OSAKA - A 5,000-yen afternoon tea set sold at the UK Pavilion of the Osaka-Kansai Expo has sparked criticism, prompting an apology from the British Embassy.
The controversy emerged as the Expo entered its 19th day, drawing large crowds during the Golden Week holidays. While the Indian Pavilion, delayed by construction setbacks, opened on May 1st, attention turned to the UK Pavilion when a visitor raised concerns on social media.
A woman who visited the pavilion’s restaurant with her family on April 27th said she ordered the 5,000-yen afternoon tea set but received only one scone, even though the menu stated there would be two. Furthermore, the tea was served in a paper cup with a teabag, without a teapot, and the amount of hot water was reportedly insufficient.
She noted that while she personally had no objection to the paper cup, her son—an afternoon tea enthusiast—had expected traditional dishware and was disappointed by the presentation.
After she posted photos and comments online, responses flooded in, with remarks like "paper cups are disappointing." The situation drew greater attention after a video posted by the UK government’s Expo representative showed tea being served in a ceramic cup, prompting the woman to send a message to the embassy expressing her hopes for improvement.
The embassy replied with a courteous apology and an invitation to a tea gathering. On the afternoon of May 1st, the British Embassy updated its official social media, stating that some services had already been improved following the feedback.
According to the update, tea is now served in ceramic cups at the UK Pavilion.
