Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan Suntory and Daikin announce the concept and title of the water show that they will jointly exhibit at the Water Plaza A Spectacle of Air and Water “Under the Midnight Rainbow”

Suntory Holdings Limited and Daikin Industries, Ltd. announced “Under the Midnight Rainbow” as the title for the water show that they will jointly exhibit at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan as part of their Future Society Showcase Projects and event planning content. In preparation for the show, a website was created to introduce the show story, and content was uploaded on December 13, 2023.
(https://www.expo2025.airandwatershow.jp/en/)

“Under the Midnight Rainbow” will be a spectacular show that fully utilizes water, air, light, fire, video, and music in depicting the story of life on a grandiose scale. The event will be held every day after sunset during the Expo at the Water Plaza, a symbolic area of the Expo. 

Through this water show, viewers can experience a story of “air” and “water,” which have seen everything on Earth for billions of years, and it is the hope of the two companies that this will inspire a new feeling that leads to a better future.

About the Show　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
Majestic idea inspired by the " air " and " water " surrounding the earth
The concept of this show tells the story of a festival where air and water create protective bonds and envelop life.
Air and water were born on this planet billions of years ago. All living creatures, including humans, consume air and water in passing down the baton of life and evolution. The concept of this show emanates from this fantastical idea: “If we could listen to the conversations of air and water, which have seen everything of Earth, what kinds of stories would they tell us about what has happened on Earth ? Maybe they would counsel us on the future path that we should take.”

Title
Japanese:「アオと夜の虹のパレード」Ao to yoru no niji no paredo
English: Under the Midnight Rainbow

The word “Ao,” which appears in the title, means blue in Japanese and is the name of the child who is the main character of the story. It is also a shared image of air and water. “Yoru no niji” means “night rainbow”, a rare natural phenomenon observed on nights when the air is rich in moisture and the moon is bright. It becomes a miraculous time when living things are filled with vitality.

Story
When a rainbow appears on a moonlit night on an island where legends still endure, the island creatures are rumored to hold a festival. On one such night, Ao, a child of the island, encounters a magical rainbow. In this mysterious story, Ao mingles and communicates with various creatures at the festival and is delighted.

Spectacular show held daily in the largest show area in Expo history
A massive stage space is being created on the water of the “Water Plaza,” which is roughly 200 meters by 60 meters in area. About 8,800 square meters are planned for the show area. At the center of the stage, a water cascade will be constructed to form a water screen. About 300 fountains will be placed in a densely arranged area together with a variety of lighting, lasers, and other production equipment. These elements will resonate with music, creating a spectacular show where visitors can experience the story.

About the production system　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
Kenji Kohashi, Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan Event Planning Producer, has assembled creators who are active around the world to plan and produce the entertainment content for this show.
Production is performed by Naoki Tanaka, who directed the colorful projection mapping at the TOKYO 2020 Paralympic Opening Ceremony "PARAde of ATHLETES" Music composer, arranger, and producer Yoko Kanno, who was selected as one of Newsweek’s "100 Japanese People the World Respects" in 2023, is in charge of the music. ECA2, a French production company that has been planning and holding world-class events and shows for over 20 years, is also participating with its unique mix of art and technology.

Staff profile
Profile of Naoki Tanaka, Planning/Concept Originator

Creative Director / Dentsu Lab Tokyo
Working actively both domestically and internationally, he continues to deliver powerful borderless expressions and messages through his projects by combining copywriting, videos, design, and technology. Main works include the TOKYO 2020 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony “PARAde of Athletes”, and “All Players Welcome”, in which he developed new communication tools with creators with ALS. He has received many national and international awards.

Profile of Yoko Kanno, Music

Composer, Arranger and Music Producer
Composition and Arrangement of NHK’s song Flowers Will Bloom "Hana wa saku" to support the reconstruction efforts for the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami Composition and Arrangement for "Cowboy Bebop”(TV Anime Series 1998 / Live-Action Series 2021 by Netflix), "Macross Frontier” and "Ghost in the Shell - Stand Alone Complex-" Composition, Arrangement and Conducting of "Ray of Water", the celebration song for the National Festival of the 20th Anniversary of His Majesty The Emperor’s Ascension to the Throne Composition and Arrangement for the Netflix series "The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House", directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda Featured in the 2023 edition of Newsweek’s "100 Japanese People the World Respects"

Profile of ECA2, Production

ECA2 creates unforgettable memories through multi-sensorial experiences, crafted from art and technology pushed beyond every limit. For almost 35 years, ECA2 has been the guarantee of outstanding quality for shows worldwide, devising unique creations for special events such as World Expos, Olympic Ceremonies and permanent shows for theme parks and tourism Destinations. Thanks to a recognized flexibility and bold vision, ECA2 has succeeded in producing more than sixty emblematic shows in seventeen countries. From resident shows and one-night sensations that spotlight a destination, city or country, we put local uniqueness on show for all the world to experience.

About Suntory Group
As a global leader in the beverage industry, Suntory Group offers a uniquely diverse portfolio of products, from premium spirits, beer, wine, ready-to-drink alcohol beverages, to brewed teas, bottled water, still and carbonated soft drinks, ready-to-drink coffee and energy drinks, along with health and wellness products. Suntory is home to award-winning Japanese whiskies Yamazaki, Hibiki and Hakushu, as well as iconic American spirits Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark. Suntory also fascinates the taste buds with The Premium Malt’s beer, and owns the exceptional Japanese wine, Tomi, and the world-famous Château Lagrange. Its brand collection includes Sauza Tequila, non-alcoholic favorites Orangina, Lucozade, Ribena, BOSS coffee, Iyemon green tea, Suntory Tennensui water, TEA+ Oolong Tea, V and BRAND’S, as well as popular health and wellness product Sesamin EX. 

Founded as a family-owned business in 1899 in Osaka, Japan, Suntory Group has grown into a global company operating throughout the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania, with an annual revenue (excluding excise taxes) of $20.9 billion in 2023. Its 41,511 employees worldwide draw upon the unique blend of Japanese artisanship and global tastes to explore new product categories and markets.

As a corporation sustained by the gifts of nature and water, Suntory Group will always protect the ecosystems that deliver water. Because its ecosystem is the wellspring, not only of its business and the rich experiences the group creates for people’s lives, but also of human life itself. Suntory Group will continue to be a company where everyone is empowered with the freedom and flexibility to innovate. Through all of its corporate pursuits, Suntory seeks to inspire the brilliance of life.

Learn more about Suntory Group, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility and sustainability at www.suntory.com

About Daikin Industries
Founded in 1924, in Osaka, Japan, Daikin Industries, Ltd is a leading global HVAC&R (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration) manufacturer, which now has more than 100 production sites worldwide, operating in more than 170 countries and regions. Sales in its air conditioning business achieved the global No. 1 position, and net sales of the Daikin Group reached almost 4 trillion yen in FY2022.

As the only company in the world to manufacture both air conditioners and refrigerants, Daikin provides products and services utilizing environmental technologies to people around the world. Daikin’s core air conditioning business represents a critical component of social infrastructure. Together with transforming the indoor environment in hot regions, it has contributed to people’s health through heatstroke prevention and improvement of air quality, which has also helped to increase labor efficiency.

On the other hand, growing electricity demand resulting from the use of air conditioning has become a major issue. Worldwide demand for air conditioning is forecast to triple current levels by 2050. Daikin’s mission to society is to reduce the future impacts of global warming to every extent possible while providing a safe, reliable, comfortable, and healthy air environment in response to elevated demand from the COVID-19 pandemic. It remains committed to being a company that can recognize the actions that must be taken in order to use these solutions to environmental and social issues as a way of unlocking business growth.