The Birth of the Okinawa Ocean Expo and the Seaside Park Concept—July 1973

The Birth of the Okinawa Ocean Expo and the Seaside Park Concept—July 1973 The basic design for the Okinawa Ocean Expo served as a catalyst for a major transformation in the concept of seaside parks in Japan. The records state, “Basic Design for the Okinawa Ocean Expo Finalized,” indicating that even at this stage, a vision for large-scale, comprehensive environmental design—distinct from conventional parks—had already been presented. Whereas traditional parks focused on creating green spaces within inland urban areas, the Ocean Expo adopted a design philosophy that viewed the sea and land as a single, integrated entity. The concept involved integrating the seashore, the park, and tourist facilities to create spaces that people could enjoy while making the most of the natural landscape. This was not merely a recreational facility but can be considered a pioneer of “environmental development” based on the premise of coexistence with nature. Of particular importance was the balance between tourism development and environmental conservation. While Okinawa possesses valuable natural resources such as coral reefs and coastal landscapes, there were also concerns about environmental destruction caused by rapid development. Consequently, from the design stage onward, emphasis was placed on vegetation conservation, maintaining the shape of the coastline, and the placement of green belts; the concept of utilizing nature itself as a resource—rather than relying solely on artificial structures—was incorporated. Furthermore, this seaside park concept influenced subsequent waterfront development projects across Japan. In coastal areas such as Tokyo Bay and Osaka Bay, the development of “marine parks” and “waterfront green spaces”—which combine port functions with green spaces and parks—began to advance. In other words, the Okinawa Ocean Expo served not merely as a temporary exposition but as a model case that set the direction for Japan’s landscape design and environmental policies. In general assessment, the 1975 Okinawa International Ocean Exposition is often regarded as pioneering for its focus on the utilization of marine resources and environmental conservation, and is frequently cited as the starting point for the philosophy of balancing resort development with nature conservation. Thus, the seaside park design of the Okinawa Ocean Exposition can be described as a significant endeavor that redefined tourism development not merely as an economic activity, but as something to be harmonized with the natural environment, thereby profoundly transforming the philosophy of coastal space utilization in Japan.