From a state-of-the-art aquatics center to a historic martial arts arena whose roof resembles Mount Fuji, Tokyo's Olympic sites are ready for action after a year's virus delay.
The 43 venues are located in two main areas: the "Tokyo Bay Zone" in the capital's busy port district and the more central "Heritage Zone," incorporating several sites from the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
Coronavirus rules announced Monday mean a maximum of 10,000 spectators will be allowed at each venue, though sponsors and Olympic officials may slightly swell that figure.
The original design, by Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, was jettisoned in July 2015 after public outrage over its $2 billion price tag – which would have made it the world's most expensive stadium. A slimmed-down, cheaper version was commissioned and the five-floor facility was unveiled in December 2019, along with special features to beat the heat of the Tokyo summer.
The 56.7 billion yen ($516 million) Aquatics Center was completed in February 2020, but its grand opening was postponed by the virus.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was finally held in October 2020 at the 15,000-seat venue in the Bay Zone for swimming, diving and artistic swimming events.
The main pool features a movable wall allowing the 50-meter (164-foot) facility to be converted into two 25-meter pools, with the depth also adjustable.
Tokyo hopes to make the most of the facility after this summer, aiming to attract 1 million users a year, mostly through swimming competitions but also allowing casual punters to swim.
