Tokyo 2020 Live Site Hibiya buzzing with excitement ahead of the Games
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee held the "Tokyo 2020 Live Site in 2018" event on March 17 and 18 at Hibiya Park in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, and the adjacent Tokyo Midtown Hibiya.
This event, held during the PyeongChang Games in Tokyo, Tohoku's three prefectures, and Kumamoto, aimed to build excitement for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Hibiya event coincided with the final days of the PyeongChang Paralympics. Perhaps influenced by the outstanding performances of Japanese athletes at the Games, it drew large crowds, particularly families.
■ Hibiya Park
Around the park's large fountain, a main stage and booths for Games partners were set up, featuring various stage events and live broadcasts of competitions on large-screen monitors.
On the 18th, the first event on stage was the "IDEA for TOKYO" contest.
This contest, organized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, sought innovative ideas for urban volunteers to implement ahead of the 2019 Rugby World Cup and the 2020 Tokyo Games.
On the day, four winning teams from the 66 that applied gave presentations. The judges included Vice Governor Junko Inokuma, TV personality Tomonori Jinnai, Olympian Ai Shibata, and Para-Badminton athlete Daisuke Fujiwara.
The top prize went to a team from Kokugakuin University. Their idea involved creating a manual for surprises like folding origami to give to visitors or writing their names in kanji, encouraging proactive communication and hospitality towards international visitors.
The Next Generation Athlete Stage featured the theme "PyeongChang to TOKYO: Next is Tokyo." Alpine skier Naoki Yuasa, who competed in three Olympics including PyeongChang, and Olympian Mayu Hamada (Taekwondo) appeared alongside young athletes expected to shine at the Tokyo Games. They shared their dreams and goals for 2020.
The Main Stage concluded with artist performances. On the 18th, The Gospellers and Little Glee Monster took the stage, delivering passionate live shows before a packed crowd. Both groups also appeared on the Athlete Stage, each declaring their participation in the 2020 Games.
■ Tokyo Midtown Hibiya
Tokyo Midtown Hibiya featured a sub-stage and sports experience corner. The stage hosted cheerleading, dance, and band performances by students from partner universities, along with traditional performances and dance displays by local governments, entertaining large crowds.
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