EXPO 2005 Aichi, Japan and the opening of Central Japan International Airport made a profound impact on the prefecture and neighboring areas by uniting citizens, NGOs, NPOs, and municipalities in the ongoing process of international exchange.

The cities, towns, and villages of the prefecture welcomed delegates from over 120 countries to the Expo, where participants shared in a grass-roots, global communion of culture, art, and sport. This “Aichi Hospitality” environment triggered exchanges involving students, civic groups, and visitors from overseas, as well as the formation of sister city relationships, all of which continue to this day.

Aichi Prefecture has many cultural resources that attract attention from overseas. As Aichi Prefecture is the birthplace of the military commanders who launched the national unification during the warring states period in 16th and 17th centuries, the ruins of many castles and battlefields can be found in the area. The prefecture is also one of Japan’s industrial areas, featuring facilities specializing in quality manufacturing in both traditional trades and advanced industry; the industrial tourism these centers attract is one of the defining features of tourism in Aichi.

Every summer Aichi holds the World Cosplay Summit, a celebration of the now-worldwide phenomenon of Japanese manga and anime. Aichi is well on its way to becoming a global hub of subculture.

Central Nagoya is home to the Aichi Arts Center, a complex that houses the Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art, the Aichi Prefectural Arts Theater (a theater, concert hall, etc.), and the Aichi Prefectural Arts Promotion Service (an art library, art plaza, etc.). This facility served as the primary location for Aichi Triennale 2010, an international festival of contemporary art, dance performances, opera, and other performing arts.

Aichi Prefecture established sister-state relationships with Australian state of Victoria and Chinese province of Jiangsu in 1980. In commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the relationship, a Memorandum of Understanding on Cultural Exchange, which promotes mutual exchange in the field of arts and culture, was concluded with Victoria in 2010. In the future, public and private cooperation will be further deepened, helping this friendship endure for many years to come.