Nagano Winter Olympics and Paralympics Venue, Nagano City (Nagano-shi)

The exposed steel frame in the ceiling of Big Hat conveys a feeling of strength and movement. If the movable seating on the first floor is stored, a floor area of about 4,000 sq.meters can be secured.

Wakasato Civic Cutural Hall, adjacent to Big Hat arena, was used as the main press center during the Nagano Winter Olympic Games and served as the main press center of the Nagano Winter Olympic Games, as well as Big Hat, a large scale event can be held in the same area. Big Hat, a large scale multipurpose arena, was used as the main venue for the ice hockey events of the Nagano Winter Olympic Games. Its roof resembles a big hat and so it was named Big Hat. In winter it continues to be a venue for ice hockey and figure skating competitions. The venue boasts movable seats which can be stored within the walls, increasing the usable floor size in summer from 2,000 to 4,000㎡. In addition, special lighting and sound equipment allows the arena to be used for a variety of sports and events.

Specification of the Big Hat Arena

Building area: approx. 12,050 sq.meters Total floor area: approx. 25,240 sq.meters Maximum height: approx. 35m Spectator seats: approx. 5,000 Spectator capacity: approx. 8,000 (main arena)

Conference room: 7 rooms

Specification of the Wakasato Hall

Big Hat Arena Ice Hockey (Wakasato Municipal Civic Cutural Hall) Address: 3-22-2 Wakasato, Nagano, Nagano Prefecture 380-0928, Japan Open: 9:00am – 5:30pm (It is possible to use until 9:00pm) Closed: Monday, the day after a National Holiday, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day Tel: 026-223-2223

Website: http://www.nagano-mwave.co.jp/wakasato_hall/language/en.php and http://www.nagano-mwave.co.jp/bighat/language/en.php

1998 Nagano Olympic Ice Hockey B site, Para-Olympics site. After the Olympics are over, the pool have made a retractable roof. After the games, Aqua Wing will be used as an indoor swimming center, with 50 meter lap and 25 meter swimming pools, and a diving pool for the enjoyment and health of the citizens.

The 50 meter pool has an elevating bottom so the facility can be used for international swimming, water polo and synchronized swimming events. The roof is retractable which not only allows for a view outside, but lowers the facility’s operating expenses. Toshiouike (kid’s pool) is closed until after the Olympics. More details: Nagano Athletic Park (Sports Park), Aqua Wing Ice Hockey

White Ring’s main arena, wide enough to accommodate three basketball courts, has been integrated with the spectator seating and outer gallery into a single, continuous space with a distinctive feeling of openness. The arena employs high level technology for the enjoyment of each different type of event.

The dome-shaped main stadium is a steel-reinforced concrete 3 floor construction with a floor space of 16,000 square meters, and is 40 m high. After the Games, the plan is to use the Venue as a sports facility for residents, and the formal name is “Mashima Sports Arena.”

Specifications of the White Ring (Mashima Sports Arena):

White Ring (Mashima Sports Arena) Address: 2268-1 Mashima-machi Mashima, Nagano, Nagano Prefecture 381-2204, Japan Acceptance time: 9:00am – 5:00pm (It is possible to use until 9:00pm) Closed: Monday, the day after a National Holiday, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day Rental cost: Please inquire Period for visiting: Any open day of no special reservation Visiting hours: 10:00am – 11:30am, 1:30pm – 3:00pm Tel: 026-283-7977 Fax: 026-283-7988

Website: http://www.wr-nagano.jp/

Spiral is one of the most southern bobsleigh and luge facilities in the world, and the first artificially cooled track in Asia. Respect for nature, which is expressed in the Vision for the Nagano Games, is reflected in a course design which features an indirect ammonia refrigeration system.

Further, the design includes two uphill slopes that allow the track to conform to the natural topography.

After the Games, the facilities will be used for competitions and recreation. Nagano Bobsleigh-Luge Park has been created in the surrounding area, and after the Games it is used as an event facility and a leisure facility. The incorporation of rolling vehicles is used as a ride for summer.

Specifications of the Bobsleigh and Luge Track

Nagano Bobsleigh, Luge & Skeleton Federation (NBLSF)
Iizuna village (Iizuna-machi), 3F, 524 Agata-machi, Nagano City (Nagano-shi), Nagano Prefecture, 380-0838 Japan Open: 9:00am – 5:00pm Closed: Monday, the day after a National Holiday, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day Rental cost: Please inquire Period for visiting: Any open day of no special reservation Tel: 026-252-7670 Fax: 026-252-7671

http://www.nagano-blsf.com/

The lower part of M-Wave is steel reinforced concrete which consists of a series of wavelike M-shapes, while the upper portion is constructed of local larch wood and steel frame. The design of the building is made energy efficient by employing natural lighting and ventilation.

The facility is Japan’s first indoor rink with a 400-meter standard double track, and can be used for every kind of skating event. Movable stands and artificial turf can be used for other types of sports and event. It also served as the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies as well as the ice sledge event of the Winter Paralympic Games in Nagano and Special Olympic Games in 2007.

After the Games were finished, the Nagano Olympic Museum was established inside the M-Wave arena, which was used as the venue for the speed skating rink events from early Oct. to early Mar. Also, in Nagano Olympic Museum, you can see the actual equipment used by the athletes who participated in the Nagano Olympic Games, and enjoy the State-of-the-Art, 3-D Olympic theater and bob-sleigh simulator. In the oval shape Memorial Skating Rink, you may enjoy a variety of events such as skating lessons and even try riding on an ice resurfacing machine. An ice sculpting exhibition is held at the same time.

Specification of the M-WAVE Speed skating Arena:

M-WAVE Speed skating Arena/Nagano Olympic Memorial Arena/Nagano Olympic Museum Address: 195 Oaza-Kita-Nagaike, Nagano, Nagano Prefecture 381-0025, Japan Hour: 10:00–17:00. Close on Sat., Sun. & National Holiday Only. Period which is possible to skate: Please inquire Period: Any open day of no special events or reservation Reception hours: 10:00am – 4:00pm Admission: free, Skating rink charge: ¥1,500. Tel: 026-222-3300 Fax: 026-222-3222

Website: http://www.nagano-mwave.co.jp/m_wave/language/en.php

The multipurpose stadium in South Nagano Sports Park was created in the image of a flower with the outside walls of the infield stands opening up toward the sky like petals. The stadium was designed for use as a baseball stadium as well as for the Games.

Outline of South Nagano Sports Park:

Specification of the Nagano Olympic Stadium (Minami Nagano Sports Park):

Nagano Olympic Stadium (Minami Nagano Sports Park) Address: 320 Shinonoi-Tofukuji, Nagano, Nagano Prefecture 388-8002, Japan Open: Gymnasium – 8:30am – 9:00pm, Pool – 10:00am – 9:00pm Closed: Monday, the day after a National Holiday, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day Tel: 026-293-4062 (baseball stadium), 026-293-4818 (tennis), 026-293-4048 (gymnasium)

Website: http://www.konamisportsandlife.co.jp/trust/minaminagano/

The Olympic Village for the Nagano Games is located in “Imai New Town” (7 kilometers southwest of Nagano Station) in Kawanakajima-machi, Nagano City. The Olympic Village is a residential complex (1032 apartments in 22 buildings) of 1,000 single and double apartments covering an area of 47 acres and housed more than 3000 athlets and officials to make full use of the abundant environment with its special characteristics and to consider future response to the welfare of aging society.

Another Village was in Karuizawa (near Lake Shiozawa), the site for the newly entered Olympic sport of curling at the Kazakoshi Park Arena, a facility that will be converted to a swimming pool after the Games. Karuizawa is about 70 kilometers southeast of Nagano City. Karuizawa is famous for producing ice hockey players and speed-skaters. 120 people from 9 countries stayed at the Karuizawa Skate Center Hotel during the Winter Games.

Another Village was in Hakuba Village (Hakuba-mura) or Hakuba resort town in the northern Japan Alps. Nagano Station to Hakuba village takes about 1 hour. Three events at this venue: Cross-country skiing, Nordic combined; ski jumping; downhill, super G, combined downhill at Hakuba Ski Jumping Stadium, Happo one Resort, and Snow Harp Kamishiro. More details: Contact – Hakuba Tourism Buereau, Address: 3476 Hokujo, Hakuba Village (Hakuba-mura), Kitaazumi District (Kita Azumi-gun), Nagano Prefecture 399-9301, Japan. Tel: 0261-72-7100, Fax: 0261-72-6311, Website: http://vill.hakuba.nagano.jp/english/index.html

At Nagano City, it was attempted in this village to tie together city planning for the 21st Century with a new view of future lifestyles.

As a model village, this leading project of Imai Newtown housing area had devised the following two basic ideas for these facilities –

1. In cooperation with nature, these facilities was built with abundantly green environment in mind to combine Nagano City’s history and culture in harmony with the urban landscape very seriously.
2. These facilities was worthy of the city proclaimed as leading the way in the provision of welfare for its citizens and adequately dealt with the needs of the disabled and the elderly.

After that completion of the game, the units is used as housing for municipal dwellings, private individuals, and corporations.

Outline of Imai Newtown Olympic Village