I decided to head into the centre of Tokyo in pursuit of the adapter.

Having wandered aimlessly around Japan’s bustling capital city for what felt like hours, becoming more and more aware that an English debit card was effectively useless, the problem was eventually solved by waving a laptop plug charger in the air to a confused Japanese clerk.

Although a rather self-imposed situation, the experience did not fill me with confidence for the week ahead.

Fortunately by throwing their doors open to the world in hosting the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Japan are already preparing for the arrival of many more foolish foreigners.

The two-week Tsukuba International Academy for Sport Studies short programme, feels like a microcosm of what they are trying to achieve as a legacy, having in part won the bid by their desire to showcase Japan to the rest of the world.

Established in 2014 as part of the Sport for Tomorrow project, set up by the Japanese Government following Tokyo being awarded the Games, TIAS aims to train the next generation of sports leaders through a series of lectures and seminars.

One of the clear achievements, having attended the opening couple of days of the programme, is the seamless blend of traditional aspects of Japanese culture and sporting heritage, alongside tackling the more modern issues effecting sport.

Talks on the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, the history of Japanese martial arts and the achievements of Dr. Jigoro Kano, widely viewed as the founder of judo have proved to be an eye-opener for many of the participants of the programme.

It included Costa Rican National Olympic Committee President Henry Nuñez, who, as a young Judoka who would eventually appear at two Olympic Games, admitted that despite admiring Kano, he was unaware of the effect his philosophy had on Japan and that he had become Asia’s first International Olympic Committee (IOC) member.

In addition to creating what Ichiro Kono, vice-president of Tokyo 2020 and Japan Sport Council President, described as “legacy makers”, who will promote the Games, the programme’s seminars could have highlighted Japan’s commitment to developing the next generation of sports leaders.

Including topics such as sport management and marketing, the seminars have also been able to develop ideas among the students. Indeed particularly in sensitive areas, such as anti-doping and women, the programme has so far succeeded in stimulating debate and potentially altering attitudes, among what often felt like a small scale United Nations, many of whom currently are involved within International Federations.

It will be built upon in the second week titled ‘Sport Event Management and Organisation’, in which International Academy of Sports Science and Technology (AISTS) will assist.

With several IOC and Federation officials providing talks on topics ranging from planning and logistics at Games to ticketing and accreditation, the programme clearly shows Japan’s commitment to developing the top level of international sport and fulfilling their bid pledge to benefit sport worldwide.

The increased influence worldwide can also be displayed by their willingness to pursue further anti-doping advances through their Play True 2020 vision, which will see Tokyo 2020 work in tandem with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), to educate athletes and officials on the issues surrounding doping, as well as holding international conferences, seminars and workshops, aimed at developing professionals and creating an evidence and value based-programme.

Additionally through the Sport for Tomorrow project which will assist smaller nations – such as Costa Rica, who they announced a partnership with this week – Japan have shown an admirable willingness to engage and develop with the rest of the sporting world.

Should they continue in this same vain in the build-up and duration of the Games, of promoting their traditions whilst aiming to develop sport, then it is quite likely that Tokyo 2020 will be well received.

It will however be interesting to see whether the Japanese Government will aim to extend the Sport for Tomorrow programme, of which TIAS is a part of, post-Games and strive to contribute and promote their traditions to the world for the foreseeable future.