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A man wearing a Team Canada baseball cap backwards looks out at the view of Tokyo Bay.Photo: Ariane Desrosiers
Photo: Ariane Desrosiers

A look inside the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Village

By Ariane Desrosiers

Home is where the rings are!

Team Canada athletes have arrived in the athletes’ village of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Want to know what the Team Canada headquarters look like, where the rings are located and have a look at the ✨ cardboard beds ✨?

Look no further, we’re taking you on a tour.

Olympic Plaza

The first thing you see when you arrive at the Village located in the Harumi waterfront district after a long journey from Canada to Tokyo is the Olympic Plaza. Wood from larch, Japanese cedar and Japanese cypress were donated by 63 municipalities across the country.

  • Athletes walk between buildings in the Olympic Village with the buildings created with wood larch
    Wood from all over the country was used to build the Olympic Plaza.
  • Store front of the Tokyo 2020 official shop made of wood larch with the Tokyo logo on the front window
    The Tokyo 2020 official shop is open and available to athletes throughout the Games.

The Tokyo 2020 Official Store, a post office and a general store are amongst the shops and services offered at the Olympic Plaza.

The Village

Home of more than 11,000 athletes during the Games, the Village is where the athletes eat, sleep, train and relax between training and events.

  • The women's rugby seven's team pose in front of the Rings
    The women’s rugby 7s pose in front of the Olympic rings in the Olympic Village. (Photo: Breanne Nicholas / Instagram)
  • Large fountain with Tokyo skyline in the background
    In that same park, you’ll find a fountain commemorating the official site of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and the Rings.
  • The Remembrance Tree in a park overlooking Tokyo Bay and the Rainbow Bridge
    The Remembrance Tree stands in a park at the end of the Flags Street overlooking Tokyo Bay and the Rainbow Bridge.
  • Park by Toky oBay at night
    It has become a tradition for athletes to come to the park at the end of Flags street to get a workout while enjoying the Tokyo sunset.


Robust measures and protocols are in place to keep all participants safe and healthy during their stay in Tokyo.

  • Female with a backpack on reading safety protocol signs while sanitizing her hands
    Sanitization stations are readily available to assist with maintaining a safe environment at the Games.
  • Red pair of sneakers standing on a social distance marker
    Distance markers are in place to ensure proper social distancing measures are upheld within Olympic Village.

All athletes can train in the Fitness Centre in the Olympic Village. However, Team Canada athletes have their gym to make sure they never miss a practice. That area is TOP SECRET as we don’t want the competition to see how Team Canada athletes are getting ready for their events. 🤫

Large brown and white building situated on the right ride of the street that is the site of the fitness centre for the 2020 Games
Tokyo 2020 Fitness Centre located in the heart of the Olympic Village.

Bringing the countries of the world together is one of the reasons that the Olympics are so special. Even though great rivalries happen at Games, the Flags Street reminds us of the true essence of the Olympic Games: that we are stronger together.

  • Two female athletes standing in the middle of flag street for a picture
    Canadian athletes getting their picture on Flags street. (Photo: Avalon Wasteneys/Instagram)
  • Two female athletes standing in the middle of flag street for a picture

Dining Hall

Food is life. And the athletes in the Village have plenty of options to choose from when it comes to food. Between the Grab and Go counters, the Casual Dining Hall and the Main Dining Hall, the limit does not exist. Athletes are allowed to remove their masks when eating, drinking, training and competing.

  • Team Canada's Heather Bansley and Brandie Wilkerson in the Dining Hall
    Fresh food from all over the world are fuelling athletes throughout the Games.
  • Cafeteria style food service booth in Olympic Village
    Plenty of options within the dining hall for athletes to grab a meal.
  • Cafeteria style food service booth in Olympic Village
    Athlete dining facilities in the Olympic Village
  • Tables and chairs set up in a dining hall with plexiglass dividers
    The Dining Hall has plexiglass dividing the tables along with sanitizing wipes as part of advanced sanitization measures.
  • Male and female athlete sitting at dining hall table with plexiglass divider between them
    Team Canada athletes, Finlay Knox and Summer MacIntosh, seated in the dining hall with the plexiglass dividers.
  • Row of recycling bins against a wall
    Recycle bins are readily available to assist in recycling measures throughout the Games.
  • A row of water fill stations for use with a personal water bottle
    Plenty of tap water stations are available for use.

Residential Area

Athletes will be sporting their country’s colors during Games and so will their buildings. Check out some of Team Canada’s neighbours:

  • Apartment style multi-floor building with Team Brazil identifiers on the outside
    Team Brazil athlete housing.
  • Apartment style multi-floor building with Team Netherlands identifiers on the outside
    Team Netherlands athlete housing.
  • Apartment style multi-floor building with Team Australia identifiers on the outside
    Australia athlete housing.
  • Apartment style multi-floor building with Team Australia and Team Great Britain identifiers on the outside
    Team Australia and Team Great Britain athlete housing.
  • Apartment style multi-floor building with Team Italy and Team Argentina identifiers on the outside
    Team Italy and Team Argentina athlete housing.

Team Canada Building

By the Tokyo Bay, near the Olympic rings, you’ll find Our Maison, the Team Canada headquarters for the Games.

  • Apartment style building for Team Canada athletes
    Outside view of Team Canada building that houses Canadian athletes.
  • Canadian print wrapped elevators in Team Canada building lobby
    Elevators in Team Canada building decked out to show that Canadian pride.
  • Hayley Daniels poses with the iconic Team Canada moose.
    Hayley Daniels poses with the iconic Team Canada moose.

Athletes live in apartment style accommodations that they share with their teammates. The Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee furnishes each bedroom with a special Games blanket, AC units to beat the Tokyo heat, and the sustainable cardboard beds. Don’t believe the rumours, the bed frames are sturdy and Team Canada approved!

  • Male athlete sits on cardboard bed in his room in Team Canada building
    The famous cardboard bed each athlete is provided with for sleeping.
  • Female athlete holding her Hudson Bay kit as she unpacks clothes into her closet
    Lots of closet space to hang athlete’s Hudson Bay kits!

And look at the ✨views ✨. Some apartments overlook the Tokyo Bay, the Rainbow Bridge and the Olympic rings.

  • Female athlete checks out the view from her housing window out on the Tokyo scenery
    Lots of great views of Tokyo from athletes rooms!
  • male athlete look out on view of Tokyo from bedroom window in a high rise
    Athletes have rooms they share that are not lacking on views.
  • Male and female athlete stand on balcony overlooking views of athlete's village
    Balconies provide some fresh air and still amazing views of other countries buildings.

One of the amazing things about being a Team Canada athlete is the support from Canadians back home. In these unprecedented times, inspirational messages and Cheer cards from General Mills products are a reminder that the entire country is behind them.

  • Posters with Team Canada's common goal written on them and hung on the wall
    Words of encouragement inside Team Canada building.
  • Cheer cards from General Mills products

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