One month to go! A look at the Olympic Village; Tokyo prepares for the Opening Ceremony

Only 30 days remain until the start of the Olympic Games.

With just one month to go until the Opening Ceremony of Tokyo 2020, plans are gathering pace to host the show-stopping event at Tokyo's Olympic Stadium on 23 July 2021.

Elsewhere, final preparations are underway at the Olympic Village as they prepare to host thousands of athletes during the Games, with the first match - Japan vs Australia in softball, taking place two days before the ceremony in Fukushima on 21 July.

As the clock ticks down to Tokyo 2020, it's time to take a sneak peak behind the scenes at the Olympic Village and see how the wheels are very much in motion ahead of the Opening Ceremony.

Everything you need to know about the Olympic Village

There is no place at the Olympic Games quite like the Olympic Village.

It's a place for athletes to prepare for their events but also to unwind in the midst of a hectic competition schedule. At Tokyo 2020, competitors couldn't be any better prepared and hosted than inside the Village.

Located on the picturesque Harumi waterfront district of Tokyo and surrounded by the sea on three sides - which allow for stunning views of Tokyo Bay, including the famed Rainbow Bridge - the Village has lots on offer.

Firstly, you won't go hungry.

One of the busiest places within the Village at every Olympic Games is the Dining Hall. Opened 24/7, there will be roughly 700 food options on offer at Tokyo 2020, catering for all preferences from Halal, vegetarian to gluten-free.

Away from the sizeable Dining Hall, one of the most Instagramable spots is the Village Plaza. As one of the sustainability initiatives of Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the plaza has been constructed from timber donated by 63 municipalities from across Japan and will be returned after the Games.

Athletes will be able to unwind throughout the Village as well as at Harumi Port Park, which features massage chairs at the Relaxation House and a playground, shaped like a pirate ship. There is also Harumi Greenway and the recreation centre in the Multi-function complex, where many fierce table tennis battles could take place.

In the residential facilities, bed frames have been made of cardboard and are 100 per cent recyclable while blackout curtains have been installed to allow sleep at any time during the day.

Keeping with the theme of being the most innovative Olympic Games, the internal shuttle buses are autonomous with nine bus stops around the main facilities. For the first time in the history of the Games, there will also be a dedicated treatment programme which will provide comprehensive medical care for female athletes at the Clinic Complex (Polyclinic).

COVID-19 protocols are also in place including a dedicated Fever Clinic for diagnosing and testing athletes showing symptoms as well as a dedicated area for close contacts.

With Olympic venues also set outside Tokyo Prefecture, there will be two Satellite Villages; in Enoshima (Olympic Sailing Village) and Izu City (Olympic Cycling Village).

Opening Ceremony preparations gathers pace

Whether it's a clear evening, cloudy or raining, the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is set to take place from 20:00 JST on 23 July 2021.

And so, in the early hours of 20 June, 142 busses carrying 750 people, acting as athletes, left the Olympic Village for the Olympic Stadium for a transport simulation test in preparation for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. Despite the rainy conditions, the test allowed Tokyo 2020 to finalise plans with just over a month out to the Games.

With spectators allowed into the Olympic Stadium for the Opening Ceremony, two flag bearers - one male and one female - from each of the 205 nations participating at the Olympic Games, will be greeted by a round of applause from thousands of fans during the Parade of Nations.

The Opening Ceremony is always shrouded in secrecy - it's one of the best kept secrets at every Olympic Games. But if the handover ceremony at Rio 2016 is anything to go by, those who are tuning in on 23 July are in for a spectacular show.

Billions of people are expected to tune in across the globe to watch the Opening Ceremony to celebrate the start of the Games.

The countdown continues...