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On December 15th, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended and cut the ribbon to inaugurate the new stadium for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Also present at the event were Tokyo Mayor Yuriko Koike, Olympic Minister Seiko Hashimoto, renowned architect Kengo Kuma, and many other guests.
The Japan National Stadium, located in the Meiji Jingu Gaien district of Tokyo, took nearly three years to build under the supervision of the renowned Japanese construction company Taisei. Situated on the site of the old national stadium that was used for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, the new structure is almost double the size of the original.
However, some valuable artifacts from the old structure have been preserved. Notable examples include two mosaic brick murals depicting the Greek goddess Nike and Nomino Sukune – a legendary Japanese sumo wrestler – located right at the entrance to Aoyama Gate.
Two ancient murals at Aoyama Gate
The new stadium has five above-ground levels and two underground levels, designed by renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and the Azusa Sekkei Group. Architect Kengo Kuma designed the stadium in a traditional Japanese style. The tiered wooden structures were inspired by the world's oldest wooden architecture, the 1,300-year-old five-story Horyuji Pagoda in western Nara. Japan mobilized over 2,000 cubic meters of cedar wood from across 47 prefectures to create the structure of this extraordinary building.
Along with traditional architecture, modern physical designs provide many optimal features for the stadium. The roof is designed to allow natural wind to flow inside, combined with over 185 large fans and misting systems to cool and regulate the air throughout the stands. The VIP seating area is heavily protected with bulletproof glass. The stadium has a capacity of 68,000 people and can be expanded to 80,000 later.
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, equivalent to approximately $1.45 billion USD. Previously, the initial design by British architect Zaha Hadid was rejected due to its excessively high construction cost of $2 billion USD.
The National Stadium is one of 42 venues slated for use in the 2020 Olympic Games next summer. As the largest stadium in the city, the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo will host the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in July 2020.
