It has never been a better time to be a Monster Hunter fan than in 2025! Hot off the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the beloved gaming franchise and the launch of the latest mainline entry in the series, Monster Hunter Wilds, the end is nowhere in sight as Capcom continues to release a steady stream of events, collaborations and products well into the year. The air of excitement is doubly so for fans of Japan travel as well, as the are now more options than ever for travellers to bring the hunt beyond the screen and into real life—especially if you’re heading to Osaka.
This city and its surrounding areas are home to some of the most immersive Monster Hunter experiences in Japan, from themed bars to massive outdoor fields and even an installation in the much-anticipated Osaka Expo! So sharpen your pencils and prepare to buff your itinerary with these three locations for your upcoming trip!
1. Monster Hunter Bridge – Osaka Expo 2025
Kicking off this list with the event currently on everyone’s lips: Osaka Expo 2025! The newest iteration of the World Expo organised and held in Osaka, Japan has just newly kicked off as of the time of publishing, and will take place for six months from 13 April 2025 to 13 October 2025. The second World Expo in Osaka since Expo 1970, this gigantic exhibition held on the man-made island of Yumeshima is a melting pot of hundreds of nations and ideas built around the theme of “Designing Future Society for Our Lives“. While somewhat thematically resonant with the ideals of humanity in the Monster Hunter world, what else does this grand Expo have to do with the game?
©CAPCOM CO., LTD.
Well, as it turns out, Capcom will be holding a very special exhibit within the Osaka Healthcare Pavillion for the duration of the Expo! Titled Monster Hunter Bridge, this one-of-a-kind Augmented Reality (AR) experience was developed exclusively for the Expo 2025, and will see visitors will don an AR device to enjoy an immersive Monster Hunter-themed experience, complete with 360-degree theater, immersive surround sound, and floor-shaking technology. Altogether, this roughly 30-minute long demo will transport participants directly into the world of Monster Hunter, where they will not only be able to see and hear the lush fields and volcanic locales around them, but also interact with certain elements of it, such as throwing virtual stones at an approaching monster!
On top of the experience itself, there will be a few Monster Hunter props scattered around the vicinity of the XD Hall itself, such as statues of kitted-up Felynes, a photowall, as well as a few limited edition goods exclusively made for sale at the Expo. The chance to attend a World Expo in Japan is already a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in of itself, so make it even more memorable with a dash of Monster Hunter!
MONSTER HUNTER BRIDGE
Date: 13 April–13 October 2025
Venue: XD Hall , Osaka Healthcare Pavilion, Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai
Access: From Yumeshima Station (夢洲駅), enter the Expo via the East Gate and walk one minute to reach the Healthcare Pavillion.
*Admission into the experience is free, but requires a reservation and an entry ticket to the Expo. You may check the registration process here
2. Nijigen-No-Mori – Monster Hunter: The Field
Universal Studios Japan is not the only theme park in Japan to have hosted a collaboration with Monster Hunter! Spread over 134.8 hectares of land, Nijigen-No-Mori is an underrated theme park located on the northern tip of Awaji Island, an hour’s drive away from Osaka City. The park is spread into multiple outdoor “zones”, which each focus on a specific popular Japanese media franchise, such as Naruto, Godzilla, Demon Slayer (鬼滅の刃 Kimetsu no Yaiba), and most notably and recently: Monster Hunter!
In Monster Hunter: The Field, participants enter as novice hunters, who have to explore a vast field to collect items and improve their stats, before challenging a large monster at the end of the zone. The items you collect are represented by large wooden chests with icons on them, and progress is tracked using a handy NFC tag given to you at the start of the quest. After collecting the items and weapons you want, the battle against the large monster is an immersive AR experience held inside a large building, where you’ll have to physically put on a set of AR gear and use a full range of body movement in order to fight and defeat a designated monster in a team of up to four players.
With effect from March 2025, there are now three large monsters players can choose to fight at the end of their field exploration: Rathalos, Zinogre and Mizutsune, which means that enthusiastic hunters can repeat this attraction three different times with a different experience each time! After the completion of your hunt, you can reward yourself with a well-deserved meal at Nijigen-no-Mori Terrace, where they’ll be serving a special Monster-Hunter-themed collaboration food and drink menu. In addition, limited collaboration goods inspired by the world of the game will also be available, so set aside a day in your itinerary and prepare for your most all-encompassing Monster Hunter experience yet!
MONSTER HUNTER: THE FIELD in NIJIGEN NO MORI
Date: 13 April–13 October 2025
Venue: 656-2301 Kusumoto, Awaji City, Hyogo Prefecture 2425-2
Access: From JR Sannomiya Station (三ノ宮駅), board the Kita Awaji West Cost Line highway bus for 40 minutes, and get off at Awajishima Prefectural Park (Nijigen-No-Mori Parking Lot F)
*Please check the website for admission fees to this attraction.
3. The Great Capcom Exhibition 2025
While not exclusively a Monster Hunter-only event, The Great Capcom Exhibition 2025, titled Capcom Creation: Moving Hearts Across the Globe, is currently underway at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art in Osaka. This exhibition celebrates over four decades of Capcom’s influential contributions to the gaming industry, with several varieties of exhibits dedicated to franchises such as Street Fighter, Ace Attorney, Resident Evil and more.
On the Monster Hunter side of things, artwork and design documents from various entries in the series will be put on display, as well as a unique installation called The Monster Hunter Super 3D Encyclopedia, which will be an AR demonstration of how legendary monsters can alter the landscapes within the world of the games.
The travelling exhibition will run at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art from March 20 to June 22, 2025, before moving on to other locations in Japan up till mid-2026. For a full overview of the times and locations where this exhibition will be held, you can consult this link here.
The Great Capcom Exhibition: Moving Hearts Across the Globe
Date: 20 March–22 June 2025
Venue: 4-3-1 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka, 530-0005
Access: The Nakanoshima Museum of Art is an 10-minute bus ride (no. 53 & 75) from JR Osaka Station.
*Please check the website for admission fees to this attraction.
Whether you’re a seasoned hunter or a newcomer eager to dive into the action, 2025 is the perfect year to bring your Monster Hunter dreams into reality. With Capcom pulling out all the stops and Osaka stepping up as a must-visit destination for fans, there’s never been a better fusion of gaming and travel. So pack your gear, rally your party, and get ready to embark on a real-world hunt that promises just as much thrill and adventure as the games themselves!
Header Image Credit: ©PRTIMES
