The exhibition promises a sensory voyage through the landscapes of Japan, from vibrant cityscapes and legendary racetracks to tranquil natural scenes. Visitors will be greeted by more than 55 vehicles, each embodying the rich heritage and technological prowess of the Japanese automobile and motorcycle industries.

Among the featured highlights are historic classics such as the Mazda Cosmo, Toyota 2000 GT and Spider, and the timeless Toyota Supra. Fans of high-performance engineering will be thrilled to see rare supercars like the Honda NSX and Toyota GT One, while motorsport enthusiasts can admire racing legends such as the Le Mans-winning Mazda 787B and Carlos Sainz’s Toyota Corolla WRC.

Two-wheel aficionados are not forgotten. The exhibition also traces the evolution of the Japanese superbike—from the game-changing Honda CB750 to the modern Suzuki Hayabusa and Yamaha R1—marking half a century of engineering brilliance and speed.

The entire Autoworld space will be transformed for the occasion, infused with Japanese aesthetics inspired by everything from the neon lights of Tokyo to the serene landscapes surrounding Mount Fuji. The experience will include a special creative zone for children with manga drawing, origami workshops, and retro arcade games, as well as Japanese-themed dishes at the on-site Brasserie Bagnole.

As part of the celebration, a Cars & Coffee – Big in Japan event will take place on Saturday, July 12. Classic and custom Japanese vehicles will gather on the museum’s esplanade, offering fans a chance to mingle in a festive, JDM-rich atmosphere.

Don’t Miss the Exclusive Preview Night – July 2, 2025

Before the official opening, Autoworld will host an exclusive Preview Night on Wednesday, July 2nd, from 6:00 to 10:00 pm. This special evening event offers an early look at the exhibition in an atmosphere steeped in Japanese flair. Attendees will be the first to walk through atmospheric reconstructions of Japanese scenes, admire the full vehicle lineup, and enjoy live animations and cultural décor.

Places for the Preview Night are limited — so be sure to reserve your tickets now and be among the first to experience Big in Japan at Autoworld Brussels.

For more information and ticketing, visit www.autoworld.be.

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A Strong Market Presence in Japan

Belgian food and drink products enjoy a solid reputation in Japan, where the “Belgian” label is associated with quality, craftsmanship, and trust. Belgian beer, fries, and frozen vegetables are widely recognized, while chocolates and biscuits are especially popular during Japan’s traditional gift-giving seasons—ochugen in summer and oseibo at year-end.

“This is a strategic opportunity,” says Bart Buysse, CEO of Fevia. “Belgian products are well-established in Japan, and we must build on that momentum to strengthen our position in this mature market. Following the success of the 2022 Belgian economic mission to Japan, this week offers another chance to deepen our trade ties.”

Revitalizing a Key Export Market

Exports drive the Belgian food industry, accounting for half of its revenue. Although Japan was once Belgium’s second-largest non-European export market, it now ranks fift, behind the U.S., Saudi Arabia, China, and Australia. Despite this, the Japanese market remains rich in potential. A delegation of Belgian food companies will attend the Expo to foster closer trade relationships.

A Taste of Innovation and Tradition

During the six-month Expo, Belgium will spotlight its strengths under the overarching theme “Human Regeneration.” A key highlight is the Belgian Food & Drinks Week, where visitors will experience Belgium’s innovation in plant-based cuisine, alcohol-free beverages, and chocolate traceability.

Events such as the “We’re Smart World Future Awards” will further showcase Belgium’s dedication to responsible food production and consumption. Meanwhile, tastings and seminars will celebrate beloved Belgian staples like chocolate and biscuits—products that resonate strongly with Japanese consumers and gift-giving culture.

The Belgian pavilion’s boutique, already a visitor favorite, offers a curated selection of premium confectionery and bakery items. Its success reflects Japan’s appetite for high-quality imported goods and reinforces Belgium’s image as a premium, trustworthy food brand.

Featured Partners

Participating Fevia members and pavilion partners include: AB InBev, Astra Sweets, Avieta, Belgian Chocolate Group, Brasserie De Halve Maan, Brasserie Huyghe, Centho Chocolates, Chant d’Éole, Chimay, Duvel, Godiva, Jules Destrooper, Leonidas, Lotus, Lutosa, Neuhaus, Rombouts, Val Dieu, Vermeiren, and Vondelmolen.

About Expo 2025 Osaka

Expo 2025 runs from 13 April to 13 October in Osaka under the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives.” Belgium’s pavilion, managed by BelExpo (the General Commission for International Exhibitions), focuses on the theme “Human Regeneration.” For more information, visit BelExpo’s official website.

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The concept of Boa Karaoke Room, was inspired by Asian Karaoke, and it is a first in Belgium. What makes it different is that you can find high-tech private-rooms which can accommodate up to 20 people. You will be able to sing as loudly and as badly as you wish but in a private area.

Everything has been taken care of, as to induce your top performance: games of lights, mirror balls, professional microphones, and most importantly state-of-the-art sound systems.

You may choose between these different karaoke-room-options: Birds, Ananas, Jungle, Disco, Gatsby and Perroquet. The atmosphere is just as you would expect it to be so you will not be disappointed.

A catalog of 28,000 titles will allow you to interpret your favorite artists. There is a screen available from which you can prepare your playlist with your friends.

Another screen allows you to place your order at the bar, and you will then be served in a matter of minutes by the lovely staff.

Do not forget to enjoy their high-end cocktails.

Good to know:

• Boa Karaoke Room
• Address: Rue du Marché au charbon 112, Brussels

The post Bring out your inner artist at Boa Karaoke Room appeared first on Brussels Express.

The place is very impressive. A bit further off from all the main restaurant areas in Brussels, this one is located in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre in an old Art Deco villa. You enter the restaurant and the first thing you see is the massive copper reception where you are greeted and can hand in your jacket. To the right and left there are two rooms; the left one has an almost unlimited view into the kitchen, my personal preference. If you pass the reception and follow the stairs to the upper floor, you’ll see an equally impressive bar in the middle of the room and more seating to the left. Simple wooden tables and chairs, dimmed and very pleasant lightning and colourful drawings covering the walls. They could’ve tried to bring out more the Art Deco charm of the place but this is just my personal view.

The cocktail menu is interesting and impressive, but the preparation of cocktails takes too long, leaving you sipping from your drink until most of your starters have arrived already (and I am not a slow drinker). Also, concerning the cocktails are around 12€ they’re not that good and way too sweet.

The food is somewhat disappointing, which is a big pity, because the location and set up would indicate something else. We ordered four starters and one main dish to share, to try a bit of everything. We had the beef tacos with beef tataki marinated in Whisky: this sounded great, but it was nothing special and lacking a bit of taste. To be honest, I was missing that “special something” in each of the starters we had. The second starter was gilthead ceviche, with South American spices, so-called Peruvian tiger’s milk and yellow chili. This dish was much better, the fish was fresh and tender, but again, something was missing, leaving the dish a bit boring.

The third one, Gyoza Nikkei, were delicious and nothing to complain about and the Tiradito from red tuna, marinated in miso and served with Ponzu vegetables and a cream from avocado and apple was also quite good. We ordered the Wagyu beef Picanha as main dish in a miso, prune and Mirabelle sauce. It sounded very promising, but wasn’t; the beef had a good taste but was very chewy, which I think is inacceptable concerning price (35€) and the small size of the portion. When I made this remark to the waiter he kindly replied that I should’ve said this earlier, because ‘this happens from time to time’, but I heard the exact same thing from other people afterwards. We got sake on the house as apology – a nice gesture.

The waiters are very nice, but a bit inattentive, leaving empty plates and glasses on our table for quite a while (and normally I don’t really recognise such things), forgetting to ask about whether we want more drinks, coffee or anything else.

Sanzaru has some good potential: nice staff, beautiful location and a unique, for Brussels at least, idea. As it is now, however, I would not come back, as it is too pricey for what you get.

Good to know:
292, Avenue de Tervueren – 1150 Woluwe-Saint-Pierre
Price: We paid 140€ for a dinner for 2: with 4 starters, 1 main dish, 2 glasses of wine and 2 cocktails

The post Brussels’ Little Asia VIII – Japanese-Peruvian fusion at Sanzaru appeared first on Brussels Express.

Those are the first words of Marc Popelier in his new book « Sight and scenes of Japan ». Marc says he’s an amateur photographer but the quality of his work and the recognition he got from both Japan and Belgium indicate his professionalism. Throughout more then 200 pages, Marc captured the essence, spirit and heritage of Japan.

« Sights and scenes of Japan is build around a collection of photos I took during my journeys in Japan. It covers places and scenes that caught my attention when I was passing by at a particular moment in time. When making a portrait every photographer will emphatic the light, ambiance, setting and general atmosphere in a different way. The same goes for this book. It is a small personal selection of photos which I hope will shape a portrait that captures the beauty and essence of Japan and will tempt anyone to make a first time visit or rediscover this fascinating country ».

Lake Ashi

On a clear day the view of mount Fuji from Lake Ashi, also referred to as Lake Hakone, is breathtaking. The active volcano Mount Fuji or Fuji-san, as the Japanese call their sacred mountain, is 3 776m tall and the highest mountain in Japan. The climbing season is usually from mid July until mid September. From the end of September onwards the first snow falls at the peak as seen on this photo and climbing is no longer possible.

Heian-jingu

The huge vermillion red Haian Shrine and the massive torii on the avenue leading to the shrine make it a landmark that cannot be missed. The Shinto shrine was completed in 1895 to commemorate the 1100th birthday of the city of Kyoto and to honour the Emperor Kanmu and Emperor Komei, respectively the first and last emperors to rule Japan from Kyoto. The impressive site, including a nice Japanese garden is a replica at 60 percent of the original size of the emperor’s Hall of State.

Autumn

Especially in late autumn there are long, sunny and dry periods and temperatures are very confortable. Colourful autumn leaves, known as koto in Japanese draw just as many visitors, if not more, as the cherry blossoms do in spring. Starting in the north in late September and moving down south until mid November the autumn foliage with its almost flashy yellow, orange and red colors are stunning. Especially in the weekends lots of domestic tourists visit the national parks and epic places such as Nikko and the temples and shrines of Kyoto.

Winter

Depending on what part of Japan you are traveling to, there will be a completely different experience on winter. Winter in Kyushu and in the big cities on the east coast such as Tokyo and Osaka seldom brings frost and snow and there are long periods with sunny days. In contrast; in the Japanese Alps, along the northern coast of the Sea of Japan in Hokkaido, temperatures drop quickly with very high levels of snowfall for many months. These are perfect conditions for skying, snowboarding, and snow hiking.

Geisha

The origins of gheisha culture go back to the courtesans entertaining high-ranking and wealthy men in traditional Japan. Geisha are extremely well trained in a range of Japanese arts, but the community has been shrinking considerably over the last century. It is still possible to see gheishas and maikos, apprentices of gheisha, in the Higashiyama district and Gion, the old pleasure quarter of Kyoto. The exquisite kimonos, the make-up and the mystery surrounding the profession have a strong appeal on tourists. Over the last years, the gheisha community has expressed the wish not to be followed around by hordes of tourists searching for a perfect selfie.

Osaka Castle

The impressive Osaka Castle was completed in 1585 but despite massive layers of protection it did not survive the many wars. In the 1930’s a perfect replica was but. Inside is an exhibition that explains the long and turbulent history of the castle in medieval Japan.

Tori-no-ichi festival

The Tori-no-ichi festival is a popular ancient Shinto custom that takes place every November. Many self-employed and owners of small companies visit the Otori Shrines to ask for prosperous business. During the festival fairs are held near the shrine and surrounding streets. When a rake is sold, the seller and buyer clap their hands rhythmically. It all adds to the great ambiance during the fair.

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