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- Kazakhstan @ Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai
Kazakhstan at Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai: harmony between the past and the future
Kazakhstan is a country that confidently occupies a leading position in the Central Asian region. It has carefully preserved its rich historical heritage, distinctive culture, and centuries-old traditions that reflect the unique image of the nation.
The pavilion of the Republic of Kazakhstan at Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai presented not just an exhibition space but a philosophy visualised in images and meanings. It was a story told in the language of the future - an open, honest, and friendly view.
During the entire exhibition period, the pavilion was visited by about 1.5 million people, as well as about 400 official Japanese and foreign delegations.
The Shanyrak – a sacred symbol uniting heaven, earth, and people
A key concept for the Kazakhstan pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai was the Shanyrak, the sacred symbol crowning the top of a yurt, which holds great spiritual significance. In Kazakh culture, the Shanyrak is not just an architectural detail. It is a sacred symbol of life, family, and beginnings. Its circle allows the first morning sun to enter the dwelling. It represents the sky that is always above our heads, and its center is the hearth that warms and unites us.
The phrase “May your Shanyrak be strong” is not just a wish for comfort. It is a blessing for destiny, the continuation of the family line, and fortitude of spirit. The Shanyrak is like the heart of the home and the soul of the nation. It is emblazoned on the state coat of arms, passed down as a talisman, and serves as a living reminder of who we are, where we come from, and where we are going. However, in modern Kazakhstan, the Shanyrak has become a symbol of even more. It has become an image of a common home, where more than 130 nationalities live under one sky, where different cultures find a place around a common hearth, where traditions and languages are woven into a single cloth of peace. That is why the Shanyrak became the central metaphor of the Kazakhstan pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai.
The Shanyrak symbolises our commitment to the Expo's main theme, “Designing Future Society for Our Lives”, which is about creating a future where society is sustainable, humane, and united.
Four zones, four facets of the Shanyrak
The Kazakhstan pavilion is a dialogue with the world told in four zones each of which reveals the uniqueness of the country.
Zone 1 – Connecting the legacy
Zone 1 is like an open palm containing signs, meanings, and symbols, where every name, every stage, and every tradition is carefully placed like a precious jewel handed down from generation to generation. It welcomes visitors quietly with dignified silence and respect, ready to be seen, understood, and accepted not with words, but with the heart.
This is the welcoming space of the pavilion, the place of first impressions and first contact with the soul of the country.
From its threshold, the guest found himself not just in an exhibition hall but in a space of memory where thousand-year-old roots came to life and where every detail said, “Welcome to Kazakhstan, the Land of Great History and Open Hearts”.
It is the threshold of the yurt where you are invited as a dear guest. It was the beginning of a conversation that lasted throughout the entire pavilion.
Zone 1 set the tone for the entire pavilion, like the first chord that sounded the essence of the Kazakh people.
It didn't just describe, but gently led us to eternal questions: who we are, where our journey began, and what we have managed to carry through the centuries — things that remain unbroken, unlost, and have become our essence.
It was done not through cold exposition but through a subtle architecture of sensations - through the light of history flowing along the contours of the landscape, the sounds of culture that live on in every intonation of the language, in every rhythm of the dombra, through the spatial lines of time that come together in a living, breathing image of a people whose strength lies in memory and whose wisdom lies in the journey.
In the dark outline of the great steppe, the sparks of Kazakhstan's soul flashed as if the memory of the land itself was telling its story.
First - the Kazakh Khanate shining at the crossroads, sending light toward the Ottomans, the Mughals, the Ming dynasty, and the Grand Duchy of Moscow. The Kazakh Khanate lived in these lines of light like the breath of wanderings and diplomacy forever open to the world.
Then came the serenity of nomadic life - yurts at sunset, harnesses ringing in the air, white horses among the grass, steady breath of the steppe. Everything was filled with peace and dignity. Music sprouted through space - the strings of the zhetygen, dombra, kobyz, and sazsyrnai intertwined with the patterns of carpets and the aromas of traditional dishes — a heritage steeped in time and the warmth of family. The sounds were followed by the silence of wisdom.
The open book of Abay, shining “Qara sozder” surrounded by shelves, like an altar of thought. His words in different languages of the world are like prayers to the mind and conscience. Abay looked into the eyes of the future with dignity, knowledge, and inner light. The rhythm changed again. The space was filled with the sounds of the arena, the shouts of the stands, and the flashes of cameras. The heroes, Olympic champions, took to the stage one after another:
- Bekzat Sattarkhanov, 2000 Olympic champion in light featherweight boxing;
- Yermakhan Ibraimov - 2000 Olympic boxing champion in the light middleweight division;
- Bakhtiyar Artayev - 2004 Olympic boxing champion in the welterweight division;
- Serik Sapiyev – 2012 Olympic boxing champion in the welterweight category;
- Daniyar Yeleussinov - 2016 Olympic champion in boxing in the welterweight category;
- Yeldos Smetov - 2024 Olympic champion in judo in the 60 kg category.
Each one embodies strength and ambition. Among them are Gennady Golovkin, WBA, WBC, and IBO world boxing champion, lightning fast and indestructible, and Yersin Baltagul, Kazakhstan's first sumo wrestler in the Makuuchi division, with 46 victories in 90 fights.
In the very finale - a sign. A symbol born from the lines of destiny like a shanyrak, like the sun, like a crossroads of winds.
Kazakhstan concluded its story without words but with an inner light that remains in the heart forever.
Zone 2 – Connecting people
If the first zone is history, then the second is the living part of the present, where each guest became not just a spectator but a participant of the future designed together for our lives, as the theme of Expo 2025 states: “Designing Future Society for Our Lives”.
Here, the human presence became the foundation of a new social architecture. Each face captured by the interactive system became part of a common digital canvas — a symbol of a world without borders. This image united generations, cultures, and histories, translating the idea of the exhibition into a personal experience of involvement.
Zone 2 revealed one of the key sub-themes of the Expo - Connecting Lives. It spoke not with words, but with actions about the connection between people, visual and emotional bridges where technology serves not to isolate, but to bring people closer together. It is a spatial manifesto of respect for every human being. Here, diversity is perceived not as a difference, but as a value. Here, the national roots, languages, and images merge into a single breath, a living mosaic of the present and the future.
It wasn't just an exhibition. It was a model of a society where every person is heard, seen, and included.
Different faces – shared breath. A mosaic of unity under the open sky of the Shanyrak.
The central element of the zone was an interactive terminal where visitors could photograph their faces. The pictures of their faces were used to create a single visual canvas using digital particles projected onto a 180-degree panoramic screen. This dynamic digital image formed a mosaic portrait of the world where each guest became part of the overall pattern.
The connection between people is not just an effect, but an artistic symbol of the union of destinies.
After this visual act, an immersive video show unfolded through the prism of the Shanyrak and the image of the yurt, revealing the main theme of the Expo, “Designing Future Society for Our Lives”, the national slogan - Kazakhstan Born Bold and the strategic vectors of modern Kazakhstan:
- Kazakhstan as a continental bridge between East and West
- Transition to green technologies and sustainable development
- Energy industry development program until 2029, including the creation of nuclear power plants.
It was not just a demonstration of achievements. It was a visual and spatial experience where the meaning of unity became a personal experience for everyone.
Zone 3 – Connecting opportunities
If Zone 1 is our roots and Zone 2 is our soul, then Zone 3 is our horizons.
This space is about moving forward. It is about how a country, having gone from nomad to digital innovator, does not lose its depth but finds its wings.
Zone 3 is Kazakhstan as it has become and as it is becoming.
It was an open demonstration about the country's rich past as well as a clear, ambitious, and expansive future. The spirit of creation was in the air. Every guest felt that this country is not an observer but a co-author of the future world. It is a territory of confidence, openness, and opportunity.
The central symbol of the zone was the Shanyrak. This time not as a talisman, but as an interactive guide to the country's opportunities. By touching the screen, visitors could select a language and one of the themes, and launch a multimedia showcase of modern Kazakhstan, including:
- Ecosystem and biodiversity: from steppes to high-altitude national parks
- Resources: fertile land, strategic minerals, agricultural exports
- Tourism: natural wonders, cultural heritage, unique routes
- Innovation: IT solutions, startups, space, digitalisation
- Economy: trade relations, exports, industrial projects, green energy.
This zone inspired not dreams, but partnerships, investments, and cooperation.
It created an image of Kazakhstan as a powerful, progressive player ready not only to develop independently but to lead others forward.
Kazakhstan is a magnet for investment. Chaired by the President, the Foreign Investors Council has set ambitious goals aimed at raising USD150 billion of foreign direct investment (FDI) by 2029.
From 2005 to 2024, the country has already raised more than USD 420 billion, ranking among the top 10 most promising destinations for investment according to FDI Intelligence.
- Kazakhstan is No. 1 in the CIS in terms of foreign direct investment per capita
- Kazakhstan is a leader in raising investment in new projects in North and Central Asia — USD15.7 billion
- Kazakhstan is No. 1 in the CIS in terms of the ESG index and the green future index
- Kazakhstan is No. 1 in the CIS in terms of food security
- Kazakhstan is among the top 30 countries in terms of digital technology adoption
- Kazakhstan is among the happiest countries in the world according to an Oxford study
The country ranks among the top 50 most prosperous countries in the world (Hellosafe), the top 50 largest economies in the world (The Heritage Foundation), and the top 10 countries with strong investment impact (FDI Intelligence).
The economy is diversified: energy, minerals, agriculture, IT, and fintech. Over two decades, GDP has grown from USD 66.1 billion to USD 288.1 billion; exports from USD 9.6 billion to USD 81.6 billion, and foreign direct investment from USD 2 billion to USD 12.7 billion.
Kazakhstan is focusing on the non-resource sector such as engineering, metallurgy, digital finance, and agribusiness. Fourteen special economic zones have been created. The country offers tax incentives and guarantees investor protection.
The country ranks second in the world in terms of uranium reserves, with 15% of global resources, 56 deposits, and 14 uranium mining enterprises.
A new generation of nuclear energy is being developed as an element of future energy security.
The country's strategic priority is the transition to a “green” economy.
There are currently 154 renewable energy facilities in the country, with the goal of generating 15% of energy from clean sources by 2030, 50% by 2050, and achieving complete carbon neutrality by 2060.
Kazakhstan is the CIS leader in the Green Future Index.
Technology sectors: Big Data, AI, hydrogen energy.
Kazakhstan is a Eurasian transit hub with 13 international transport corridors and trade links with more than 180 countries around the world.
Kazakhstan is a land of vast resources, digital growth, and a sustainable future
Zone 4 – Connecting Lives
This zone literally embodied the exhibition's sub-theme – Connecting Lives.
It was not abstract ideas that were connected here, but real lives and destinies – those of patients and donors, doctors and technology, science and compassion. This space demonstrated how the future of medicine is becoming a reality and scientific progress is a bridge between loss and hope. Here, science is not abstract. It is personal. It was not about progress in general, but about the fact that progress is measured by the number of lives saved.
The main exhibit in the zone was ALEM (Astana Life Ex-situ Machine), an innovative device developed by Kazakh scientists and doctors. It is designed to store, diagnose, and treat donor organs outside the body, ensuring their viability for more than 24 hours.
ALEM not only preserves but also treats organs prior to transplantation and supports amputated limbs prior to replantation.
Here, technology becomes a link between the past and future of humanity, between illness and healing, between one life and another. This zone showed that Kazakhstan is not just a participant in global science, but an active creator of solutions that save, prolong, and connect lives.
ALEM has generated a wide public attention and significant interest from the Japanese media. The exhibit became one of the most discussed technological developments at the Expo, demonstrating the high scientific and innovative potential of Kazakhstan.
This is not an exhibition — this is life. This is not an exhibit — this is a saved tomorrow.
Kazakhstan National Day at Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai - Abay Day
The National Day of the Republic of Kazakhstan was celebrated on 10 August and was timed to coincide with the 180th anniversary of Abay Kunanbayev.
On August 10, an impressive spectacular procession was held on the Expo grounds, like a page from an ancient Kazakh epic brought to life.
A colourful column moved in step along the majestic Grand Ring, the symbol of the exhibition and the largest wooden structure in the world.
At the head of the column, batyrs in sparkling national armour walked majestically, followed by artists in costumes shimmering with all the colors of the sun.
The sounds of the dombra and the confident rhythm of the steps filled the space with such energy that even the majestic pavilions seemed to pause to witness this moment.
In addition to the colourful parade in honour of Abay Day, a solemn ceremony of raising the national flag took place in the National Day Hall.
The evening concert of Kazakh artists, which took place on the stage of the Expo Hall Shining Hat, caused a real sensation. The large-scale festive program of the event attracted about 3,000 spectators - visitors to the Expo.
The works of famous composers Sagyrbaiuly, Tlendiyev, Akhmediyarov, Khamidi, Brusilovsky, and other musical creators who have won the love of the entire nation were performed to enthusiastic applause.
Many spectators admitted that they found themselves in “another universe” — a world where tradition meets modernity, and music and dance unite people, even if they speak different languages.
Strenghtening international cooperation
A wide range of international activities are taking place across sectors, including tourism, investment, and digital technology. Kazakhstan is a country of opportunities, as evidenced by the growing number of international partnerships and its successful participation in major global initiatives. Expos are global events that provide a country with a unique platform to promote its investment and tourism potential, strengthen diplomatic relations, exchange expertise, establish new business ties, and advance the national strategy to enhance global competitiveness and foster a positive image as a nation open to innovation and sustainable development.
Based on the results of the events organised by quasi-governmental and private organisations, there has been a noticeable increase in interest and engagement on the part of Japanese partners, which confirms the effectiveness of Kazakhstan’s participation in international exhibitions.
As part of the National Day of the country, on 10 August, the Minister of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan held bilateral meetings with the Director General of JETRO Osaka (Japan's state organisation promoting the development of foreign trade and investment) and the head of the JBIC representative office in Osaka (a branch of Japan Bank for International Cooperation).
The innovative platform "AIKA" took part in the "Playing and Learning" theme week. The purpose of the event was to showcase artificial intelligence technologies and demonstrate their potential for improving the psychological well-being of adolescents. During the event, contact was established with the Japanese Association of Psychologists, which opened up opportunities for scientific collaboration and further product validation. The feedback received is used to improve the functionality and user experience. As a result of the participation, "AIKA" platform received an invitation to the TechCrunch conference in the USA, which confirms the international recognition of the project and its potential for further development.
"Kazakh Tourism" NC" JSC, jointly with the leading tour operators Skyway, Kompass and MLtour, Air Astana, the multifunctional complex Karavansaray and the Tourist Information Center "Open Turkistan" LLP, held a roadshow and a series of B2B meetings with representatives of Osaka tourism companies, as well as negotiations with major tourism organisations (HIS, JATA, JTB, Otomo Travel, Tairiku Travel, All Seasons Travel) in Tokyo. The events have become an important stage in promoting the tourism brand of Kazakhstan and strengthening bilateral cooperation in the field of tourism.
One of the significant events within the framework of the roadshow was the visit of Japan's largest tour operators to Kazakhstan. The delegation included representatives of ten leading travel companies in Tokyo, covering key segments of outbound tourism: cultural and natural routes, premium travel, and MICE destinations. During the visit to Astana and Almaty, B2B meetings were held with representatives of Kazakhstan’s tourism industry to discuss prospects for joint programs, the promotion of tourism products, and the development of a new image for Almaty as an eastern hub for Japanese travelers.
The Japanese partners were particularly interested in the natural attractions of Kazakhstan, such as the mountainous landscapes of the Tien Shan, the resort of Shymbulak, the Charyn Canyon, as well as the national cuisine. Also, due to the launch of a direct Air Astana flight on the Tokyo – Almaty route, scheduled in 2026, it will simplify travel logistics and create new opportunities for the growth of mutual tourist flow. According to preliminary estimates, in the first year after the opening of the flight, from 5 to 7 thousand tourists from Japan are expected to arrive, which confirms the effectiveness of the measures taken and the high potential for further cooperation.
Within the framework of the theme week "The Future of Earth and Biodiversity Week", the "International Green Technologies and Investment Projects Center" NJSC took an active part, presenting Kazakhstan's initiatives in the field of sustainable development and green technologies. At the end of the theme week, subsequent B2B meetings were organised between representatives of the Kazakhstan side and Japanese companies - Nagashima Holdings, Finetech Co., Ltd., Megumi Corp., OECC (Ministry of Ecology of Japan) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Power Environmental Solutions, Ltd. During the negotiations, prospects for cooperation in the field of environmentally friendly technologies, processing of industrial waste from the steel industry, as well as the implementation of joint initiatives within the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) aimed at introducing energy-efficient solutions from Japanese companies in partner countries were discussed. The meetings were a logical continuation of Kazakhstan's participation in the exhibition and contributed to strengthening partnership relations with Japan in the field of green economy and sustainable development.
Ultimately, Expos are not only an opportunity to showcase achievements, but also an important platform for strengthening international relations and fostering economic and cultural dialogue.
Sometimes a single meeting can change the way an entire country is perceived. And when there are 1.5 million such meetings, it is no longer a coincidence. It is a sign that Kazakhstan is being heard - and that people want to get to know it better. And when that step is taken, we will welcome it the way we welcome every guest: openly, warmly, in the Kazakh tradition.
Kazakhstan's participation at Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai was organised by QazExpoCongress "NC" JSC.
