TravelStories Episode 61: Osaka Expo 2025 with Brennan

Episode 61: Show Notes

The World Expo 2025 took place in Osaka, Japan, and Tom and Trevor had the pleasure of bumping into their old friend, Brennan Anderson. Brennan was our first-ever guest on this podcast, and we are thrilled to have him back as he walks us through his experience in Osaka. Brennan begins by explaining why he and his family chose to travel to the Osaka Expo before detailing how the Expo met most of his high expectations. After listing the various names that the World Expo is known as, we examine the level of research and planning needed to enjoy the Expo to the fullest, the problems we had with the complicated ticketing system, the highs and lows of Brennan’s three days at the Expo, and appreciation for the sheer size of the Osaka installment. Then, we hear our guest’s thoughts about traveling with a one-year-old, his general food experience at the Expo, his advice for when and where to shop as a tourist, and highlights from the rest of his time in Osaka and Japan. We also marvel at Japan’s kid-friendliness, general accessibility, and incredible nationwide hospitality. To end, Brennan details his travel itinerary including the airlines, cities, hotels, and transportation options he utilized, and shares his final thoughts on traveling in Japan.         

Key Points From This Episode:

• [00:00] Welcoming Brennan Anderson back to the show – our very first guest on this podcast. 
• [01:30] Understanding what drew him to visit the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, Japan.
• [02:33] Whether the Expo met his expectations, and the Expo’s various name iterations.
• [04:25] The level of planning and research needed to explore and enjoy the Expo fully.   
• [07:30] Fallouts from an unnecessarily complicated ticketing system.  
• [11:11] Brennan walks us through the highs and lows of his three-day Expo experience. 
• [12:15] The Saudi Arabia pavilion, the size of the Osaka Expo, and the Australian pavilion. 
• [16:03] Brennan’s thoughts on traveling and navigating the Expo with a one-year-old. 
• [18:52] His food experience, a hilarious baby food mix-up, and his advice for when to shop. 
• [26:12] Highlights from his time in Osaka when he and his family explored the city. 
• [27:04] Praise for Japan’s kid-friendliness and general accessibility.  
• [29:08] The train to Tokyo, food in Japan, and Japanese hospitality.   
• [35:59] Brennan’s travel itinerary – airlines, cities, public transport, and hotels. 
• [38:59] The ins and outs of the Conrad Osaka, and attendance numbers at this year’s Expo. 
• [44:30] Final thoughts on traveling in Japan and Expo Osaka, 2025.  

Quotes:

“The Osaka Expo was huge.” — Brennan Anderson [13:58]

“We’re learning how to travel with a baby. – You can’t do as much as you can without kids, but seeing things through his eyes and what he pays attention to as a one-year-old is really rewarding.” — Brennan Anderson [16:18]

“Japan, in general, is very kid-friendly [and] very accessible.” — Brennan Anderson [16:41]

“It’s one of those things that kind of connects you to an area. It’s great when your kids are able to make friends with somebody local and run around for a little bit. It really just feels like a local experience. It’s a lot of fun.” — Brennan Anderson [27:56]

“Everything we had was delicious. Neither my wife nor I are really that big on Japanese food, but we really loved everything we had.” — Brennan Anderson [31:27]

“Everybody was just so friendly, so hospitable, and really just made you feel at home.” — Brennan Anderson [32:30]