The new National Stadium was officially completed on Saturday when the centerpiece for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics was handed over to its owner and operator, the Japan Sport Council.
Created by architect Kengo Kuma's office, construction giant Taisei Corp. and design firm Azusa Sekkei Co., the stadium was completed in 36 months for ¥157 billion ($1.4 billion).
With the handover complete, the stadium will just be called the National Stadium. With five stories above ground level and two below, it's the latest incarnation of Japanese sports' spiritual home to be built in the neighborhood. It replaces the National Stadium that was used as the main venue for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, which in turn took the place of Meiji Jingu Gaien Stadium. The latter served as a point of departure for students leaving for battlefronts during World War II.