Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region at Expo 2025 – the taste of tradition and cosmic innovation
From September 11 to 17, 2025, the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region is showcasing its diversity, cultural heritage, modern potential, and wealth of tourist attractions at Poland Pavilion in Osaka. It is a special week at Expo 2025 – filled with music and craft demonstrations, but also with innovation, science, and business.
At the heart of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region Week program at the World Expo in Osaka is Toruń – the UNESCO-listed gothic city of Nicolaus Copernicus – as well as, among others, spa towns such as Ciechocinek and Inowrocław, renowned for their unique traditions and healing properties.
“Our region has two faces: the historical one, rooted in a rich cultural heritage – and the modern one, bold and reaching for the stars. At Expo, we want to showcase both our pride in the past and our vision for the future. In Osaka, these two worlds come together into one coherent story. We want to show that the region’s cultural heritage goes hand in hand with modernity and technological ambition. Expo 2025 in Osaka is a great opportunity for us to build new bridges of cooperation with Japan and to invite guests and investors to our region,” emphasizes Piotr Całbecki, Marshal of the Region.
Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region will surprise visitors to Poland Pavilion
One of the biggest highlights of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region Week at Poland Pavilion is the multimedia installation “Czochralski’s Armor” – an interactive fashion costume that combines regional craftsmanship and local ornaments with a multimedia light grid and a science-fiction aesthetic. It is a meeting of past and future within a single artistic costume, referencing the achievements of Jan Czochralski – the Polish professor whose method of producing silicon crystals paved the way for the computer age. The region is also home to the recently established Kuyavian-Pomeranian Science and Technology Center named after this scholar. The story behind the installation is reminiscent of Hayao Miyazaki’s manga: the heroine – styled as Jan Czochralski’s granddaughter – climbs into an attic, where she discovers her grandfather’s notes and a sketch of extraordinary armor. Once crafted, the costume transforms the girl into a superheroine.
Another highlight attracting visitors’ attention at Poland Pavilion during Expo 2025 is the exhibition of games by the B61 Institute, “The Copernican Principle”, created in collaboration with artist Tomasz Wlaźlak. Three retro arcade machines, glowing with neon lights, take guests on an extraordinary journey through space, drawing on the 1980s and 1990s aesthetics that enjoy great popularity in Japan.
The exhibition also pays tribute to Nicolaus Copernicus. Born in Toruń in 1473, the astronomer who “stopped the Sun and set the Earth in motion” maintained strong ties with the city throughout his life and remains one of the key figures in the history of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region.
At Expo in Osaka, astronomy workshops are also being held, where visitors – just like Copernicus’s students – can conduct scientific observations and look deep into the Sun, uncover the secrets of galaxies, and listen to stories about cosmic explosions and flares.
Gingerbread decorating workshops, culinary shows and concerts
Toruń is Poland’s gingerbread capital, and the city has been famous for its gingerbread for centuries, thanks to its favorable location on trade routes, access to honey and spices, and a long-standing artisan tradition. That is why gingerbread decorating workshops and a culinary demonstration by the renowned Polish chef Artur Moroz have been organized in front of Poland Pavilion. Residents of Osaka will have the opportunity to experience truly unique flavors from Kuyavia and Pomerania, combining tradition with experimentation. This demonstration will take place on a special day – during the ceremony marking Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region Week at Poland Pavilion on Expo 15 September.
In front of the Pavilion, a lively host is dressed as the “Jug from Włocławek” – referencing the historic faience production center, renowned both in the region and throughout Poland.
Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region Week also features exciting musical events. Star of Polish singer-songwriter music, Mariusz Lubomski, brings a touch of lyricism and melancholy to the Expo cultural program. Steve Nash and Nina Minor, as part of Project Piano, transport the Japanese audience into the world of electronic music. Meanwhile, DJ Funktor invites listeners to play together and explore sounds – they will have the chance to create their own 8-bit symphony.
Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region invites investors and scientists to collaborate
The Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region Week program has been designed so that every visitor to Poland Pavilion can find something for themselves – from concerts and workshops for the general public, to culinary tastings, and presentations of innovative business and scientific solutions.
Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region is an important academic and innovation hub. The region’s Week program therefore includes meetings and seminars dedicated to contemporary challenges: environmental protection, green energy, the development of new technologies, and digitalization. Representatives of universities, research institutes, and technology companies from the region will present their achievements and put forward cooperation opportunities for Japanese partners.
Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region Week also serves as an important forum for economic promotion. Conferences and B2B meetings will be held, bringing together entrepreneurs from Poland and Japan. Highlighting its favorable location in Poland and well-developed infrastructure, the region will showcase its potential in areas such as green technologies, IT, the chemical industry, energy, and logistics. The goal is to attract potential investors and demonstrate that Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region is an attractive destination for international cooperation.
Fot.: A. Stykowski
