Cabinet Secretariat [Friday, Aug 12, 2016]
Tokyo 2020 in Rio de Janeiro. JAPAN HOUSE Opens, Showcasing Japan’s Allure!
The Tokyo 2020 JAPAN HOUSE has opened in Rio de Janeiro during the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games to showcase Tokyo and Japan, the host of the next Olympic and Paralympic Games. In the exhibition space open to the general public, exhibits have been set up by the Government of Japan, the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and Tokyo, the next host city.
Visitors will have the opportunity to experience and enjoy Japanese culture, including tasting saké and other Japanese beverages, dressing in yukata, a form of casual traditional Japanese dress, and trying Japanese calligraphy. There will also be a corner dedicated to the five sports added to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. In addition, JAPAN HOUSE features a special camera that has been very popular among visitors. Visitors are invited to strike a pose representing any of the five sports, and a special camera will instantly turn them into an illustrated “manga” character.
Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, and other Olympic leaders worldwide were invited to the reception held to mark the opening of JAPAN HOUSE. The reception began with a “kagami-biraki,” a Japanese tradition in which the lids of saké barrels are split open with wooden mallets for good luck, to the delight of the crowd. The Tokyo 2020 JAPAN HOUSE will be opened to the public until August 21 during the Olympic Games and from September 7 to 18 during the Paralympic Games.
