Original article published on VenuesNow (05/22/18) by Tim Newcomb

For the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, the organizing committee has established two districts for competition, with the Tokyo Bay Zone showcasing a future development model, while the Heritage Zone will emphasize historical significance with venues and sites constructed for the city's inaugural Summer Olympics in 1964. Tokyo's Imperial Palace has been selected as the race walk site for the 2020 Games, boasting a park-like atmosphere evoking natural vitality, wide open spaces that can house many people and the opportunity to embrace both athletes and fans in a meaningful convention area with easy subway access to other sites. “Imperial Palace Garden is an ideal venue for the race walking events at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games,” says Robert Korzeniowski with the International Association of Athletics Federations' Race Walking Committee. “The beautiful settings will make the events even more appealing to the thousands of spectators who will line the streets. The athletes, meanwhile, will appreciate the flat and fast course.” The northern fringe of the grounds features the Nippon Budokan arena, where judo has been hosted for both the 1964 and 2020 Games, while just outside the palace is the Tokyo International Forum, a related exhibition hall. Meanwhile, the rebuilt National Stadium's design was chosen from a Japan Sport Council-hosted competition, with the ultimate design including larch and cedar wood in a latticed timber stadium, a circular opening above the track and plants and trees on the stadium's circulation areas that link to the park.

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