Shimizu Mori no Machi

“Shimizu Mori no Machi” (literally “Shimizu forest town”) is Shimizu Corporation’s exhibit in the Kids Village at GREEN×EXPO 2027. Its concept translates as “growing tomorrow together with the Earth.” Children take the lead, learning about the global environment together through three actions: seeing, touching and making. At a groundbreaking ceremony on July 21, 2026, Shimizu announced that the site will be covered by a wooden frame made from the timber of the Grand Ring, the symbol of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai.

Highlights and exhibits

According to the special website, children will explore a forest while feeling sunlight, water, the smell of soil and the texture of greenery. Parents and children are invited to think together about questions such as “What can we do to get along with the Earth?” and “Can making things help the Earth become healthier?” Shimizu describes the whole site as individual facilities connected organically, like parts of the Earth, functioning flexibly as a forest.

Coping with heat is another pillar. According to the design team, the core idea is a soft, sun-dappled outdoor place that combines low-energy measures such as natural wind, shade, mist and cool-feeling benches. Specific programs and visit times have not been announced (as of October 2026).

Building and design

• Grand Ring timber: Shimizu worked on the construction of the Grand Ring at Expo 2025 Osaka. It obtained large-diameter timber used as the ring’s structural members through the “Myaku-ichi!” program and will use about 150 m³ of this “Expo ring legacy timber” for an umbrella-like wooden frame covering the whole site.
• Designed for circulation: The project aims for 100% circular use of materials and zero CO2 emissions during construction. The ring timber is used without cutting, and the structure is designed to be easy to dismantle so the timber can be passed on after the expo.
• Keeping the timber’s history: The weathered gray surfaces, bolt holes and markings on the reused timber are deliberately left visible.
• Design team: Shimizu’s design division (Proposal Solution Promotion Office) led the design with a team of younger staff. Renderings were released on March 19, 2026 and updated on May 15 and July 21.
• Grand Ring timber will also be used in Kajima Corporation’s “KAJIMA TREE.”

About the exhibitor

Shimizu Corporation is a major Japanese general contractor. Its group environmental vision, “SHIMZ Beyond Zero 2050,” covers decarbonization, resource circulation and coexistence with nature, and the design team calls Shimizu Mori no Machi an embodiment of that vision.

Announcements so far

• Mar 19, 2025: The Expo Association named Shimizu Corporation among the second group of five Village exhibitors.
• Mar 19, 2026: Shimizu released exhibit images and opened its special website; the Expo Association published the outline the same day.
• July 1, 2026: A catchphrase contest for junior and senior high school students began through the Sendenkaigi Award (deadline September 30).
• July 17, 2026: Official social media for the expo (Instagram and note) were launched.
• July 21, 2026: Groundbreaking ceremony; reuse of Grand Ring timber and the circularity targets were announced.
• Aug 21 and Sept 15, 2026: Interview series on the people behind the project began on note.
• Sept 25, 2026: Shimizu said on X that it supports Tokyu Group’s “GREEN LIFESTYLE TRAIN” and runs Shimizu Mori no Machi ads beside the train doors.
• Oct 2, 2026: A large outdoor sign for Shimizu Mori no Machi was completed at Yokohama Stadium (Shimizu GREEN×EXPO 2027 website, checked 2026-10-05).

On social media

Shimizu’s official X account (@Shimizu_now) posts updates under “Shimizu GREEN×EXPO 2027 TOPICS,” including a six-months-to-go message on September 18 and the train ads on September 25. Instagram (@shimz.official) and note will cover behind-the-scenes stories and on-site reports. General discussion is still limited (as of October 2026).

Before you go

• Location: Kids Village, marked “L” on the Expo Association’s venue map. SOTETSU PARK is in the same village.
• Reservations: Which exhibits will use same-day “viewing reservations” has not been announced (as of October 2026).
• Heat: The site is mainly outdoors, with shade, breezes and mist planned; equipment details have not been announced.
• Duration, age range, accessibility: Not yet announced.

Sources:

• Expo Association: Village exhibits (exhibitors and venue map, Japanese) (checked 2026-10-04)
• Shimizu Corporation GREEN×EXPO 2027 special website (Japanese) (checked 2026-10-04)
• Shimizu notice on the groundbreaking ceremony, July 21, 2026 (Japanese) (checked 2026-10-04)
• Shimizu notices, Mar 19, 2026, May 15, 2026 and July 17, 2026 (Japanese, checked 2026-10-04)
• Shimizu notice on the catchphrase contest (Japanese) (checked 2026-10-04)
• Shimizu official note interviews #01 and #02 (Japanese, checked 2026-10-04)
• Shimizu official X post, Sept 25, 2026 (checked 2026-10-04)
• Expo Association press release, Mar 19, 2025 (Japanese) and Mar 19, 2026 (PDF, Japanese) (checked 2026-10-04)

Note: exhibits and highlights will be updated as official announcements are made.