By Poppy Philbrook and Sean Coombs
Expo Reporters
OSAKA, Japan–There was maple syrup, Canadian flags, Mounties in full red serge greeting Expo visitors in the blazing sun and yes, even a gigantic beaver leading a traditional Japanese exercise class.
All in all, vintage Canadiana during Canada Day celebrations at Expo’s Canada Pavilion. Face paint and red maple leaves decorated the faces of pavilion visitors. And across the sprawling Expo site, everywhere you turned, Canadian flags were sprouting from backpacks.
Chef Phil Cameron (who hails from Orelans by the way) treated hundreds of visitors to a pancake breakfast topped with Canadian maple syrup he’d brought especially from his family farm near Quebec City.
And despite kicking off the day at 9:00 AM with a hearty pancake breakfast, the suffocating heat of Japan’s summers had already set in. The pavilion smelled sticky sweet as the dedicated culinary team handed out pancakes to eager visitors.
Visitors also had the opportunity to witness Chef Phil cook fresh pancakes on the spot. Two willing volunteers from the audience were invited to join the chef on stage to flip the Canadian breakfast staple.
The pavilion team worked tirelessly to keep the energy high, bringing out Parka, the pavilion’s beaver mascot, for some ラジオ体操 (radio taiso), or radio exercises. Aimed at all ages and all levels of fitness, radio taiso is a must-have for many Japanese companies and schools every morning, fostering community through shared experiences.
Beyond the Canada Pavilion’s core, Canada flags were handed out not only to visitors but passersby. You couldn’t walk two metres across the Expo site without spotting someone with a Canada flag sticking out of their backpack.
The growing maple leaf motif only multiplied once the pavilion brought out face paint. Many at the pavilion had matching maple leaves on their cheeks to go with their flags.
Possibly the most impressive feat of the day was that of RCMP Constables Alexander Zaganas and Candace Harris, who took turns in braving the Osaka sun while posing for photo ops in front of a large “CANADA” sign that sits at the pavilion’s entryway, a near replica of those found throughout the country in cities like Toronto and Ottawa.
And what is a Canada Day celebration without some music?
Ontario-based singer-songwriter Jill Barber took to the pavilion stage twice, adorned in a red and white striped dress that flowed in the wind from the fans set up to cool the space down.
Lisa Leblanc also took to the pavilion stage, performing a gusty soundtrack of enthusiastic folk music that got the crowded audience cheering.
In a press release, the Canada Pavilion said, “Mirroring festivities in Canada, July 1st at the Canada Pavilion capped off 10 days of celebrations under the banner of ‘Celebrate Canada Week’. Canada’s National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21st, St Jean Baptiste on June 24th and Multiculturalism Day on June 27th were all celebrated against the backdrop of the stunning Canada Pavilion, much to the delight of Expo audiences and pavilion visitors.”
“Our Canada Pavilion team pulled out all the stops to celebrate Canada Day with great fanfare, photo-ops and festivities,” Canada’s Commissioner General at Expo 2025 Osaka, Laurie Peters, said in the release.
“From the flag-raising and singing of our anthem to the closing Canadian karaoke led by our dynamic hosting staff, visitors were treated to a full day of Canadian warmth and hospitality in true north spirit,” she said. “And while many Japanese visitors were delighted to partake in the birthday festivities, it was the participation of Canadians who travelled to Expo to celebrate with us which was particularly meaningful.”
“We welcomed visitors from across the country, from multiple provinces, and you could really feel the pride and connection they brought with them. It was a powerful and heartwarming reminder of the significance of these shared moments, particularly on the international stage, and that this renewed sense of solidarity we are experiencing can be felt far beyond Canada’s borders”.
In all, the celebrations at the pavilion were as Canadian as it could be, despite the fact it occurred before the Canada Day sun had even risen in Canada.
