Step into the UAE pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, and the first thing you notice is the scent. It's warm, earthy and oddly nostalgic. This is not a man-made fragrance, but something organic and real.
For Emiratis, it evokes the memory of drying dates in the summer. For Japanese visitors, it is something comforting and familiar, even if they cannot quite place it, says Shaikha Al Ketbi, the UAE Pavilion's creative director.
“In our previous participation at Expo 2020 Dubai, we had a bespoke fragrance created. But here in Osaka, the scent came naturally,” she says. “It was not part of the plan, but a complete surprise.”
The pavilion is built from about two million date palm fronds, arranged into 90 towering columns. The fronds were sourced from the UAE, Egypt and Tunisia, then cleaned, straightened and treated before being shipped to Japan.
“We gathered all the material in a warehouse. When we entered, it smelt just like home,” says Al Ketbi. “There was warmth, a little sweetness. We said to each other: 'Wouldn't it be amazing if this scent stayed once the pavilion was built?’”
Luckily for the team, and the visitors, the unique scent lingered on when the pavilion was built, even after months of foot traffic. Of the response from Japanese visitors, Al Ketbi adds: “It has been such a strong point of connection. Some ask if we plan to bottle it, an idea we are now exploring with perfumers.”
The pavilion itself was designed to engage all senses. “We wanted a multisensory experience,” says Al Ketbi. “Scent, yes, but sound as well. There is a soundscape at the entrance that mimics the sounds of an oasis. The materials are textured, and we use lighting and space to create calm. And there is the food, of course.”
The restaurant inside the pavilion serves Emirati cuisine but in bento boxes, a gesture of cultural exchange.
“We knew the Japanese public would appreciate that format,” says Mariam Al Memari, head of the UAE Expo Office. “It is something familiar to them. But when they open it, it is a surprise. They discover Emirati flavours and traditional dishes. The response has been incredibly positive.”
Some ingredients are flown in from the UAE, others are sourced locally to maintain freshness and sustainability.
Meanwhile, the architecture is striking in its simplicity. The glass facade invites people in, offering a view of the columns and woven structures within. The layout is circular, centred on a courtyard-like space.
“From the beginning, we wanted to build a pavilion that felt welcoming,” says Al Ketbi. “Some pavilions are designed to impress from a distance. Ours is designed to invite. Visitors see the columns and the materials, and they come closer.”
The columns vary in height from nine to sixteen metres, and are constructed from treated palm fronds and bound with rope. “The material is unfamiliar here,” says Al Ketbi. “We worked with a Japanese carpentry studio to make it happen. It required a whole new supply chain.”
The effect is both immersive and intimate. Japanese visitors often touch the materials, notes Ketbi. “They are drawn to the texture. It creates a relationship. They do not just see the pavilion, they feel it.”
At the centre of the experience are Emirati youth ambassadors and volunteers, many of whom speak Japanese, guide visitors and answer questions.
“They are the human face of the UAE here,” says Al Memari. “Visitors are often struck by their warmth and confidence. For many, it is their first time meeting someone from the UAE.”
The pavilion also includes a shop that offers products made by Emirati artists and start-ups. Many items are made from date palm fibre. “We want people to take home something that feels authentic,” says Al Memari. “Some pieces even reference Expo 1970, when Abu Dhabi participated before the formation of the UAE.”
That reference to 1970 is part of a wider narrative. The pavilion’s theme, Earth to Ether, connects past and present. “In 1970, Abu Dhabi came to Expo as a single emirate,” says Al Ketbi. “In 2025, the whole federation is here. That is not just history. It is a story of transformation.”
The story is narrated through media installations as well as the pavilion's design itself. The layout is circular, evoking traditional gathering spaces. The woven materials bring on a sense of one’s own home rather than a busy commercial setting.
“We wanted to explore the idea of legacy,” says Al Ketbi. “What gets passed on? What do we share with the world? How do we carry our environment with us, even when we are far from home?”
The pavilion was developed by a multidisciplinary collective that brought together architects, designers, artists, writers and engineers. “It was a collaborative process,” says Al Ketbi. “Everyone contributed. The person who wrote the story, the person who sourced the material, the person who shaped the columns – all of them were part of the creative team.”
Since opening its doors, the pavilion has attracted more than two million visitors. “We see 30,000 people a day,” says Al Memari. “But more important than the numbers is the feedback. Visitors, Japanese or otherwise, tell us they feel something here – calm, welcome connection.”
