Osaka Expo | 1970

Osaka Expo 1970, 1967, by Yusaku Kamekura

This striking poster features a vibrant rainbow-coloured design on a stark black background, showcasing the official emblem for the Osaka Expo 1970. At the centre sits a stylised cherry blossom motif in white, from which eight colourful rays emanate outward in a perfect wheel formation. Each ray begins with a semi-circular shape at the base and extends into fine, precisely drawn lines that widen as they reach the edges of the poster. The colour spectrum includes red, orange, yellow, lime green, teal, blue, indigo, and violet, creating a complete chromatic circle. At the bottom of the poster, the text "PROGRESS AND HARMONY FOR MANKIND" appears in white, alongside the bold white typography "EXPO '70" with "JAPAN WORLD EXPOSITION" and "OSAKA" in smaller red text beneath it, indicating the location and dates "MARCH-SEPTEMBER".

The Osaka Expo of 1970 marked a significant milestone as the first World Exposition held in Japan and indeed in all of Asia. Running from 15 March to 13 September 1970, the event attracted a record-breaking 64 million visitors from 77 participating countries—a figure that remained unmatched until the Shanghai Expo of 2010. The event's theme, "Progress and Harmony for Mankind", reflected Japan's ambition to showcase its remarkable post-war economic recovery whilst promoting international cooperation and technological advancement. The poster's design cleverly incorporates the official Expo emblem, which represents a cherry blossom (sakura), Japan's national flower. The five-petalled motif symbolised the five continents coming together, with the white centre representing Japan itself and the radiating colours suggesting the global exchange of ideas and cultural dialogue. The Expo site, covering 330 hectares in the Senri Hills, featured futuristic architecture including the iconic Tower of the Sun designed by artist Taro Okamoto.

Yusaku Kamekura (1915-1997) was a pioneering figure in Japanese graphic design and is considered one of the most influential designers of the post-war period. Born in Niigata Prefecture, he studied at the Institute of New Architecture and Industrial Arts in Tokyo, where he developed a strong foundation in Bauhaus principles and modernist aesthetics. Kamekura's international reputation was cemented by his ground-breaking work for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, which featured the first use of photography in Olympic promotional materials. His distinctive style masterfully blended traditional Japanese aesthetics with Western modernist principles, particularly elements of Constructivism and the International Typographic Style. This Expo '70 poster exemplifies his skill in creating bold, geometric compositions with vibrant colours and meticulous attention to detail. Affectionately nicknamed "Boss" by his peers, Kamekura was a founding member of the Nippon Design Center in 1960 and later served as chairman of the Japan Graphic Designers Association, helping to establish Japanese design on the world stage.