Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended and cut the ribbon to inaugurate the new stadium for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on December 15. Also attending the event were Tokyo Mayor Yuriko Koike, Olympic Minister Seiko Hashimoto, famous architect Kengo Kuma and many other guests.
The Japan National Stadium is located in the Meiji Jingu Gaien district of Tokyo and took nearly three years to build under the supervision of the famous Japanese construction company Taisei. Situated on the site of the old national stadium used for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, the new building is nearly twice the size of the original.
However, some valuable relics from the old building are still preserved and conserved. Typically, two mosaic tile murals depicting the Greek goddess Nike and Nomino Sukune - a legendary Japanese sumo wrestler are placed right at the entrance of Aoyama Gate.
Two ancient murals at Aoyama Gate
The new stadium has five floors above ground and two underground, designed by renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and Azusa Sekkei Corporation. Architect Kengo Kuma designed the stadium in the traditional Japanese style. The layered timbers were inspired by the world's oldest wooden structure, the 1,300-year-old Horyuji five-story pagoda in western Nara. Japan mobilized more than 2,000 cubic metres of cedar wood from 47 prefectures to create the structure for this special project.
Along with the traditional architecture are modern physical designs that bring many optimal features to the stadium. The roof is designed according to the principle of natural wind flowing inside, combined with more than 185 large fans and misting machines to cool and regulate the air throughout the stands. The VIP seating area is firmly protected with bulletproof glass. The capacity of this stadium is 68,000 people and can be expanded later up to 80,000.
Modern architecture with a capacity of up to 68,000 people
The total construction cost, including design and supervision fees, amounted to 156.9 billion yen, or about $1.45 billion. The original design by British architect Zaha Hadid was scrapped because of the high construction cost of $2 billion.
The National Stadium is one of 42 venues slated to be used for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games next summer. As the largest stadium in the city, the National Stadium of Japan in Tokyo will host the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in July 2020.
