During Poland. Culture Week, the Japanese audience will have a unique opportunity to explore both classical and contemporary achievements of Polish culture at the Poland Pavilion, concert halls, and music clubs. The program is divided into thematic days, each emphasizing different aspects of Poland’s cultural heritage and modern creativity.

Unveiling of the Mural – Opening of Poland. Culture Week

On September 4 at 9:00 a.m., near Nishikujo metro station in Osaka (1 Chome-22-12 Nishikujo, Konohana Ward), the official unveiling of a Polish-Japanese mural took place. The work was created through the collaboration of the WALLSHARE collective and Japanese muralist Hitch, symbolizing artistic dialogue between Poland and Japan. The mural references Józef Chełmoński’s painting “Babie Lato”, offering a modern interpretation in public space while paying tribute to the painter’s legacy.

A Journey Back to the Young Poland Era

The Young Poland Day at Expo 2025 (September 4) is dedicated to one of the most significant artistic movements in Polish history at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. In addition to presenting the figure of Władysław Reymont – Nobel Prize winner in literature in 1924 for his four-volume epic “The Peasants” – visitors to the Poland Pavilion will also see a report from the first-ever exhibition of Young Poland art in Japan: “Young Poland. Polish Art 1890–1918”, which was held this year in Kyoto.

The highlight of the day will be the evening audiovisual show “Chłopi Tańcuj Remixed”, based on music composed by Łukasz LUC Rostkowski for the film “The Peasants” – Poland’s 2024 Oscar submission for Best International Feature. The film, directed by Dorota Kobiela-Welchman and Hugh Welchman of BreakThru Films, previously earned the creators an Academy Award nomination for “Loving Vincent”.

“This is the international premiere of ‘Chłopi Tańcuj Remixed’, which immerses audiences in the world of a 19th/20th-century Polish village, reinterpreted through contemporary means of expression. It’s a multimedia spectacle combining acoustic folk music with electronics, 19th-century painting with modern illumination, and traditional dances with contemporary performance,” explains composer Łukasz L.U.C. Rostkowski.

The concert at Sankei Hall Breeze in Osaka will feature Rebel Babel Film Orchestra (Maria Pomianowska, Karolina Skrzyńska, Piotr Kopietz, Bartek Niebielecki, Maciej Sadowski), artists from the “Śląsk” Song and Dance Ensemble (Izabela Wojtasik, Anna Olszowska, Sylwia Sajdak, Julia Pawlak), instrumentalists of the National Philharmonic conducted by Anna Sułkowska-Migoń, and renowned dancers – Piotr Stanek, Olga Bury, Giorgij Puchalski, and Aneta Jankowska. The production will be directed by Daniela Komędera.

This monumental spectacle blends folk traditions with modern choreography, electronic sounds, and multimedia scenography, offering a contemporary perspective on the literary and musical heritage of Young Poland.

Intergenerational Music and Dance on Stage in Front of the Poland Pavilion

On September 5, Expo will host Dance and Music Day. As the name suggests, the event is designed for a wide audience.

On stage in front of the Poland Pavilion, legendary Polish jazz vocalist Urszula Dudziak will perform her global hit “Papaya” together with visitors. The performance promises to be an energetic, intergenerational musical experience with audience participation in dance.

Urszula Dudziak and Yuka Ebihara – longtime soloist of the Polish National Ballet – will also take part in a meeting at the Women’s Pavilion at Expo. Dudziak will deliver an inspiring talk on the power of music and dance as forms of intergenerational and intercultural dialogue, also touching on how singing, dance, and passion can contribute to mental well-being.

National Reading of Polish Literature

On September 6, Poland. Culture Week will highlight the written word. Poland. Literature Day will include a National Reading – an initiative aimed at bringing masterpieces of Polish literature closer to Expo visitors. A reading lounge will be arranged in front of Poland Pavilion.

Excerpts from works by Jan Kochanowski will be read by Japanese readers, Expo visitors, and Poland Pavilion staff.

Poland. Literature Day will also tie into the Poland Pavilion’s installation “Verses”, which presents poems by eight contemporary Polish poets: Krzysztof Czyżewski, Krystyna Dąbrowska, Jacek Dehnel, Jerzy Jarniewicz, Barbara Klicka, Jakub Kornhauser, Małgorzata Lebda, and Urszula Zajączkowska. These poetic forms, inspired by haiku, serve as lyrical commentaries on the Pavilion’s content.

The day’s events will underscore the diversity of Polish literature and its presence in Japan.

Electronic Sounds of the Unsound Festival at Expo 2025

From September 5 to 7, alongside other events at the Poland Pavilion, Osaka will host the first Japanese edition of Poland’s Unsound Festival – one of the world’s most respected and influential festivals of electronic and experimental music, founded in Kraków in 2003 and since held in over 30 cities worldwide.

During Poland. Culture Week, Unsound will focus on presenting Polish and Japanese artists – both established figures and emerging talents – many collaborating for the first time in special projects.

Highlights include Japanese musician and vocalist Keiji Haino, performing for the first time on Baschet sound sculptures created for Expo 1970 in Osaka. Other performers include pianist-composer Hania Rani, 2K88, ralph, Rai Tateishi, Osaka-based duo Kakuhan with Polish drummer Adam Gołębiewski, Japanese artist FUJI||||||||||TA with New York avant-garde multi-instrumentalist Ka Baird, and Chicago footwork pioneer RP Boo with Polish drummer Gary Gwadera.

Jazz from Poland in Japan 2025 – During Poland. Culture Week

Poland. Culture Week at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai also offers a rich showcase of Poland’s contemporary jazz scene. The Jazz from Poland in Japan 2025 Festival will feature 10 projects with 25 artists across 30 concerts from September 4 to 10 in Osaka. Performers include Sub Silento, Babooshki, Aga Derlak Trio, Dominik Wania, Maciej Obara Quartet, Tomasz Hiwa Quintet, EABS, Paulina Przybysz, and Hoshii.

Concerts will take place in three prestigious Osaka clubs: Blue Yard, Space 14, and Umeda Club Quattro. A highlight will be the premiere of a Concert Suite composed especially for Expo 2025 by pianist-composer Nikola Kołodziejczyk, performed on September 7 at Space 14 Concert Hall with all Polish jazz musicians invited to Japan.

Additionally, throughout the week, Poland Pavilion will host unique 30-minute solo, duo, and trio recitals. After Osaka, with support from the Polish Institute in Tokyo, concerts will also be held in Japan’s capital from September 11 to 13, featuring EABS Quintet, Hoshii Quartet, and the duo Paulina Przybysz (vocals) & Grzegorz Tarwid (piano).

Poland at Expo – A Cultural Ambassador and Artistic Dialogue

Poland. Culture Week is one of the most important components of Poland’s cultural program at Expo 2025. It offers an intensive presentation of Polish music, literature, and art – from the heritage of Young Poland to the avant-garde – aimed at a wide audience.

Each day of this extraordinary week in Osaka will bring a unique perspective and showcase the richness and diversity of Polish culture’s heritage and contemporary face.