Tokyo Olympic to open: July 20, 2021

Tokyo Olympic Games will open on July 23.

The event will be unique as most games will be performed without spectators under the COVID-19 pandemic,

Athletes are asked to stay only in the competition sites, training facilities or athlete village. Going out of the village is banned to avoid contacts with ordinary people in Japan.

I visited the Olympic Stadium in the central part of Tokyo, where the opening ceremony and truck and field competitions will be held.

The Olympic ring is places in a space across the road from the stadium. (See als the top photo)

 

People were taking photos.

 

Access to the stadium is restricted. Only accredited people and vehicles were allowed to move in from the checking points. (see also the 3rd photo)

Volunteer staff members were working there.

 

Pictures drawn by kids were displayed on the wall.

 

There is a count-down clock in front of Tokyo Station. (See also the 2nd photo)

The number of visitors were not so many.

We will have the unprecedented games in three days.

A week before Tokyo Olympic Games: July 17-18, 2020

 

The Tokyo Olympic Games will begin on July 23^rd. It is a week from today (June 17).

The Japanese government, Tokyo Metropolitan government and IOC (international Olympic Committee) decided on July 8 to have the games without audience in Tokyo (Precisely speaking, limited number of games held in local prefectures plan to accept limited number of audience). It was, needless to say, due to COVID-19 pandemic.

I visited the Equestrian Park in Setagaya City, western Tokyo. It is a site for equestrian competitions.

The park was surrounded by tall walls. (See also the top photo)

The gates were guarded by the securities.

The facilities, including a temporarily built stadium, are ready, but they will not accept any audience. The temporary seats will be removed soon.

 We could see the new stadium and other facilities only through the gate doors. (See also the 4th photo)

 

Policemen were busy in preventing visitors from taking photos from nearby.

Many special signs to commemorate the Olympic Games have been placed on the road. Horseshoes are used in the signs. See also the 3rd photo)

 

Japan issues the state of emergency on June 12 for Tokyo. The number of COVID-19 cases is on rise.

Many Japanese people give icy looks on the event. An opinion pall by Yomiuri Newspaper, the country’s largest newspaper, held in this month showed that about 40% of Japanese people answered that the games should be “cancelled”; about 40% supported that the games should be done with “no audience.”

People were spending their holidays in a small playing space in front of the he Equestrian Park (the Olympic site).

The athletes as well as their staff members, media persons and IOC related persons started to arrive in Japan.

 Some positive cases have been reported. The Olympic Organizing Committee stresses that they will contain the infection. Many people seem not to believe it.;

 

Summer begins; July 17-19, 2021

 

Now, the rainy season is over; 

and summer has started in Tokyo.

The Japan Meteorological Agency on July 16 announced that the rainy season was over in Tokyo.

It was clear on July 17. The sky was blue and the sunshine was strong.

The trees are increasing their leaves.

Sunbeams came down through the leaves.

 

People looked exhausted with hot waves.

Many people opened parasols in the streets.

(See also the 2nd photo)

Cecadas began to sing (See also the 3rd photo)

We will have hot summer days for more than a month.