Expo Badges Give Chance to Meet Friends from Abroad; Rare Badges Become Highly Sought After

By Mao Nakayama and Taiki Fujikawa / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers

6:00 JST, September 19, 2025

OSAKA — Exchanging pavilion pin badges has long been a unique Expo tradition, and the current 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo is no exception. Staff members at the event are enjoying the exchanges, which they consider “lifelong memories.”

An event for trading the badges was held on Aug. 24 in the indoor plaza of Commons-C, one of the joint pavilions shared by multiple countries. Dozens of Expo staff were seen browsing badges laid out on tables and negotiating trades.

A 28-year-old staff member from the Indonesia Pavilion gave a Malaysia Pavilion staff member a badge featuring the mythological bird that serves as Indonesia’s national emblem in exchange for a badge of the Jordan Pavilion’s official character. The two then shook hands.

“The Jordan badge is popular because it’s cute. I’m happy I got it,” he said with a smile. “Badge trading give me a chance to interact with lots of people and is a nice break from work.”

The event, hosted by the San Marino Pavilion, is held irregularly. This was the eighth one since the Expo’s April opening, and the pavilion announced the date in advance on its Instagram account.

ID card straps

Many pavilions distribute non-sale badges to their staff, while they sell badges to visitors. Designs vary from official mascots to pavilion logos. Some staff badges are rare because they are distributed only one per person.

The staff trade their badges with others working at different pavilions and attach them to their ID card lanyards.

Georgia Zutz, 24, who worked at the U.S. Pavilion, learned about badge trading from staff who worked at the 2020 Dubai Expo. She brought badges of Minnesota, her home state, for trading.

She said that swapping badges sparked conversations that led to friendships. She ended up going out to karaoke several times with some of the people she traded with. She said she wants to show the badges to her kids and grandkids someday as mementos of her life.

A national pavilion staff member said that when two people introduce themselves, some have their eyes glued to the pin badges on the other person’s lanyard rather than their face.

Hideo Fujii, 67, from Suminoe Ward, Osaka, has visited Expos worldwide since the 1970 Osaka event. He said badge trading became noticeable around the 2005 Aichi Expo.

The trend, Fujii believes, started because nametag IDs, which were stuck on the chest, were switched to the current ID holder and lanyard at the Aichi Expo, and the change made it easier to attach badges.

“Having lots of badges feels like having lots of medals, and the fun of ‘bartering’ probably captures the hearts of many staff members,” Fujii said.

Kids trading badges

Visitors also join in the badge swapping fun, starting their collections with badges sold at pavilions.

Hard-to-get badges, which require standing in line for hours or are sold out due to low stock, are especially popular for trading.

“I hope it gives my kids a chance to interact with people from overseas,” said Kumiko Nishikata, 45, from Tondabayashi, Osaka Prefecture, who has been buying badges since the Expo opened.

Her 9-year-old daughter, Ruka, and 5-year-old son, Ryusei, say “Change” in English when they want to trade badges at pavilions and trading events.

“It’s fun when I can trade for the one I want,” Ryusei said.

Ruka added, “I want to get the Sanrio and Myaku-Myaku collaboration badge next.”