Green Expo 2027: What Travellers Need to Know

Table of Contents 

• GREENxEXPO 2027 (International Horticultural Expo 2027): What is it?
• Venue, Thematic Zones and Architecture
• What to Expect at GREENxEXPO 2027 as a Visitor
• Tickets Go on Sale from 19 March 2026
• Getting to Yokohama and Choosing Where to Stay
• Tunk Tunk: the official mascot
• Explore Japan through the lens of GREEN×EXPO 2027
• Why include GREEN×EXPO 2027 in your Japan trip?

Key Takeaways 

Here’s everything you should know about GREENxEXPO 2027 in a nutshell.

• GREEN×EXPO 2027 runs 19 March – 26 September 2027 in Yokohama.

• The Green Expo focuses on horticulture, greener cities, sustainability, and climate change.

• Its main theme is “Scenery of the Future for Happiness,” with four co-themed subthemes.

• Five themed villages cover urban technology, crafts, food, children’s learning, and satoyama nature.

• Government, corporate, and international exhibitors will showcase sustainability-related ideas and technologies.

• Advance ticket sales begin 19 March 2026; early bird pricing lasts until 18 March 2027.

• It’s recommended treating the Green Expo as part of a wider Japan itinerary. 

This article brings together the key practical information you need, from the Green Expo’s theme to tickets and how to get there. With more than 60 countries and international organisations expected to take part, and around 15 million visitors anticipated, GREEN×EXPO 2027 is set to place Yokohama firmly in the international spotlight.  

 “GREEN×EXPO 2027 reflects many of the values travellers increasingly associate with Japan: innovation, seasonality, craftsmanship and a deep respect for nature” says Karolina Simon, Head of Japanspecialist. “This Expo has the potential to become one of the most meaningful reasons to visit Japan in 2027, because it connects global sustainability themes with experiences that feel distinctly Japanese.”  

GREENxEXPO 2027 (International Horticultural Expo 2027): What is it?

The GREENxEXPO 2027 will run from 19 March to 26 September 2027 in Yokohama, Japan, and focuses on horticulture and landscaping, greener city models, sustainable development and climate change.  

The Green Expo’s main theme is Scenery of the Future for Happiness, shaped around four sub-themes that guide both its messaging and its programme. These are:  

1. Co-adaptation, which explores harmony with nature and green infrastructure.  

2. Co-existence, centred on living together through greenery and agriculture under the concept of a “Green Community”.  

3. Co-creation, which looks at the creation of new industries through high value-added horticulture and agriculture, as well as links with technology and life sciences.  

4. Co-operation, focused on solving challenges through collaboration, multicultural coexistence, friendship, peace and the involvement of diverse actors.  

At its heart, the Green Expo presents nature as part of the answer in a world at a turning point. It reflects a shift away from purely economic prosperity towards a more mature society, one that not only learns to live with a greener reality but also finds happiness within it. At the same time, it speaks to the ambition of "creating a sustainable future and a society where no one is left behind", with accessibility positioned as an important part of that vision.  

Where the Green Expo 2027 Takes Place  

The venue is the originally called Kamiseya Communications Facility, a former US military communications site that was returned in 2015. For around 70 years after the war, the area remained largely unused and urban development was restricted. As a result, this 242-hectare site preserved a rich natural landscape, including farmland, grasslands, river headwaters and valley terrain. In this part of Yokohama’s Asahi and Seya wards, it became a protected area where nature remained the defining presence.  

Venue, Thematic Zones and Architecture

10 million plants and flowers: that is one of the defining promises of the event. Across this vast site, visitors can expect displays created with seasonal plants and flowers, including 600 cherry trees from 40 different varieties, likely to be in bloom when then Green Expo opens in 2027. Rather than relying on standalone buildings, themed areas known as “Villages” will bring together gardens, experiences and modular architecture. This approach also aligns with the Expo’s “GREEN Circular Architecture” concept, with structures designed for disassembly and reuse. More broadly, the 100 hectares are intended to demonstrate how a formerly military facility can be reimagined as a green innovation district.  

5 Villages to Connect with Nature  

Across the 100 hectares used for Green Expo 2027, visitors will find five villages, each with its own focus: 

Urban GX Village: discover the cutting-edge technologies helping to make a greener society possible.  

Craft Village: a showcase of traditional craftsmanship shaped in harmony with nature.  

Farm and Food Village: a central area of the Green Expo, focused on wellbeing through agriculture and food.  

Kids Village: a space centred on educational activities that help children learn about nature and the future of the planet they will inherit.  

SATOYAMA Village: in Japanese, satoyama refers to natural woodlands near towns and villages, symbolising harmony between people and nature.  

Major Exhibitors and Pavilions  

Like the previous World Expo in 2025, this event will bring together a wide range of exhibitions, all centred on the idea of creating a sustainable society in harmony with nature. The Japanese Government Exhibition will be one of the major highlights, showcasing environmental-solution technologies alongside Japanese gardens and traditional arts such as ikebana and bonsai.   

GREEN×EXPO 2027 will also offer corporations an opportunity to present technologies that contribute to addressing global environmental challenges, including decarbonisation. At the time of writing, corporations such as NTT East and Mitsubishi, among many others, have already secured their place as exhibitors. For participating companies, the Expo also offers a platform for international visibility, as well as opportunities to connect with government representatives, businesses and research institutions.  

Many countries and international organisations have also announced their participation, including Italy, South Korea, Thailand, the United States, the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the United Nations University (UNU). The complete list of participants is continuously updated by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  

What to Expect at GREENxEXPO 2027 as a Visitor

Green Expo 2027 is not just something you visit. It is something you move through, reflect on, and experience at your own pace.  

What makes GREEN×EXPO 2027 especially compelling is the way it links contemporary ideas about sustainability with longstanding aspects of Japanese culture. Rather than presenting environmental themes in abstract terms, the event brings them to life through food, farming, craft and design.  

Food, Farming and Sustainable Living  

Japan’s food culture has long been shaped by farming traditions and the use of local ingredients, and this connection between land and table is likely to be one of the Green Expo’s most meaningful threads. Sustainable farming practices in Japan are essential not only for nourishing local communities, but also for preserving biodiversity, protecting regional landscapes and maintaining knowledge passed down through generations.  

Visitors may encounter examples such as Satoyama landscapes, where forests, rice paddies and villages coexist in a carefully balanced ecosystem, or traditional rice-growing methods that follow seasonal water cycles and rely on minimal intervention.  

Cultural Heritage and Traditional Crafts  

This same sense of continuity can also be seen in Japan’s traditional crafts. Across the country, many craft practices have developed in close dialogue with the natural environment, often shaped by seasonal change, local materials and regional identity. From one area to another, travellers can discover how cultural heritage and nature remain closely intertwined, whether through artisanal techniques, historic places or local ways of life.   

At the Green Expo, this may be reflected in crafts such as washi paper made from mulberry fibres, ceramics such as Arita or Mashiko ware shaped from local clay, or lacquerware created using sap harvested from native trees.  

Tickets Go on Sale from 19 March 2026

Ticket Types and Prices  

According to the official ticket information page, advance ticket sales will begin on 19 March 2026. Early bird prices will remain available until 18 March 2027. Children aged 3 and under can enter free of charge, while adolescents aged 12 to 17 and children aged 4 to 11 benefit from reduced prices.  

If you book your trip with Japanspecialist, we can also help you arrange your GREEN×EXPO 2027 tickets as part of your tour.  

Here is a full breakdown of prices:  

One-Day Ticket Early Bird: Early Bird Discount Tickets available until March 18, 2027. Valid for one-time admission at any time during the Expo Adult: JPY 4,900 (EUR 26) / Youth: JPY 3,000 (EUR 16) / Child: JPY 1,400 (EUR 7)  

One-Day Ticket Regular Price: From March 19, 2027. Valid for one-time admission at any time during the Expo. Adult: JPY 5,500 (EUR 30) / Youth: JPY 3,300 (EUR 18) / Child: JPY 1,500 (EUR 8)

Special Discount Ticket: One-time admission ticket (valid at any time during the Expo) for disability certificate holders and one accompanying person. Adult: JPY 2,800 (EUR 15) / Youth: JPY 1,700 (EUR 9) / Child: JPY 800 (EUR 4)

Season Pass: Multiple entries allowed at any time during the Expo. Adult: JPY 28,000 (EUR 152) / Youth: JPY 16,000 (EUR 87) / Child: JPY 6,500 (EUR 35)

Summer Pass: Multiple entries allowed every day from Jul.1 to Aug. 31, 2027. Adult: JPY 12,000 (EUR 65) / Youth: JPY 7,000 (EUR 38) / Child: JPY 3,000 (EUR 16)

Tickets can be purchased online after registering an account.  

Exchange rate considered JPY 1 = EUR 0,0054 at the time of writing.  

Getting to Yokohama and Choosing Where to Stay

Yokohama is easy to reach, whether you are travelling from Tokyo or arriving to Japan by air. From central Tokyo, direct JR train services reach Yokohama city in under 30 minutes, while Haneda Airport offers the quickest airport access, making Yokohama a practical base for GREEN×EXPO 2027.  

Szabina Ruszinko, Operations Manager at Japanspecialist doesn’t hide her excitement about the event and venue “From an operational perspective, the success of an Expo visit often depends on the practical details, especially where you stay and how you approach transport on the day. What is exciting from a travel-planning perspective is that Yokohama already offers the infrastructure needed to support a major international event. For most visitors, the best experience is likely to come from treating the Green Expo as part of a broader itinerary rather than trying to organise it in isolation.”  

For a convenient stay, the Yokohama Station area is one of the strongest options. As the city’s main transport hub, it offers a wide choice of hotels and straightforward rail connections, although getting to the Expo may take longer than from areas closer to the shuttle bus departure points. Shin-Yokohama is another practical base, especially for travellers arriving by shinkansen, with a good selection of hotels and efficient transport links, although it has less atmosphere than the city centre.  

If you would like to combine your Green Expo visit with sightseeing and restaurants, the harbourfront and central Yokohama districts offer a more scenic place to stay, with the trade-off of extra transfers. Travellers planning a broader Kanagawa itinerary may also consider staying beyond Yokohama, for example towards the Sagami Bay or Hakone, although this makes day trips to the Expo less straightforward.  

Getting to the Venue  

Access to the venue is being planned around rail connections followed by shuttle buses from nearby stations. Official planning documents indicate that four stations are currently being considered as main shuttle bus departure points: Sotetsu Seya Station, Sotetsu Mitsukyo Station, Tokyu Minami-Machida Grandberry Park Station, and JR Tokaichiba Station. Direct bus services from other major terminals are also under consideration.  

A more detailed visitor transport plan, published in February 2026, also outlines north and south shuttle bus terminals at the site, designed with multiple boarding and alighting bays, waiting areas, EV bus charging and heat-mitigation measures such as shading. For now, the most useful point for visitors is that public transport is expected to be the main way to reach the Green Expo, with final routing and operations still being refined.  

Official city material also notes plans to improve access between Seya Station and the venue, including a pedestrian approach designed to enhance the arrival experience.  

If you would like to include GREEN×EXPO 2027 in a wider journey through Japan, Japanspecialist can help tailor the itinerary, from the most convenient place to stay to the best way to combine the Expo with other destinations.  

Tunk Tunk: the official mascot

In Japan, mascots are a familiar part of everyday life, and it is not unusual for major events and destinations to have one of their own. GREEN×EXPO 2027 is no exception. Its official mascot, Tunk Tunk, was created to express connection and harmony between people and all forms of life.  

The mascot’s design was selected through a nominated competition organised by the Expo Association in October 2023, the winning design was chosen by a panel of 10 judges and announced on 19 March 2024, exactly three years before the Green Expo opens. The design was created by Atsushi Makino, a video director and art director.  

According to the organisers, “Tunk Tunk” evokes a sense of resonance and connection between people and different forms of life, reflecting the hope that imagination and harmony with the world around us can spread more widely.  

Explore Japan through the lens of GREEN×EXPO 2027

Green Expo 2027 will also encourage visitors to explore these themes beyond the event itself. The Japanese National Tourism Office (JNTO) has created a series of model courses where travellers will be able to connect the Green Expo experience with journeys across Japan that reveal local crops, regional dishes, cultural sites, and traditional crafts rooted in sustainable practice. They can also lead travellers to centuries-old parks and expansive botanical gardens that reflect Japan’s deep connection to nature. Across the country, seasonal blooms also shape ever-changing landscapes through all four seasons.  

Our Product Manager, Jeremy Batt puts it this way “For us, the real value of GREEN×EXPO 2027 is that it offers more than a fun day out. It's also an opportunity to gain insights that deepen your understanding of Japan, the meaning of sustainable living and travel, and to see how these practices are put to use in everyday life across the country."  

4 Days in Hokkaido Through the Seasons 

Day 1 takes you from Yokohama to Hokkaido’s flower-filled heartland, with stops in Furano, Biei, and Kamikawa to admire lavender fields, seasonal blooms, and hillside gardens. Day 2 continues to Ozora, where the pink moss phlox of Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park showcase community-led cultivation, before an overnight stay in Teshikaga. Day 3 is dedicated to the Kushiro Wetlands, where wooden walkways and canoe tours offer an immersive yet low-impact way to explore Japan’s largest marshland and its wildlife. Day 4 ends the journey on remote Rebun Island, where guided treks lead you through wild alpine flowers and stunning coastal scenery.  

4 Days Lacquer Culture in Tohoku 

Day 1 begins in Hiraizumi, Iwate, where Chusonji Temple reveals how lacquer was used in sacred Buddhist settings and reflects the region’s rich cultural heritage. Day 2 continues in Iwate with lacquerware in everyday life at Shoboji Temple, before heading north to Joboji, where visitors can explore lacquer forests and learn how sap is traditionally harvested. Day 3 moves into Aomori, starting at the Korekawa Archaeological Institution to discover some of the world’s oldest lacquered objects, then continuing to the natural beauty of Oirase Gorge. Day 4 ends in Hirosaki, where the centuries-old tradition of Tsugaru Nuri lacquerware comes to life through artisan demonstrations and hands-on workshops.  

5 Days of Culinary Experiences in Kansai 

Day 1 begins in Kyoto, where the Kyoto Food Culture Museum Ajiwaikan introduces the city’s rich culinary heritage through seasonal ingredients, preserved foods, and refined kaiseki traditions. Day 2 moves into the Kyoto countryside for a farmhouse stay, offering insight into rural lifestyles through home cooking, food preservation, and local harvesting practices. Day 3 continues in Nara, where seasonal meals reflect the city’s historic role in shaping Japan’s food culture, before an overnight stay in the traditional district of Naramachi. Day 4 heads to Osaka, known as “the kitchen of Japan,” with time to explore Kuromon Market and the city’s vibrant urban food scene. Day 5 ends in Koyasan, Wakayama, where shojin ryori, Buddhist vegetarian cuisine, reveals a more spiritual and seasonal approach to food.  

Why include GREEN×EXPO 2027 in your Japan trip?

For travellers planning a trip to Japan in 2027, GREEN×EXPO 2027 can work especially well as part of a wider itinerary rather than as a standalone visit. Based in Yokohama, it is easy to combine with time in Tokyo, and the Green Expo’s themes also lend themselves naturally to broader journeys shaped around gardens, food, farming, traditional culture and seasonal landscapes across Japan.  

For most travellers, a one-day visit is likely to fit comfortably into a broader Japan itinerary, while those with a stronger interest in horticulture, sustainability or cultural programming may prefer to allow extra time in Yokohama. It is also worth planning accommodation and transport carefully, as access to the site is expected to rely on rail connections followed by shuttle buses from nearby stations.  

If you would like to include GREEN×EXPO 2027 in your trip, Japanspecialist can help you plan the most suitable way to do it, from choosing the right base in Yokohama to incorporating the Green Expo into a wider tailor-made journey through Japan.