In 1970, Osaka hosted the first World Exposition in Asia, organised around the theme of “Progress and Harmony for Mankind”. The event, known as Expo 70, was envisioned as a celebration of Japan’s post-war recovery and industrialisation, and took on a festival-like atmosphere.

Kenzo Tange and Uzō Nishiyama were jointly appointed to masterplan the Expo grounds. Nishiyama later resigned, and Tange sought the assistance of architects in his own circle, including Arata Isozaki, Kiyonori Kikutake, Kisho Kurokawa and Fumihiko Maki (all were featured in Robin Boyd’s New Directions in Japanese Architecture). The exposition was noted for the wild variety of its pavilions, including various prototypes of Metabolist urban architecture and a cohort of inflatable structures. The work exhibited at the Expo was similarly speculative: highlights included a large moon rock in the US pavilion, the first IMAX film, maglev train technology, and the first Kentucky Fried Chicken in Japan.

On his visits to Osaka in 1969 and 1970 as Exhibits Architect of the Australian Pavilion, Robin Boyd photographed many of the pavilions, and wrote critical analyses of the architecture published in the British journal Architectural Review and the American The Architectural Forum (pdf). On returning to Australia, he gave a lecture on Expo 70 and Expositions in general.