At the Paraguayan pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, a notable cultural exchange is taking place: in addition to ñandutí (traditional Paraguayan lace) classes, tereré (a cold herbal drink) is being offered as a refreshing beverage to combat the high temperatures in Japan.
Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai opened its gates on 13 April, starting six months of global exchange and dialogue. 158 countries and territories, and 7 international organisations are participating in the Expo, which is the most extensive international representation ever seen at an Expo in Japan.
Tereré: A welcome respite from the feat
Mie Elena Kanasawa de Iwatami, who teaches the ancestral lace-making technique at the world fair, recounters the curiosity that the Paraguayan drink has sparked among visitors.
“It is very hot and humid here in Japan. I always have my delicious tereré. It is the only thing that saves me,” she comments with a laugh from Expo 2025 Osaka. “It is exciting to see how a Paraguayan tradition arouses so much curiosity and admiration in Japan.”
Promoting Paraguayan yerba mate
The presence of tereré at the Expo 2025 Osaka is no coincidence. It is part of a strategy by the Paraguayan Yerba Mate Centre to increase exports of yerba mate and cold infusions to the Japanese market.
According to Naida Alderete, manager of the Centre, Japan is already an active buyer, but the objective is to diversify and expand the Paraguayan presence. They are taking advantage of events such as Expo Osaka and the World Rally Championship in Itapúa to position the Yerba Mate Route as a tourist, and commercial attraction.
Ñandutí: A showcase of Paraguayan artistry
Kanasawa de Iwatami, a ñandutí master, is the daughter of immigrants. Born in La Colmena, she has lived in Japan for years. La Colmena is a town and district in the Paraguarí Department of Paraguay, and the first Japanese colony in the country. In 1936, 100 Japanese families established a colony at La Colmena, located in the west region of the Paraguarí department, about 130 kilometres southeast from Asunción.
Kanasawa de Iwatami’s institute has around one hundred students, and she currently teaches at the Paraguay stand at Expo Osaka. More than 500 people, including children as young as four years old, have participated in the demonstrations since the start of the fair.
“It is exciting to see how one of our traditions arouses so much curiosity and admiration in Japan,” she expresses.
For more information, check the Expo 2025 website. Paraguay and Japan recently officially elevated their long-standing relationship to a “strategic partnership”, marking a historic milestone after over a century of diplomatic ties.
