Sunday morning officially our two day tour of the expo site had ended and we were going to tour the region around the coast. However, since I arrived a day late from Daegu on Friday nite I wanted to go back and spend Sunday exploring more of the Expo site.

We had to hand in all our press passes since we had only reserved them for the two days previously. After some negotiation I was able to get one back for Sunday. 

I hadnt planned on going back to the International Pavilions since I had covered ABCD yesterday but the route I was walking passed by Japan and China which I couldnt visit yesterday.

Japan was handing out tickets for the day and since it was morning they were still available. I decided to try to use my press pass to get in. 

At first they gave me a ticket and let me pass but then I was stopped again at the door and asked to come to one side outside. They took me back to the press desk which said I had to call a number.

I really couldnt be bothered as I was short on time and trying to cover more ground. However, they had already called over their liaison who was trying to explain the process to me. 

It actually might have been easier to have just gone in without a press card. Then they agreed to make an exception but that I must wear a press armband.

The entrance hall was a long rectangular building with wall carvings where the movie projections would play. I was taken to a roped area at the back for press accompanied by the liaison. 

The first movie was a short video about the relationship of Japan to its coastline, ending with the tragedy of the 2011 Tsunami.

The movie ended and we were then taken into a large movie theatre style auditorium. The movie began with a hologram introducing a young boy who was orphaned in the recent tsunami. 

We start with him in a shelter being comforted by a stranger. He then decides to go back to the rubble of his home to see what he can find. He discovers a white bike, which when he begins to ride, grows wings and takes him on a aerial tour.




 
It was a good pavilion, and I dont think the timed ticketing was necessary since the movie theatre had a large capacity. People might change their minds, lose their tickets, forget, or get stuck in other pavilions. 

They might not be able to make their allotted showtime since you get locked into other pavilions til the show ends, so you need to leave time clear before your timeslot.

It really wasnt necessary to have ticketing but just reflects the culture of each particular country.