We are very pleased that our event, “Aquaphotomics Day” at the Bulgarian Pavilion of EXPO 2025 Osaka, was featured by the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). The article highlights the scientific and cultural significance of the event and celebrates the contributions of Professor Rumiya Tsenkova, the Bulgarian-born founder of Aquaphotomics at Kobe University.
For readers’ convenience, we present below the English translation of the original Bulgarian report, preserving its content and tone as faithfully as possible.
Bulgarian Scientist at the Center of the Aquaphotomics Day at EXPO 2025 Osaka
On 1 October 2025, at the Bulgarian Pavilion of EXPO 2025 Osaka (which has been open since May), the “Aquaphotomics Day” — a milestone for the emerging science of aquaphotomics — was held. The science, founded by Prof. Rumiana Tsenkova, a Bulgarian scientist based in Japan, investigates the connectedness of water molecules through light and shows how their bonding determines the functionality and properties of water in humans, animals, plants and various solutions.
The event aligned with the overall theme of the Expo, “Designing Future Society for Our Lives: Cocreation for Sustainability — Connecting Lives”, and attracted considerable interest from Japanese companies, the scientific community and visitors.
The day began with a screening of the documentary film Pale Blue Dot by Japanese director Koji Nishijima — tracing the role of water from its central place in Shintoism, through the prism of aquaphotomics, to its cosmic significance. The film had also been shown in Bulgaria in September 2024.
In the afternoon, an international symposium on aquaphotomics was held at the pavilion, where diverse applications of the science — from agriculture and veterinary medicine to human healthcare and industrial technologies — were presented. As part of the hands-on section, visitors could participate in measurements with portable spectrophotometers, and individual “aquagrams” — graphical images reflecting the momentary state of water molecules in the organism — were created from participants’ palms. Two Japanese cosmetics companies demonstrated how these aquagrams can be used to analyse hydration, elasticity and overall skin condition, and to recommend appropriate products.
The event’s guest of honour was the Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria to Japan, Ms Marieta Arabadzhieva, who also took part in the demonstration measurements. The festive day ended with Bulgarian folk dancing led by enthusiastic Japanese dancers — a symbolic affirmation of the idea of “connectedness” which unites Bulgaria’s participation at EXPO 2025.