Three years before the Tokyo Olympics Large-scale event held at Tokyo Metropolitan Plaza
On July 24, three years before the Tokyo Olympics opening, the "Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Flag Tour Festival ~ Everyone's Tokyo 2020: 3 Years to Go!" (Hosted by: Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Japanese Olympic Committee, Japan Disabled Sports Association/Japan Paralympic Committee) was held at Tokyo Metropolitan Plaza in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo.
The Flag Tour, aimed at building momentum for the Tokyo Games, involved ambassadors carrying both Olympic and Paralympic flags on a nationwide tour. It began in October 2016 in Ogasawara Village, touring all 62 municipalities within Tokyo and the three Tohoku prefectures (Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima) affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Welcome ceremonies and exhibitions were held in each location upon the flags' arrival. On July 24, the tour commenced its nationwide leg, visiting host cities for the competitions and other locations.
As dusk fell at 7:30 PM, the festival opened with the Tokyo Olympic Fanfare performed by the Tokyo Fire Department Band. Simultaneously, the projection mapping "Tokyo Experience" filled the entire wall of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly Building. The dynamic visuals showcased Tokyo's landscapes and culture, where tradition and innovation coexist, alongside the expressions of its people, conveying the host city's appeal. Many attendees were captivated by the display.
Taking the stage were organizers including Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, who carried the Olympic flag, and Toshio Mutoh, Secretary General of the Organizing Committee, who carried the Paralympic flag, along with guest Tamayo Marukawa, Minister in charge of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Governor Koike stated, "The Tokyo Games are also a recovery Olympics. Amidst new disasters, we want to send encouragement to all affected areas. Through the upcoming flag tour, with the cooperation of our ambassadors, we aim to deliver energy nationwide and build anticipation for the Games three years from now."
Minister Marukawa remarked, "Three years from today at 8:00 PM, where will you be and with whom will you share that moment? Tonight, let us imagine that time. I hope that by getting involved in the Games, many people will create their own legacy."
Following this, the five members of TOKIO, serving as Special Ambassadors, and 27 Olympians and Paralympians serving as Ambassadors took the stage one after another, sharing memories from the flag tour stops so far.
Both flags were handed over to young athletes in Shizuoka Prefecture, where the tour is scheduled for July 30th. This was followed by the second projection mapping show, "Power of Sports." Composed of footage from past Olympic and Paralympic Games, it expressed the wonder of sports and anticipation for the Games. The venue was filled with a celebratory mood for the three-year countdown.
Following the ceremony, an exhibition of the "TOKYO VISION GAMES" took place, a sports game playable on a giant wall. Inspired by tennis video games, Olympians and Paralympians challenged themselves in test matches. The athletes enjoyed the game by operating large controllers. At the Tokyo Citizens' Plaza, the projection mapping will be shown five times daily during the evenings from July 25th to 29th, and sports game experience sessions will also be held.
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