Water front in Aomi (Photo: Elena Lisina)

The 2020 Olympic Games: Aomi Urban Sports Park

The venue for 3x3 basketball, sport climbing and Paralympic football

Water front in Aomi (Photo: Elena Lisina)
Elena Lisina   - 4 min read

Aomi Urban Sports Park is located on Odaiba Island and is a temporary venue for the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2020. Nearby is the Olympic Athlete's Village as well as waterfront views of Tokyo Bay. During the Olympic Games, Aomi Urban Sports Park will host the 3x3 basketball, sport climbing and Paralympic football.

3x3 basketball is a format of the game played in streets and gyms. The rules became standardized in the USA in the late 1980s through a series of tournaments. The format spread all over the world and in 2007, a 3x3 basketball tournament was held at the Asian Indoor Games in Macau. A young sport, 3x3 basketball's international debut occurred at the Asian Youth Games in 2009.

At the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, sport climbing sees its debut. In contrast to traditional rock climbing, in sport climbing a climber has permanent anchors fixed to the rock for protection. The athletes use main climbing techniques and sometimes ‘free solo’ climbing.

The capacity of the Aomi Urban Sports Park for the 3x3 basketball is 7100 spectators, and for sport climbing, 8400. For the Paralympic football matches, the capacity will be 4300 spectators.

The part of Odaiba around Aomi Station also offers many places of interest. A refurbished Ferris wheel called Daikanransha towers over the area and gives away grand views for anyone riding it. At its base, you can find the TOYOTA Mega Web Center with retro vehicles, ultimate automobiles, and the models for the future. It’s also free of charge!

Odaiba Ferris wheel known as Daikanransha
Odaiba Ferris wheel known as Daikanransha
Toyota of the future
Toyota of the future

Next to the TOYOTA Mega Web is a fantastic museum of digital art – TeamLab Borderless. Purchasing tickets in advance is highly recommended and while queues can be long, the museum is really quite impressive and worth the visit.

Digital Art Museum TeamLab Borderless
Digital Art Museum TeamLab Borderless

One more place near Atomi Station worth checking out is Venus Plaza, an Italian-style decorated shopping centre. It features different shops, including children shops and a restaurant court. A short walk from Aomi lies another shipping complex, the Odaiba Diver City Tokyo Plaza with the iconic Gundam statue in front. The statue looks spectacular particularly with night lighting.

Venus Fort is decorated in an Italian style
Venus Fort is decorated in an Italian style

Getting there

Aomi Urban Sports Park can be reached via a 10-minute walk from Tokyo International Cruise Terminal Station and a few minutes walk from Aomi Station on the Yurikamome Line.

Elena Lisina

Elena Lisina @shiroi.tenshi

I am interested in Japanese art, crafts, history and Shinto religion. Photography is my hobby, and there are many amazing places to capture in Japan.