The belly is a crucial gateway to promoting soft power. And at the 2025 Osaka Expo, the British clearly didn’t get the memo as they unwittingly created the Expo’s first viral food story, albeit for less than enticing reasons.
Guests to the British pavilion commented on its pricey afternoon tea set being served in shabby paper cups, prompting the U.K. Embassy to replace them with ceramics to cool down the situation.
In such a grandiose gathering of the world’s nations, visitors looking for a taste of overseas food want authenticity — teacups and all. It’s no surprise that nearly every big pavilion on the Expo grounds was serving up representative eats for attendees.
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