If you’re going to be in Japan — especially anywhere in the Kanto region (Tokyo, Yokohama, and surrounding areas) during Golden Week — this post is for you. The GREEN×EXPO 2027 Association just announced something that’s only useful if your feet are on Japanese soil between early May and early June 2026.
I, however, live in Osaka. So I’m writing this for you.
I went to the Osaka/Kansai Expo 29 times. The single biggest regret from that experience was not paying attention before opening day — I just kind of let it sit, assumed it would be crowded and confusing, and skipped the first two months. By the time I figured out what I was doing, I’d missed entire pop-up events, limited goods, and pre-opening collaborations that never came back.
I’m not letting that happen with the Yokohama Flower Expo. So when news like this drops, I write it up. And this time, the news comes with a catch: almost everything below requires you to physically be at the venue in Japan.
If that’s you — read on.
What’s Happening: Paper Tickets Are Going on the Road
Until now, GREEN×EXPO 2027 admission tickets could only be purchased in two ways:
- Digital tickets — through the official ticket site (online, anywhere)
- Paper tickets — through two Hankyu Travel branches in Japan
Starting this Golden Week, paper tickets will be sold in person at major flower festivals, national gardens, and city events across the Tokyo–Yokohama area. These are real, gift-able, physical tickets — at the same early-bird price as the online version (plus a small ¥100 paper-ticket fee).
For most international readers this won’t matter — digital is easier. But if you’ve ever wanted a physical Japanese expo ticket as a souvenir or a gift, this is one of very few legitimate ways to get one.
Pop-Up Sales Schedule: 8 Events Across May–June 2026
| Date | Event | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| May 2–4 | Yokohama Flower & Garden Festival 2026 | Pacifico Yokohama (major convention center near Yokohama Station) |
| May 3–6 | Showa Kinen Park Flower Festival 2026 | Showa Kinen National Park (Tachikawa, Tokyo) |
| May 10 | Hitachi Seaside Park PR Day | Hitachi Seaside Park (Ibaraki Prefecture) |
| May 16–17 | Yokohama Nature Week 2026 | Kodomo Shizen Park (Asahi-ku, Yokohama) |
| May 23–24 | GREENROOM FESTIVAL ’26 | Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse |
| May 30–31 | Hama-Fes Y167 | Yamashita Park, Yokohama |
| June 1–2 | The 45th Yokohama Port Festival | Rinko Park, Yokohama (TBC) |
| June 6–7 | National Greenery & Flower Fair – Katsushika | Niijuku Mirai Park (Katsushika, Tokyo) |
Tickets are sold while supplies last at each venue. No reservations, no online holds — first come, first served.
Paper Ticket Prices
| Category | Price (incl. tax) | USD (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Adult (18+) | ¥5,000 | ~$33 |
| Youth (12–17) | ¥3,100 | ~$21 |
| Child (4–11) | ¥1,500 | ~$10 |
These are the early-bird rates (¥4,900 / ¥3,000 / ¥1,400) plus the ¥100 paper-ticket surcharge. Once general admission opens, regular prices are higher — so this is genuinely a discount.
USD amounts are rough estimates for reference only. Exchange rates change daily — please check the current rate before you plan your spending.
Looking for a full breakdown of all ticket types (day pass, season pass, summer pass, evening ticket)? See the GREEN×EXPO 2027 Ticket Guide.
The Garden Bear × Tunkutunku Limited Collab Ticket
This is the part that’s making me, personally, most jealous.
Garden Bear — the mascot of “Garden Necklace Yokohama,” the city’s annual flower-and-greenery initiative — is teaming up with Tunkutunku (the official GREEN×EXPO 2027 mascot) for a limited collaboration ticket. The artwork was drawn specifically for this collab.
Collab Ticket Details
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Design | Two-sided full-color, Garden Bear × Tunkutunku original artwork |
| Material & Size | PET, with strap, approx. 88mm × 125mm |
| Price | Admission ticket + ¥2,640 (approx. $18) per collab card. Shipping ¥990 (approx. $7) |
| Sales Method | Pre-order only, via a URL announced at the venue |
| Ship Date | December 2026 onward |
| Required | Ticket Pia (チケットぴあ) account |
| Shipping | Domestic Japan only |
Where & When You Can Order
The order URL is not posted online — you have to be at one of these three events on these specific days:
- Satoyama Garden Festa — April 29, 2026 (one day only)
- Venue: Satoyama Garden, next to Yokohama Zoorasia
- Hours: 9:30–16:00 (collab ticket counter closes at 15:00)
- Free entry
- Yokohama Flower & Garden Festival 2026 — May 2–4, 2026
- Venue: Pacifico Yokohama
- Hours: 10:00–17:00 (counter closes at 16:30 — final day closes at 15:30)
- Paid entry: ¥1,600 advance / ¥2,000 door, free for middle school students and under
- Yokohama Nature Week 2026 — May 16–17, 2026
- Venue: Kodomo Shizen Park, Asahi-ku, Yokohama
- Hours: 10:00–17:30 (counter closes at 17:00)
- Free entry
That’s three venues, six days total. Miss the window and the URL is gone.
Why This Is a ‘Right Place, Right Time’ Moment
Here’s the catch I want to make absolutely clear, because I don’t want anyone reading this from overseas to plan a flight on the wrong assumption:
- The paper tickets are physical objects sold in Japan. You need to be at one of the eight events to buy them.
- The collab ticket order URL is announced only at the three venues above. There is no online way to find it — even after the event.
- Both ship to Japan addresses only. No international shipping is offered.
So, to be honest:
- If you live in Japan or you’ll be visiting Tokyo/Yokohama in May 2026 — this is genuinely a great opportunity. You get a discounted paper ticket (giftable!) and access to a limited collab ticket that no one outside Japan can buy.
- If you’re reading this from overseas with no Japan trip planned — the digital ticket is still your best option. You’re not missing the expo, just this particular souvenir.
- If you have a Japan-based friend or relative — this might be the moment to politely ask for a favor.
A Note from Osaka
I want to go.
I can’t.
I’m in Osaka, and the closest event to me on this list is roughly five hours by train. I have a Yokohama trip booked for July to scout the actual expo grounds — but the collab ticket window closes in May. So I’m out.
This is exactly the kind of pre-opening moment I missed before the Osaka/Kansai Expo. Limited collabs, pop-up events, mascot announcements — the part of an expo that exists only before it opens. Going to the venue isn’t the only part of an expo. The build-up is part of it too. I’m only just starting to feel that.
So if you’re in Kanto and you can swing by even one of these events, please go. Take a photo of the collab ticket for me. Eat something at the food stalls. Tell Tunkutunku I said hi.
Go for me, will you?
Quick Recap
| What | Where | When | Who can use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper expo tickets at early-bird price | 8 flower/garden events across Tokyo–Yokohama | May 2 – June 7, 2026 | Anyone physically at the venue |
| Garden Bear × Tunkutunku collab ticket (pre-order) | 3 specific venues, URL announced on-site only | April 29 / May 2–4 / May 16–17 | Anyone at venue + Japan shipping address |
| Digital admission tickets | Online, official site | Anytime | Anyone, anywhere |
For the latest updates, check the official site: https://expo2027yokohama.or.jp/
This article is based on the GREEN×EXPO 2027 Association press release dated April 28, 2026. Details may change without notice.
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