03 Jan 2020
Tokyo 2020 main stadium inaugurated during its first official sports event
BY Tom Walker
The new National Stadium in Tokyo, built for the 2020 Olympic Games, has been officially inaugurated.
The venue, which will host the opening and closing ceremonies at Tokyo 2020, held the final of the Emperor's Cup – seen as the country's flagship football match – on 1 January 2020.
Completely rebuilt for the 2020 Games, the 68,000-seat capacity stadium is a symbol of great pride in Japan, as it was used as the main stadium for the Olympic Games Tokyo 1964.
Designed by architect Kengo Kuma, the stadium complements the surrounding area, which includes a large green space known as the Outer Garden of Meiji Jingu Shrine.
Envisioned to be a "living tree", the exterior of the stadium consists of multi-layered eaves made of wood from each of the 47 prefectures in Japan.
"We believe the stadium will become an irreplaceable legacy – a place that will allow people to spend healthy and fulfilling days enjoying sport for another 50 years or even longer,” said Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto.
"With this in mind, we will continue our preparations for hosting the best Games ever."
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