Osaka's Encore: How Midosuji Runway Sustains the Expo 2025 Legacy

OSAKA, Japan – November 25, 2025 – For a few hours on a crisp autumn holiday, Osaka’s main commercial artery, Midosuji, ceased to be a river of traffic and became a stage for the city’s vibrant soul. The annual "Midosuji Runway" unfolded along the four-kilometer boulevard, drawing an estimated 200,000 spectators. On the surface, it was a spectacular parade—a fusion of pop culture, high fashion, and civic pride. But looking beyond the launch of confetti and the roar of the crowd reveals a masterclass in urban strategy: the deliberate and artful leveraging of a cultural event to sustain the immense momentum of the recently concluded Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai.

This wasn't just a party; it was the calculated second act for a city determined to remain in the global spotlight.

The Expo's Second Act

Expo 2025, which closed its gates in mid-October, was a resounding success for Osaka. After overcoming initial hurdles of construction delays and public skepticism over costs, the six-month exhibition attracted over 25 million visitors and, crucially, turned a significant profit. It left behind not just revitalized infrastructure on the artificial island of Yumeshima but also an invaluable intangible legacy of global goodwill and renewed local dynamism. The challenge for any host city is what comes next. How do you prevent the post-event slump and convert temporary excitement into lasting economic and cultural capital?

Osaka’s answer paraded down Midosuji. The event was explicitly framed as a continuation of the Expo's spirit. “There is no doubt that this year is the year of the Expo,” declared Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura at the opening, setting the tone. The theme was woven into the fabric of the runway. Models wore the official uniforms from various Expo pavilions, turning workwear into a high-fashion retrospective. And then there was Myaku-Myaku. The Expo’s quirky, multi-eyed mascot, once a source of internet memes, had become a beloved icon and a symbol of the event’s surprising success. Its appearance on the runway drew massive cheers, a testament to its successful transition from corporate symbol to cherished local character. By placing these elements front and center, the Midosuji Party's Executive Committee wasn't just invoking nostalgia; it was actively reinforcing the Expo's brand and embedding its "memories" into the city's ongoing cultural narrative.

A Unifying Spectacle on a Commercial Stage

The genius of the Midosuji Runway lies in its eclectic and intentionally broad appeal. This is not a niche art festival or an exclusive fashion show; it is a meticulously curated cross-section of modern Japanese culture designed for mass engagement. The event kicked off with a float from Universal Studios Japan, featuring globally recognized characters like Mario and the Minions. It was followed by members of the professional men's volleyball team, Osaka BLUTEON, who casually passed a ball while walking the runway, seamlessly blending professional sports with public spectacle.

This blend of high and low, local and global, is a strategic choice. The appearance of pop group SUPER EIGHT, who collaborated with over 200 high school dancers from across Osaka Prefecture, created a powerful moment of community fusion. It provided a platform for local youth to share the stage with national stars, fostering a sense of ownership and pride among residents. By bringing together J-pop idols, video game characters, athletes, and former Takarazuka stars, the event organizers crafted a spectacle with an entry point for everyone—families, tourists, sports fans, and teenagers alike. This wide-net approach is fundamental to its success, transforming a diverse crowd of spectators into a unified audience celebrating a shared urban identity.

This cultural collage played out against the backdrop of Midosuji's high-end boutiques and corporate headquarters. The transformation of this iconic boulevard, often compared to Paris's Champs-Élysées, from a symbol of commerce into a stage for public art is a powerful statement. It demonstrates a sophisticated understanding that in a modern city, culture and commerce are not separate but deeply intertwined forces that can be harnessed to amplify one another.

Midosuji Reimagined: From Artery to Arena

The Midosuji Runway is more than just an annual festival; it is the most visible manifestation of a long-term urban planning vision for Osaka's most famous street. Since its grand opening in 1937, Midosuji has been central to Osaka's identity. But for decades, it was primarily a car-centric thoroughfare. In recent years, the city has been actively working to shift that paradigm, implementing plans to transform Midosuji into a more people-centered space.

This event, which has run since 2015 (with a brief pandemic-induced hiatus), serves as a recurring, large-scale experiment in this transformation. For one day, the vision of a pedestrian-focused Midosuji becomes a reality. This aligns with broader initiatives like the "Midosuji Satellite Plan," which was developed in conjunction with the Expo to use the street as an exhibition space for future technologies and ideas. The runway, therefore, isn't an interruption of the street's function but an amplification of its evolving purpose.

The collaboration between the public sector, represented by the Governor and Mayor, and private entities like entertainment giant Yoshimoto Kogyo, which helps organize the event, is key to this model. It showcases a nimble public-private partnership capable of producing world-class entertainment while advancing civic goals. The event beautifies the city, drives foot traffic to local businesses, and reinforces Osaka’s brand as a creative and forward-looking metropolis.

As the finale's fireworks faded and the last performers left the runway, the message was clear. Osaka is not a city resting on its laurels after a successful World Expo. Instead, it is actively and creatively building upon that success, using its own urban landscape as the stage. The Midosuji Runway is a powerful demonstration of how a city can direct its own narrative, ensuring that the energy of a once-in-a-generation event doesn't dissipate but becomes a permanent part of its vibrant, ever-evolving identity.