TOKYO — Japan is a country steeped in tradition and order, and while many associate that structure with financial prosperity and an unmatched efficiency for dealing with the immense population, it is this same set of traits that actually make Japan — and especially Tokyo — a haven for sports.
All sports require a certain degree of discipline, whether it is the traditional sumo wrestling or the more modern baseball that has swept Japan, the people of this country love sport and that vibrant competition that it sets before them.
Old legend says that the Japanese race exists as the result of a sumo match among Gods, and since then, the bouts have continued as the tradition of pitting man-against-man in the open ring, trying to knock out the weaker of the two. The competitors train for years with a strict diet and regimen trying to increase their strength (and weight), and hoping to reach the coveted top rank of Yokozuna.
In a more modern twist, teams like Tokyo’s Yomiuri Giants have helped establish baseball as a popular pastime across Japan. Fans pack the Tokyo Dome and other stadiums in waves to support their favorite team. We think of it as America’s favorite sport, but it has absolutely found a comfortable home in Japan.
It’s not just these sports, however. Tokyo has become an increasingly active city with a steady rise in bikers and runners. Running stations have been installed around the city to help add convenience to the culture of fitness, and make it easy for them to dress and stow belongings after work and still get in a jog.
This attitude toward an active culture is exactly what makes Tokyo the perfect contender for the 2020 Olympic Games. The competition is already heating up with Madrid and Istanbul charging forward with bids as well, but the spirit of Tokyo makes it an ideal host. Billions of dollars are at stake, and with tens of thousands ready to book a trip for the destination, it comes down to which city has a plan in place and at the ready to put it all on the line for the world’s most competitive sporting trials.
Across Tokyo, Hollywood on the Potomac heard the case for why it is the ideal host city for the summer games. Tokyo’s Governor, Naoki Inose, boldly highlighted the city’s planning process thus far to handle an influx of people into a city that already processes a booming population.
Governor of Tokyo: Naoki Inose
“How can you explain this to the people who haven’t been to Tokyo before? Once you are here, you know,” he declared of the cleanliness, efficiency and hospitality of the area.
Take a look at Part 1 of our Experience Tokyo series: Tokyo’s Sporting Chance for the 2020 Olympics.
UPDATE: On September 7, 2013, the IOC officially named Tokyo as the 2020 host city.
