Japan Pavilion (COURTESY OF EXPO 2010)

Theme: Harmony of the Hearts, Harmony of the Skills

Highlights: Breathing Organism

National Pavilion Day: 12 June

Pavilion Area: Around 6,000 Square Meters

Location: Within Zone A of the Expo site

Pavilion Features

The Japan Pavilion is a semi-circular structure, covered by a purple membrane material. Several antennae and caves make the pavilion a "breathing organism," which will express the harmony between the human heart and technology. The pavilion has been dubbed "Purple Silkworm Island" by Chinese people.

Pavilion Display

The pavilion uses solar energy collection batteries hidden in the double-layer membrane, and the cave will collect rainwater to spray on its exterior surface to keep temperatures cool. The pavilion is divided into past, present and future exhibits.

Pavilion Highlights

Highlight 1: Journey through Time

People will experience a journey from ancient times into the future. At the "past zone," the friendship between China and Japan will be highlighted. Historic cases such as a Chinese envoy's visit to Japan in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) and expertise such as Nishijin weaving will be showcased.

Japan's modern energy saving and water purification technologies will be exhibited in the "present zone." The exhibition will focus on three topics: water source protection, global warming and the aging problem. The "future zone" will feature a modern opera developed by both Chinese and Japanese directors.

Highlight 2: Opera

The centerpiece of Japan's Expo showcase is an opera about a rare bird that avoided extinction in Japan with the help of China. The crested ibis was declared extinct in Japan in the 1970s.

The Chinese government began giving some of its stock to Japan in the 1990s and the birds managed to re-establish themselves in Japan. The opera combines both China's Kunqu opera and Japan's Noh drama to show friendship and exchanges between the two countries.

Highlight 3: Cutting-edge Technologies

Japanese companies will highlight cutting-edge technologies at the pavilion, including a machine that can turn sewage into drinking water, floorboards that can generate electricity when walked on as well as intelligent robots and the country's most advanced vehicles. Several robots will play violins for visitors and a "Life Wall," an electronic wall with virtual televisions, clocks and bookshelves, will be displayed.

(Source: en.expo2010.cn)