Where to visit Olympics venues in Japan

Lilit Marcus
By Lilit Marcus, CNN
Updated 10:56 PM EDT, Sun August 8, 2021
<strong>Tokyo Olympics 2020 Venues:</strong> Although the Olympic Games were closed to spectators this summer, the good news is that many of the venues -- like Japan National Stadium, pictured -- will remain accessible well after the events are over. Click through to see more.
Tokyo Olympics 2020 Venues: Although the Olympic Games were closed to spectators this summer, the good news is that many of the venues -- like Japan National Stadium, pictured -- will remain accessible well after the events are over. Click through to see more.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
<strong>Musashino Forest Sport Plaza: </strong>This arena in Chofu, in the western suburbs of Tokyo, was the first purpose-made Tokyo Olympics venue to be completed. It has a swooping silver and white roof and hosted the badminton and modern pentathlon events.
Musashino Forest Sport Plaza: This arena in Chofu, in the western suburbs of Tokyo, was the first purpose-made Tokyo Olympics venue to be completed. It has a swooping silver and white roof and hosted the badminton and modern pentathlon events.
TORU YAMANAKA/AFP/Getty Images
<strong>Sea Forest Waterway: </strong>This course for rowing events was built between two man-made islands in Tokyo Bay, near the stunning Tokyo Gate Bridge.
Sea Forest Waterway: This course for rowing events was built between two man-made islands in Tokyo Bay, near the stunning Tokyo Gate Bridge.
NAOMI BAKER/Getty Images
<strong>Ariake Arena:</strong> This Tokyo venue hosted volleyball events during the 2020 Games.
Ariake Arena: This Tokyo venue hosted volleyball events during the 2020 Games.
Yuri Cortez/AFP/Getty Images
<strong>Tokyo Aquatics Centre:</strong> Located inside Tatsumi-no-mori Seaside Park, this venue hosted diving and swimming events.
Tokyo Aquatics Centre: Located inside Tatsumi-no-mori Seaside Park, this venue hosted diving and swimming events.
Tom Pennington/Getty Images
<strong>Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach:</strong> The first-ever Olympic surfing competitions were held here, in Chiba prefecture.
Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach: The first-ever Olympic surfing competitions were held here, in Chiba prefecture.
Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
<strong>Enoshima Yacht Harbor:</strong> This stretch of water in Kanagawa prefecture hosted sailing events.
Enoshima Yacht Harbor: This stretch of water in Kanagawa prefecture hosted sailing events.
Olivier Morin/AFP/Getty Images
<strong>Yokohama Baseball Stadium:</strong> Japan's biggest baseball stadium was the perfect place to hold Olympics baseball and softball matches.
Yokohama Baseball Stadium: Japan's biggest baseball stadium was the perfect place to hold Olympics baseball and softball matches.
Yuichi Masuda/Getty Images
Tokyo Olympics venues you can visit
CNN  — 

There’s nothing like watching the Olympics on TV to give you a major case of wanderlust.

Despite the mostly empty stadiums – spectators were banned – athletes from around the world have still been able to awe us, and with the beautiful scenery of Japan as backdrop.

The good news is that many of the special structures built for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be sticking around long after the events finish, so when borders eventually open up you can go and see where your favorite athletes competed for gold.

Travel to Japan during Covid-19: What you need to know before you go

Greater Tokyo

Tokyo's National Stadium, seen from the Shibuya Sky observation deck at the Shibuya Scramble Square building.
Tokyo's National Stadium, seen from the Shibuya Sky observation deck at the Shibuya Scramble Square building.
Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

The majority of the Olympic and Paralympic events are being held in and around the capital.

A few of the structures built to host them are temporary, such as the Aomi Urban Sports Park where the sport climbing competition took place, the Ariake Gymnastics Centre and the Ariake Urban Sports Park, site of the BMX and skateboarding events.

But part of Tokyo’s pitch to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was that most of the new structures made especially for the Games would remain in use afterward to benefit the people of Japan.

Japan National Stadium

This venue in Tokyo’s famed Shinjuku area is the host of both the Olympics opening and closing ceremonies as well as most track and field events. It replaced an earlier national stadium, which was demolished in 2016.

World-renowned architect Kengo Kuma, who is also an architecture professor at the University of Tokyo, designed the new icon, which was intended to be the centerpiece of the Games.

The stadium can hold 68,000 people and is made of wood brought from 46 of Japan’s 47 prefectures.

There was no shortage of history-making moments in this venue at the Games, including the emotional high jump final in which Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi and Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar opted to share the Olympic gold medal.

For great views of the stadium, head for the Shibuya Sky observation deck at the Shibuya Scramble Square building.

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Ariake Arena

Located in southwest Tokyo, this sleek building hosted all of the volleyball matches during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Team USA made history there on Sunday, when the women’s volleyball team beat Brazil for the gold medal on the final day of the Games.

Once the Games are over, the arena will serve as a local community center and as an event venue that can hold upwards of 12,000 people.