Date 24 Jul 2017 Tags Tokyo 2020, Olympic News, Japan

With three years to go until the Opening Ceremony of the 2020 Olympic Games, a spectacular “Tokyo 2020 Flag Tour Festival / 3 Years to Go to the Tokyo 2020 Games” event was held in Tokyo’s Citizen’s Plaza in Shinjuku with around 5000 spectators joining Japanese Olympian and Paralympians, as well as other guests to celebrate the milestone.

The event, which was co-hosted by the Tokyo Organising Committee of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020), the Japanese Olympic Committee, the Japanese Paralympic Committee and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, featured a newly-created projection mapping display whereby a dazzling video light show was projected onto the façade of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly building. The show was accompanied by music which showcased the attractions of the 2020 Olympic host city, as well as the power of sport, and gave an indication of what people can expect from the Games in three years time.

As there are only three years until Tokyo 2020, we have commenced the preparation of more intangible aspects of the Games – the mascots, the torch relay and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. Yoshiro Mori Tokyo 2020 President

Tokyo 2020 President, Yoshiro Mori, spoke about the expansion of the Organising Committee as the Games edges closer. “It’s been three and a half years since the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee was established - it started with just 44 staff members; now, the number has grown to over 1,200,” he said. “As there are only three years until Tokyo 2020, we have commenced the preparation of more intangible aspects of the Games – the mascots, the torch relay and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. We have committees set up for each of those projects, with experts who represent Japan in those fields.”

Tokyo 2020

The Tokyo 2020 Flag Tour Festival / 3 Years to Go to the Tokyo 2020 Games event was also a prelude to the Nationwide Tokyo 2020 Flag Tour, which aims to spread the excitement and joy of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games to every corner of Japan. The Olympic and Paralympic flags were brought to Tokyo from Rio last year following the conclusion of the 2016 Games and since then, they have been paraded through cities, towns, wards and villages in the Tokyo Metropolitan area, as well as places which were affected by the 2011 East Japan earthquake and through Kumamoto prefecture, which was also hit by a major quake last year. During the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, significant levels of support developed for the 2020 Games and the aim of this flag tour is to reinforce this support further.

The ‘3 Years To Go’ event is only the start of this summer’s celebrations though. Over the coming weeks and months, a Tokyo 2020 happi, or traditional Japanese jacket will be produced, as well as a special yukata, or casual kimono. In addition, a dance song in traditional Japanese style called “Tokyo Gorin Ondo 2020” will be released to celebrate the Games. “The common theme of these engagement initiatives this summer is ‘Happy & Peace’,” said Tokyo 2020 President, Yoshiro Mori. “Through this, we are expressing the wish that many people, young and old, men and women, will dance and feel happy when the Tokyo Gorin Ondo 2020 song is played. A video will soon be available through our website, through which people can learn the song and dance routine and we hope that people around the world can thus have a glimpse of Japanese culture.”

Tokyo 2020

With the countdown clock ticking, Mr. Mori reiterated his excitement about his country hosting the 32nd edition of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, while remaining confident that his country will host a spectacular Olympic and Paralympic Games. “We remain committed to working hard so that in three years time, we will be able to welcome our guests from around the world and deliver a most exciting summer festival,” said Mr. Mori. “We hope to show the best of Tokyo and Japan through the innovative initiatives that we are implementing in the lead up to what we believe will be the most exciting Games ever.”