With Japan hosting Expo again in 2025, it is an appropriate moment for us to look back to Expo '70.
Expo 70 took place in Osaka, Japan. It was a huge event for many reasons, but for the Amusement Machine Industry in Japan it marked a major turning point. Manufacturers were beginning to organize together to address domestic perceptions, foreign markets, and issues with quality and reliability.
Japan organized a large amusement park area called Expoland. Within that was the Central Plaza area were three distinctive tent areas. A red tent for the Daidasaurus rollercoasters, the yellow Central Plaza tent, and blue tents which housed an area called Gameland. (Sometimes referred to as Playland) This is where the arcade machines were, and photographs of this area remain very elusive. If you have any further media on the Gameland arcades please get in touch at thetastates@gmail.com. There are many arcade machines that appeared at Expo 70 which we have no further documentation of other than their name. Documentation of the Expo 70 Gameland will work to expand our knowledge of Japan's early Amusement Machine industry.
I am collecting the scraps of Expo 70 materials under the cut, and we will explore everything we know about the massive Gameland arcade.
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| This stunning photograph is the cover of the 1970-05 issue. |
