Summer Olympics 1 year away: KPRC spotlighting true flavors, vibes of Tokyo

TOKYO – Tokyo is Japan’s capital and the world’s most populated metropolis. It is also the host city for the upcoming 2020 Olympic Games.

This week marks exactly one year until the opening ceremonies. 

KPRC Channel 2 anchor Christine Noël and photojournalist Adrian Crooks made the 14-hour trip from Houston to Tokyo to get an update on the progress being made at some of the Olympic venues and to spotlight the true flavor and vibe of Tokyo. 

During their first day in the host city, they made several stops.

Here is a look at what they did.

Yoyogi Park

Yoyogi Park is one of Tokyo’s most popular parks. It's located near the beautiful Meiji Jingu Shrine, Yoyogi Park has something for everyone.

 

Busy day here in Tokyo! In addition to the Gymnastics venue tour, we also visited Yoyogi park, the Meiji Shrine and made our way to Ginza. Here are some images from the day! More to come tomorrow. But for now, goodnight! #KPRC2 #Tokyo #Olympics

Posted by KPRC2 Christine Noël on Monday, July 22, 2019

 

The park is made up of large green areas, water fountains, endless walking and biking trails, flower beds and large trees.

It’s not known for having the typical Japanese aesthetic common in other parks in Tokyo. Rather, it's known for being charming and functional for visitors from all walks of life. 

Meiji Jingu Shrine

The Meiji Jingu Shrine was founded in 1920 to commemorate the Meiji emperor who died in 1912. The Japanese say his spirit is enshrined there.

The Meiji Shrine is the most popular Shinto shrine in Japan. In the first three days of each new year, more than 3 million visitors visit the shrine to pay their respects. About 10 million people visit the Meiji Shrine every year. 

The sacred forest surrounding the Meiji Shrine is beautiful. While it may look natural, it was actually man-made. The forest was planted by 110,000 volunteers.

It is currently made up of 234 different types of trees donated from all over Japan. Each type was selected on how it would look after 100 years. The sacred forest is one of the most iconic and popular oases of greenery in all of Tokyo.

Ginza

If you love shopping and city life, you will love Ginza.

It is the most popular shopping and entertainment district in Tokyo. It consists of high-end department stores, boutiques, restaurants, art galleries, coffee shops and night clubs.

It’s a bustling scene all hours of the day and night. 

 

WARNING: FUNNY. —- so, Sometimes when traveling to new countries... you find yourself in funny situations. Yesterday, for one of our three shoots we did here in Tokyo... I had the opportunity to tour the new gymnastics facility. What I wasn’t told before arriving to the shoot.... I wasn’t allowed to wear sandals. And... I was wearing sandals... and I was told I wasn’t allowed in. 🤦🏻‍♀️ IN comes my new friend HiRoo. — (I meant to say open-toed shoes in the clip.) — and ANYTHING for the story! 🦶 🦶 Thanks, HiRoo!

Posted by KPRC2 Christine Noël on Monday, July 22, 2019

 


About the Author:

A small-town girl from West Michigan with a passion for storytelling, traveling the world and meeting remarkable people along with the way.