Tokyo 2020 Games "Athletes' Village Plaza" Opened to Media (Video Provided)

The Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee opened the "Athletes' Village Plaza" in Harumi, Tokyo, to the press on January 29.
The Village Plaza is a representative facility within the Athletes' Village. It will support athletes' daily lives during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, housing shops like convenience stores, cafes, and a media center. It will be a facility visited by the Olympic and Paralympic Family, media representatives, and residents' associates. It will also serve as the stage for the Village Opening Ceremony, making it visible to many people through media coverage.
The facility was constructed as a temporary wooden structure with post-event utilization in mind.

The Organizing Committee has promoted the project "Japan's Wood Utilization Relay: Building the Athletes' Village Plaza Together" to energize the Games with nationwide participation and realize an environmentally conscious, sustainable event. The Village Plaza was constructed using wood borrowed from 63 municipalities across Japan. After the Games, the dismantled wood will be utilized as a legacy in public facilities within each municipality.

The Village Plaza consists of five buildings (A-E) with a total floor area of approximately 5,300 square meters. A corridor connects all buildings. Each building features one of three types of timber frame structures suited to its specific purpose. Inside, essential daily functions like dry cleaning, a hair salon, official shops, a bank, a photo shop, and an internet lounge are planned. Interior work is underway, targeting completion in April.
Approximately 40,000 pieces of wood, including cedar, cypress, and Japanese white fir provided by municipalities nationwide, were used in the five buildings, filling the interior with a refreshing scent.

(Images and video below = © Tokyo 2020)

At the ceremony held in Building C, Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee President Yoshiro Mori stated, "Approximately 18,000 athletes and officials will reside in the Athletes' Village. This Village Plaza project has received high praise from the IOC. I hope the representatives from the municipalities can see today where the wood they provided is being used. I also hope the wood returned after the Games will be put to meaningful use, especially for children."
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike stated, "I hope the Village Plaza, which will welcome many athletes during the Games, becomes a bustling hub for sharing information about Tokyo and Japan."
After the ceremony, attendees from each municipality toured the site at their leisure, checking on the wood provided by their respective local governments.