90th Thessaloniki International Fair opens with Japan as guest of honor and more than 1,000 exhibitors

The 90th Thessaloniki International Fair opens with Japan as its guest of honor, more than 1,000 exhibitors and 25 participating countries. The event will run for nine days at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition and Congress Center, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis attending the 10 a.m. opening ceremony.

Japan’s national presentation occupies a 3,200-square-meter space in Pavilion 13. Twenty-five companies and organizations will showcase sectors including automobiles, pharmaceuticals, health, energy solutions, digital transformation, agriculture, manufacturing, insurance, tourism and shipping.

The pavilion is built around TAKUMI, the Japanese concept of the craftsman. It emphasizes the lasting pursuit of mastery through skill, precision and human-centered design. Participants include companies such as Astellas, Daiichi Sankyo, Daikin, Fujifilm, Mitsubishi Electric, Takeda and Toyota Hellas, along with tourism and Japan-Greece organizations.

More than 40 events will highlight Japanese culture, development and technological progress. The program includes Taiko drumming, shamisen concerts, calligraphy and traditional dance demonstrations, as well as events dedicated to anime, manga and cosplay. An Asian food restaurant curated by the Athens Asian Food Festival will offer four themed menus.

The fair’s centenary is also marked by “Thessaloniki International Fair: 100 Years of the Future,” an exhibition organized with the contemporary art museum MOMus. Archival material, historical documents, rare photographs and audiovisual presentations will trace the institution’s milestones and relationship with technological progress. The fair is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, and from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays.