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On May 1, Expo 2010 Shanghai opens its gates for a six-month run. Some 233 countries and organizations will have exhibits. Even the most modest projections are for a turnout of 70 million visitors, eclipsing the previous world record of 64 million set in Osaka in 1970. Some projections are for 100 million visitors during the run.Pre-sales of tickets have already reached 20 million, with 3.5 million visitors from abroad, including 1 to 1.5 million from Japan. Tickets for the first-day events and on other special dates are priced at 3,400 Japanese yen; for the other days tickets are 2,700 yen (pre-sale in both cases).

Jakob Montrasio / Flikr

Having already hosted five major world expositions, Japan is something of an expo “otaku” (geek) country when it comes such events, and since Shanghai is just 3 1/2 hours from Narita, plenty of visitors traveling out of Tokyo are expected. The sprawling expo site consists of five zones (A through E). Zones A through C are in Pudong, across the Huangpu River from the old city. The Japanese national pavilion will be in Zone A, along with the Chinese and Indian Pavilions. Among the highlights of the Japanese corporate pavilion will be a gleaming array of sanitary facilities supplied by ceramics maker INAX, which will enable Japan to make good on its claim that it truly boasts the world’s classiest toilets.

Edward the Confessor / Wikimedia

Shanghai 2010 is going to be the biggest spectacle in human history. Will you enter the lair and be part of it? – For those interested, GaijinPot`s sister site Chinasplash lists jobs and advice for moving to Shanghai and other major Chinese cities.