[IDEAS FOR GOOD] Event Report | Screening of The Repair Cafe at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan

On September 27, our original documentary film The Repair Cafe was screened at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Japan venue. It was a part of the stage program of the “Circular Economy Lab,” an event organized by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

The Repair Cafe is the first original documentary produced by IDEAS FOR GOOD. Over the course of more than a year, our member built strong connections with local communities while exploring the essence of the Repair Cafe movement in the Netherlands. The film depicts the human connections created through repair and the culture of circulating resources.

Since its release in October 2024, more than 100 screenings have been held in just one year, with approximately 2,000 people participating. The film has sparked a new wave of repair culture across Japan, including in Kameoka City, Kyoto Prefecture, and Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture. It has also gained international recognition, being nominated at the Amsterdam Buurt Film Festival (ABFF 2025) and screened in cities such as Utrecht and London.

This screening at Expo provided a valuable opportunity on an international stage for audiences to experience the importance and appeal of the circular economy through film.

The “Circular Economy Lab,” where the film was screened, is an experiential event organized by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Its purpose is to showcase pioneering initiatives and technologies in Japan’s circular economy and to deepen understanding of resource circulation among diverse audiences.

During the event, there were 29 programs offered, ranging from business panel discussions and computer disassembly workshops to a children’s fashion show featuring repaired clothing, allowing both children and adults to enjoy learning about circularity.

The small act of repair not only keeps resources in circulation but also has the power to gently reweave the fabric of society. We hope that this screening at Expo will serve as an opportunity to reflect together on the future we want to create.

[Reference] Website on the circular economy
[Related Page] Special Site for The Repair Cafe | IDEAS FOR GOOD (in Japanese)
[Related Site] IDEAS FOR GOOD (in Japanese)