN×EXPO 2027 can be found on the official website (updated on a regular basis).

The concept of the Nihon Seifu-en (Japan Pavilion) is “Reconsidering Japan’s View of Nature and Moving Forward into the Future.” Designed by the Japanese government, the exhibition garden draws on agricultural practices carried out in coexistence with nature as well as Japan’s traditional gardening culture and techniques, seeking to present a vision of the future that can be brought about by greenery and to share that vision with the world.
Image: Courtesy of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

About tickets

Advance ticket sales begin March 19, 2026. Tickets can be purchased at the official website as well as from various ticket vendors. Please refer to the official ticket website for details.

QR Code for official ticket website

*Drafted based on information current as of March 20, 2026.

Photo: GREEN×EXPO Association