12.16.2025

Playfulness and Creativity: Shaping the Future of Communication at the Jellyfish Pavilion — Insights from Producer Sachiko Nakajima

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Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan is not only a showcase of innovation, but also a place to reflect on inclusion in society. At the“Playground of Life: Jellyfish Pavilion,” Japan Convention Services (JCS) had the opportunity to engage with this theme through on-site involvement. As part of this effort, we spoke with Thematic Project Producer Sachiko Nakajima, who shared her vision of playfulness, inclusion, and co-creation as guiding principles for the Jellyfish Pavilion. This article explores how her ideas shaped the pavilion as a prototype of future communication.

Playfulness as a Driver of Creativity

The core concept of the Jellyfish Pavilion is the“democratization of creativity.”Creativity is not the privilege of a few—it belongs to everyone.
She explains:
“We focused on the idea of‘play with your flow’and the importance of physical experience. True creativity emerges when people are not constrained by rigid rules but are free to explore under changing conditions.”
Inside the pavilion, visitors find creativity in small but surprising moments—like children observing details in nature while adults pass them by. These simple acts of play show how creativity can grow in everyday life.

Designing for Inclusion

Inclusion is another central theme of the pavilion.The space is designed with curved lines instead of rigid walls, allowing wind and sound to flow naturally.Operational ideas—such as sharing roles for wheelchair attendants—let each visitor choose their own way of participating.
One example was connecting hospitalized children with the pavilion through online workshops. Even without spoken words, participants could share feelings through touch, rhythm, and movement.
She notes:
“Communication is not limited to words. People can express themselves through other senses.”
This approach goes beyond a focus on efficiency and creates a space where no one is left behind.

Prototyping the Future of Communication signing for Inclusion

From its early stages, the pavilion involved people of different ages and backgrounds in workshops. This process became a living model of how society can learn, adapt, and co-create across differences.
The producer emphasizes:
“Designing spaces where diversity naturally blends together is essential for the future of communication.”
The Jellyfish Pavilion is more than an exhibition space—it is a prototype of the society we want to build. Diversity is not a limitation but a source of possibility, where new ideas and collaborations can emerge.

A Call to the Next Generation

Finally, she shares a message for the next generation:
“Do not be bound by fixed answers or precedents. Many forms of discrimination arise not from malice, but from a lack of consideration. By sharing wisdom, we can design a society where everyone has the freedom to choose.”

Nakajima’s vision shows how playfulness and inclusion can transform the way we connect and create together. At JCS, we will continue to design events that embody these values, bringing people of diverse backgrounds into spaces where communication lays the foundation for a better future.