Japanese athletes, including moguls medal hopefuls Aiko Uemura and Tae Satoya, arrived in Salt Lake City on Monday as the excitement heightened prior to the kickoff of the 19th Winter Olympic Games on Friday.
Nordic combined skiers Kenji Ogiwara and Daito Takahashi also got a taste of Olympic fever after arriving at the athletes village following the completion of a training camp in Colorado.
Athletes and officials attended a welcome ceremony for the Japanese delegation at the athletes village while others, such as Japanese Olympic team captain Masahiko Harada and gold medalist Kazuyoshi Funaki, were scheduled to arrive later that day.
Ogiwara and Takahashi had a late departure from Steam Boat Springs, Colo., after their bus broke down but were impressed with the Olympic atmosphere before entering their lodgings in Park City.
"Park City is just like an amusement park," Takahashi said. "You really get the feeling that this is the Olympics.
I can't wait practicing." Meanwhile, speedskater Hiroyasu Shimizu, Japan's main gold medal hope in the men's 500 meters, has shut himself off from the media, saying it is time to focus on the task at hand.
Reigning Olympic champion Shimuzu, who owns the 500-meter world record time of 34.64 seconds, failed to show for the Japanese welcome ceremony and said he will not lodge at the athletes village.