A survey conducted by the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) among visitors at the Bulgarian pavilion at EXPO 2025 in Osaka reveals that Bulgaria is primarily associated with yoghurt. Many visitors are familiar with Lactobacillus bulgaricus, the bacterium used in yoghurt production, which is named after Bulgaria.

One Japanese visitor mentioned, “I have not heard anything about Bulgaria, except for yogurt, but I would be happy to visit." Lacto-chan, the mascot of Bulgaria’s pavilion, also reinforces the association with yoghurt, delighting visitors with its charm.

Beyond yoghurt, some visitors described Bulgaria as "a hospitable country, part of the big European family." The pavilion’s audiovisual presentation and interactive features left a strong impression on many attendees.

A particularly interesting interaction came from a Japanese visitor named Masato, who surprised the Bulgarian representatives by greeting them in Bulgarian and introducing himself as a member of the Institute of the Slavic World in Tokyo. Masato, who speaks Ukrainian, Russian, and some Bulgarian, shared his interest in Eastern European countries' pavilions.

The Bulgarian pavilion at EXPO 2025 officially opened on April 13. Over 160 countries and organizations are participating in the international event, which expects to attract around 28 million visitors before closing on October 13.

Source: bta.bg