Aomori hosts closing ceremony for 80th National Sports Festival

The 80th National Sports Festival, known as ‘Ao no Kirameki Aomori Kokuspo,’ concluded with a grand closing ceremony at Maeda Arena in Aomori City on October 20. The event, which marked the first time Aomori hosted the festival in 49 years, saw over 420,000 visitors participate in or observe the competitions.

Aomori Prefecture achieved significant success, earning 19 gold medals and ranking 5th in both the Emperor's Cup (men's overall) and Empress's Cup (women's overall), a major improvement from its previous rankings. The closing ceremony featured performances by local groups and highlighted the upcoming National Para Sports Festival, scheduled to begin in the prefecture on October 23.

Despite the event's success, the festival faced logistical challenges, including a shortage of local accommodations. Due to the peak autumn foliage season, some athletes were assigned lodging in Morioka, approximately 200 kilometers away from their competition venues, raising concerns regarding their performance.