Donate
In high contrast color, the Olympic rings are shown floating in a large body of water with shipping container cranes in the distance.
Tokyo Olympics

PHOTOS: Olympic guests get view of Tokyo — from the bus

With spectators banned from venues of the 2020 Olympics, for many of the visitors to Tokyo, the only way to get a glimpse of this unique capital city hosting the games is from a vehicle, whisking the sporting guests from athlete village or hotel to venue.

Associated Press

The Olympic rings float in the water ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Jae C. Hong/AP

As the bus rumbles along a Tokyo thruway, passengers steal a fleeting glance at the Olympic rings floating on a barge in the bay.

Colorful shop signs that dot the Kabukicho entertainment district pass by in a blur. The Tokyo Tower glows, if only briefly.

A major roadway and elevated train track along with the Tokyo skyline are shown blurred slightly via a bus window.
The skyline of Tokyo is seen through a bus window from the Rainbow Bridge ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics.Jae C. Hong/AP

The pandemic-delayed 2020 Summer Olympics are days away from starting and thousands of athletes, officials and media are descending on a Tokyo under a state of emergency because of surging COVID-19 cases.

A man is shown wearing a red shirt, face mask and clear goggles while riding a bus.
Hua Zhang, of the China Media Group, wears protective goggles while riding a media bus ahead the 2020 Summer Olympics.Jae C. Hong/AP

For many of the visitors under strict protective protocols, the only way to get a glimpse of this unique capital city is from a vehicle, whisking the sporting guests from athlete village or hotel to venue.

A row of tall buildings are shown, many with national flags hanging from the balconies.
A man rides his bike near the athlete’s village for the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo.Jae C. Hong/AP

AP photographer Jae C. Hong spent hours riding Olympic buses, trying to get a feel for Tokyo as the Games in a bubble ramp up.

A police officer is shown wearing a white mask and walking under several misters spraying water.
A cooling system sprays a mist over a police officer outside the main press center of the 2020 Summer Olympics.Jae C. Hong/AP

For the Japanese, life goes on with little indication a massive sporting event is about to begin. Streets of masked workers; a couple steal a private moment at a subway station, mask to mask; fishermen stand in their boats in a moat; an elderly woman seeking relief from the heat walks with a small towel on her head; a police officer walks under cooling mist sprays while on patrol.

A woman is shown with a towel over her head and covering her face with a roadway in the distance.
A woman walks with a small towel over her head to shield from the sun ahead the 2020 Summer Olympics.Jae C. Hong/AP

The view from the bus forces a separation from subject, the bustle of the city is silenced by the closed windows.

A police office is shown through the window of a bus standing guard in front of a metal barrier.
A police officer, right, patrols near the entrance to the athlete’s village for the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.Jae C. Hong/AP

Yet, over time, if one really looks, a connection is formed with this sprawling metropolis that is a mix of modern and tradition.

The face of a bus driver is shown covered in a white mask with a two lane road ahead.
A bus driver is reflected in the mirror in Tokyo.Jae C. Hong/AP
The Tokyo Tower is shown in the distance illuminated with red and orange lighting.
The Tokyo Tower is seen through a bus window ahead of the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics on July 15, 2021.Jae C. Hong/AP

By Jae C. Hong/AP

Less than .05% of listeners will donate. Can we count on you?

Our coverage reaches millions each week, but only a small fraction of listeners contribute to sustain our program. We still need 224 more people to donate $100 or $10/monthly to unlock our $67,000 match. Will you help us get there today?