Voices [Part 3]

Sana

My favorite was the 3D printer that makes the stools. I’m a student of Department of Mechanical Engineering. I’ve studied these kinds of machines at university and graduate school, so it was interesting to see them in action.

Sana

Waste is disposed of and converted into energy and water. Seeing waste disposal equipment that I’ve learned about in textbooks with my own eyes and connecting the exhibit to my own studies helped me realize new things. I’d never seen a biogas plant in person, so it was great to see one in action up close.

Sana

I think money is a cycle. Right now, I work part-time at a beef rice bowl shop. I get paid with the money paid by customers who come to eat, and then I use that same money elsewhere. Money moves around and around. It’s a very visible cycle.

Bunera

My favorite was the exhibition showing the flow of waste from the Plant Area. I thought it was interesting to see it all begin with waste. Waste flows and energy is generated. The story of how this leads to algae and products was great, too.

Bunera

I was very surprised by the possibilities of algae. The comparative exhibition of oil production and water consumption was easy to understand and let me learn something new. The image of algae I had in my head was the seaweed found in Japanese cuisine. I had no idea that there were so many different types of algae.

Bunera

One example is the idea of a circular economy. The circular economy is an important topic in Europe, where I’m from. I think things will improve if the same ways of thinking spread around the world and we follow up with each other. But the most familiar cycle in everyday life is, of course, family.

Y.I.

I liked the water basin. It was very beautiful. I thought it was amazing that the water came from waste.

Y.I.

I knew about recycling, but I had never imagined that something so beautiful could come from waste. That’s something I learned. Up until now, I always thought waste was something dirty, So, the impression I have of waste has changed a lot.

Y.I.

Clothes are one example. The T-shirt I’m wearing today is my dad’s. When I was younger, I wore hand-me-downs from my cousins. Now that I’m older, I give my clothes to other cousins. I think that’s a cycle. Even now, that cycle of receiving, wearing, and giving continues.

Takapon

My favorite were the stools. I sat down every time I saw one. It was very interesting when someone in the Factory Area revealed that they’re made at the Japan Pavilion. It made me wonder if there was a hint somewhere.

Takapon

I learned about the water in the water basin. An attendant explained about the water basin, and I was shocked to learn the water came from waste! I had heard beforehand about the Japan Pavilion, such as that food waste from the Expo is collected and converted into energy, so participating in the practice tour, I had a good understanding of all the exhibits. I think I was able to delve deep into the Japan Pavilion.

Takapon

Raising children is one example. As a parent, I realized that teaching children is a cycle. That’s why I want to do for my children things that helped me or made me happy, and to have them experience things I wanted my parents to let me do. Visiting the Expo is one example of that. I hope they’ll pass this experience on to the next generation.

M.K.

The exhibits throughout the entire Farm Area were great. I especially liked how easy it was to understand the potential of algae when compared to other plants. Seeing the numbers makes it easier to understand on a fundamental level.

M.K.

The only thing I knew about algae was photosynthesis, which I learned about in science class. I had no idea algae had this capacity or this potential. I used to think that algae in Lake Biwa and other places were weeds, but that’s not the case. I learned a lot at the exhibits.

M.K.

School club traditions are one example. The hierarchy at my volleyball club is more casual, and the traditions are such that we must respect each other. These are things that have been passed down for a long time, so they’re one example of a cycle in my everyday life. The traditions suit me personally, so I’m glad I joined the club.

Miho

Every exhibit was great. The interior of the pavilion was also wonderful. My favorite was the hourglass. The videos were beautiful. All three had me entranced. It was also interesting to see the expression change little by little.

Miho

I learned that the Shikinen Sengu ritual at Ise Jingu, in which shrine structures are rebuilt every 20 years, helps to pass on skills. It made so much sense, that the special skills needed might not be passed down unless the structures were rebuilt. Once every 20 years is such a perfect cyclical period.

Miho

I have two children, and I think raising them is a cycle. While I don’t think my children are like me, I’m sure some part of me is passed on to them. My husband and I are both in the sciences, and our children are moving in the same direction. They are growing up and learning things that will be useful to society. Raising children is a cycle.

K.I.

My favorite were the stools. I took a break and sat down several times before reaching the manufacturing exhibit. The stools had an interesting design, and our family were talking about how great they are.

K.I.

I entered from the Plant Area, so I started with the waste exhibit. It was great to experience and learn about the story of how it eventually become things we use as part of everyday life. It was surprising to learn that the stools I sat on several times were made by a 3D printer in the pavilion, and that they used algae. Never would I have imagined that.

K.I.

Given my profession, I immediately think of the human cardiovascular system. Blood is pumped from the heart, and it moves throughout the body. However, when I took in the exhibits at the Japan Pavilion and thought about how even microorganisms are circulating, I realized that people themselves are circulating—not just the human body but all of humanity.

Chisato

I like the spirulina algae curtains. I still remember the excitement I felt when I visited the Japan Pavilion for the first time during my on-site training. It felt like being in a completely different world. The atmosphere is great; it’s relaxing. It might sound simple, but I thought it was amazing.

Chisato

When I explained to some children that the five colors of the BE@RBRICK mean that water and electricity are produced from waste, they said things like “So, waste isn’t really waste” and “You mean the waste becomes water?” Seeing the children surprised and happy, I realized just how full of new discoveries the Japan Pavilion is.

Chisato

I tend to be meticulous, so waste recycling comes to mind. My entire family is very aware of waste separation; since I was little, my father always told me to separate waste properly. It wasn’t that my father was strict—we lived in an area where garbage separation rules were strict. If there was a facial tissue mixed in with plastics, I remember he would say, “Who put this here!?”