Tokyo 2020
The Games of the XXXII Olympiad, the 2020 Summer Olympics, will be based in Tokyo, with selected events held throughout Japan. Tokyo will be the only Asian city to have hosted two summer Olympics, having hosted the games in 1964.
Games of the XXXII Olympiad |
450 days to go |
- The Tokyo article provides a more comprehensive guide to those visiting the city.
With the opening ceremony on July 24, the official 16 days of the games will end on August 9. A few soccer games will actually begin to occur from the 22nd.
The Opening Ceremony for the Paralympics is on August 25, with the Closing Ceremony on September 6.
For the first time, climbing, karate, skateboarding and surfing will feature at the Olympics, while baseball and softball make their return after being dropped from the 2012 Olympics.
Prepare
Tickets
Residents of Japan can register on the online platform to get a "TOKYO 2020 ID", which they can use to apply for tickets in spring 2019 before they go on sale to residents of other countries. In true Japanese style, tickets will also be available for purchase at vending machines.
Non-residents have to buy tickets through an agent in their home country; a list of agents will be available on the ticket sales site in spring 2019.
It's expected that most event tickets will cost between ¥2,500 and ¥130,000, with typical tickets costing around ¥7,000. Tickets to the opening ceremony will cost ¥15,000–300,000. At previous recent Olympics Games cheaper seat categories were heavily oversubscribed.
Accommodation
Book your hotel room as soon as possible. As of late 2018, at least one hotel (the Hotel Okura Tokyo) is already fully booked. There is also concern that government restrictions on Airbnb, introduced in 2018, may lead to a shortage of lodging options.
It’s best to be within easy reach of Minato or Odaiba for the Olympic Park, but the cheaper hostels area at Asakusa is not far either. Cheap and plentiful accommodation can be found in prefectures surrounding Tokyo, so if you don't mind the trade-off of 30-60 minutes of commute, you can still plan an Olympics trip even if accomodation seems to be otherwise prohibitively expensive or hard to find. Examples can include looking at hotels near stations on a single train line into Tokyo, such as in central Saitama (prefecture), southern Ibaraki, or the area in Chiba (prefecture) between Tokyo and Narita. Southern Chiba and western Kanagawa would likely be too far to consider for most people as a daily commute to the games.
Get in
General information about traveling to Tokyo appears in the Tokyo article.
Most foreign visitors are expected to arrive by plane at the Narita airport, or at the more convenient but less international Haneda airport.
Get around
General information about getting around Tokyo appears in the Tokyo article.
Driving in Tokyo is usually a bad idea, and during the Olympics it will probably be impossible to find any parking vacancy in the whole city. Just use the train/metro system, which is used to huge crowds. The train/metro system is the most efficient way to travel in Tokyo. It is also good fun planning the routes etc.
See
Where
Most events will take place in Tokyo or close to it, with three further cities holding some football games and a fourth hosting some baseball and softball games:
- Fukushima, about 90 minutes north of Tokyo.
- Kashima, about 90 minutes northeast of Tokyo.
- Sendai, two hours north of Tokyo.
- Sapporo, in the very north of Japan.
Most sites are not built yet.
Venues in Tokyo, near Yoyogi:
- 🌍 New National Stadium (新国立競技場). Opening ceremony, track and field, soccer.
- 🌍 Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium (東京体育館). Table tennis.
- 🌍 Yoyogi National Stadium (国立代々木競技場). Handball.
Venues in Tokyo, near the Imperial Palace:
- 🌍 Nippon Budokan (日本武道館). Judo.
- 🌍 Imperial Palace Garden (皇居外苑). Start of the bicycle road race.
- 🌍 Tokyo International Forum (東京国際フォーラム). Weight lifting.
- 🌍 Kokugikan Arena (両国国技館). Boxing, in Japan's most famous sumo wrestling place.
Venues in Tokyo, around Ariake:
- 🌍 Ariake Arena (有明アリーナ). Indoor volleyball.
- 🌍 Olympic BMX Course (有明BMXコース). BMX.
- 🌍 Olympic Velodrome (有明ベロドローム). Cycling track.
- 🌍 Olympic Gymnastic Centre (有明体操競技場). Gymnastics.
- 🌍 Ariake Tennis Park (有明テニスの森). Tennis.
- 🌍 Odaiba Marine Park (お台場海浜公園). Triathlon, marathon swimming.
- 🌍 Shiokaze Park (潮風公園). Beach volleyball.
- 🌍 Tokyo Big Sight Hall A (東京ビッグサイト・ホールA). Wrestling.
- 🌍 Tokyo Big Sight Hall B (東京ビッグサイト・ホールB). Fencing, taekwondo.
- 🌍 Seaside Park Hockey Stadium (大井ホッケー競技場). Hockey. Nice park nearby, including a bird sanctuary with an observation deck with free binoculars and a small museum.
- 🌍 Olympic Village (選手村). Train hard enough and you might get your accommodation here. Only athletes, trainers and officials are allowed.
Venues in Tokyo, around Sea Forest (海の森)
- 🌍 Sea Forest Cross-Country Course (海の森クロスカントリーコース). Equestrian eventing cross-country.
- 🌍 Sea Forest Waterway (海の森水上競技場). Rowing, Canoe-Kayak.
- 🌍 Sea Forest Mountain Bike Course (海の森マウンテンバイクコース). Mountain bike.
- 🌍 Wakasu Olympic Marina (若洲オリンピックマリーナ). Sailing.
- 🌍 Kasai Slalom Course (葛西臨海公園). Canoe-Kayak slalom.
Venues in Tokyo, around Dream Island (夢の島):
- 🌍 Youth Plaza Arena A (夢の島ユース・プラザ・アリーナA). Badminton.
- 🌍 Youth Plaza Arena B (夢の島ユース・プラザ・アリーナB). Basketball.
- 🌍 Dream Island Archery Field (夢の島公園). Archery.
- 🌍 Olympic Aquatics Centre (オリンピックアクアティックセンター). Swimming, synchronised swimming, diving.
- 🌍 Waterpolo Arena (ウォーターポロアリーナ). Waterpolo.
Venues in Musashino, one hour from the Tokyo center:
- 🌍 Musashino Forest Sport Centre (武蔵野の森総合スポーツ施設). Modern pentathlon: fencing.
- 🌍 Tokyo Stadium (東京スタジアム). Football, modern pentathlon (swimming, riding, running, shooting), and rugby sevens. The stadium is currently known as "Ajinomoto Stadium".
- 🌍 Musashino Forest Park (武蔵の森公園). Finish of the bicycle road race.
Other venues one hour from the Tokyo center:
- 🌍 Asaka shooting Range (陸上自衛隊朝霞訓練場). Shooting.
- 🌍 Kasumigaseki Country Club (霞ケ関カンツリー倶楽部). Golf.
- 🌍 Saitama Stadium (埼玉スタジアム2002) (In Saitama.). Football.
- 🌍 Saitama Super Arena (さいたまスーパーアリーナ) (In Saitama.). Basketball.
- 🌍 International Stadium Yokohama (横浜国際総合競技場) (In Yokohama.). Football.
- 🌍 Yokohama Stadium (横浜スタジアム) (In Yokohama.). Baseball and softball.
Venues in further cities:
- 🌍 Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium (福島県営あづま球場) (In Fukushima, about 90 minutes north of Tokyo and 30 minutes south of Sendai.). Baseball and softball.
- 🌍 Kashima Soccer Stadium (茨城県立カシマサッカースタジアム) (In Kashima, about 90 minutes northeast of Tokyo.). Football.
- 🌍 Miyagi Stadium (宮城スタジアム) (In Sendai, two hours north of Tokyo.). Football.
- 🌍 Sapporo Dome (札幌ドーム) (In Sapporo, in the very north of Japan, reachable by plane or 4 hours on bullet train.). Football.
Calendar
OC | Opening ceremony | ● | Event competitions | 1 | Gold medals | CC | Closing ceremony |
July / August | 22 Wed |
23 Thu |
24 Fri |
25 Sat |
26 Sun |
27 Mon |
28 Tue |
29 Wed |
30 Thu |
31 Fri |
1 Sat |
2 Sun |
3 Mon |
4 Tue |
5 Wed |
6 Thu |
7 Fri |
8 Sat |
9 Sun |
Gold medals |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OC | CC | |||||||||||||||||||
● | 1 | 1 | ● | ● | ● | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||||||||||||
2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | '7 | 8 | 1 | 47 | ||||||||||
● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | |||||||||||
● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||
● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | 3 | ● | 5 | 5 | 13 | ||||
● | ● | 1 | 1 | 2 | 16 | |||||||||||||||
1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ● | ● | 2 | 1 | 1 | 18 | ||||||
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ● | ● | 1 | ● | 1 | ● | 1 | ● | 1 | 8 | |||||||
● | ● | ● | 2 | ● | ● | ● | ● | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||||||||
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | |||||||||||
● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||
● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | 1 | ● | 1 | 2 | |||||||
● | ● | ● | 1 | ● | ● | ● | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||
● | ● | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 18 | ||||||||||||
● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||
2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 14 | |||||||||||||
1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||
● | ● | ● | ● | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 14 | ||||||||||||
● | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||
● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | ||||||
2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 15 | |||||||||||
4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 34 | ||||||||||
● | ● | 1 | ● | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||
● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | 2 | 3 | 5 | |||||||||||
2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||
● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||||||||||
1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||
● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | 1 | 1 | ● | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||||
● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | 1 | ● | 1 | 2 | ||||||
1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 15 | ||||||||||
2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 18 | ||||||||||||
Total gold medals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 16 | 16 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 23 | 21 | 25 | 20 | 19 | 15 | 23 | 17 | 30 | 11 | 306 |
Cumulative total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 27 | 43 | 64 | 83 | 102 | 125 | 146 | 171 | 191 | 210 | 225 | 248 | 265 | 295 | 306 | |
July / August | 22 Wed |
23 Thu |
24 Fri |
25 Sat |
26 Sun |
27 Mon |
28 Tue |
29 Wed |
30 Thu |
31 Fri |
1 Sat |
2 Sun |
3 Mon |
4 Tue |
5 Wed |
6 Thu |
7 Fri |
8 Sat |
9 Sun |
Gold medals |
Do
Tokyo has many other attractions, which are worth checking between the two games.
Buy
Eat
If you want a break from the food available at the Olympic Park, head for the neighbouring Odaiba, Shinbashi, Daimon, where plenty of Japanese, and other, options are available.
Drink
Sleep
Go next
- Hakone
- Kyoto
- Osaka
- Seoul
- Wikivoyage:Past_events/Pyeongchang 2018 – previous Winter Olympics
- Beijing 2022 – next Winter Olympics