Olympic day, a painful reminder of what we missed out on

June 23rd is Olympic Day. The date was chosen because it is the date that the International Olympic Committee was created in 1894. But the day was not registered as an anniversary day until 1948. The day is also said to mark the revival of the Olympic Games. For the occasion my kids and I had an Olympic trivia quiz. But more than that, we reflected on how we and Japan were more or less robbed of the Olympics due to the pandemic.

I remember when the Olympic torch passed through Kawagoe as part of the torch relay. It must have been during a lull in Covid cases, because there were throes of people out on the streets. However, I remember thinking then as I do now, that had it not been for the pandemic, there would have been an even greater celebration. 

We already knew by the time the torch came to town that we wouldn't be allowed to view the games at venue. The golf course for the Olympics was in Kawagoe. It was bittersweet knowing that there was an olympic event just down the road and we couldn't go and egg on the participants and / or soak up the atmosphere. There was no atmosphere to soak up.

Before the pandemic hit, Japan was gearing up for the Olympics for years. To help build the excitement there were Olympic count down clocks, such as the one pictured, in various towns and cities in Japan. The photo in this post was taken in 2018, when we were already anticipating what should have been the highlight of 2020. In the end, it was a non event really, and in 2021 not 2020. 

It is good to have a day annually to celebrate the anniversary of the Olympics. But unfortunately for many in Japan, it just serves as a sad reminder of what we missed out on, hosting an Olympics during the pandemic with no spectators and none of the usual Olympic spirit.