IPhO2023 Third Circular

 June 30, 2023

Dear Colleagues, 

The 53rd International Physics Olympiad (IPhO2023) to be held from July 10 (Mon) to 17 (Mon), 2023 in Tokyo, Japan is only 10 days away.  We trust your team members are busy in preparation for participation in IPhO2023. Here we give you a few last minutes announcements and some tips for travel to Tokyo.

IPhO2023 Website:  The official website of IPhO2023 is https://international-physics-olympiad2023.com/en/.

Participating Countries and Regions

[IMPORTANT] Visit Japan Web

To facilitate the procedures at the Immigration Control and Custom, please visit the “Visit Japan Web” and make registration prior to your trip to Japan.
https://www.digital.go.jp/en/services/visit_japan_web-en/

[IMPORTANT] Travel insurance
Each delegation is advised to take out an appropriate travel insurance policy. Although the organizer signs up for a contingency insurance policy to cover accidents during IPhO2023, the policy does not cover personal medical insurance.

Travel and Airport Pickup
Many teams have notified us of their travel itinerary. If you have yet to do so, please fill out the “Notification of Team Itinerary Form” from https://forms.gle/Qfha5QYbUheVbg419 at your earliest convenience. We arrange for transportation between the airport (either Haneda or Narita) and the venue of IPhO2023. 

For those who travel by themselves, the address and access information are given below.
<The National Olympics Memorial Youth Center>
3-1, Yoyogi Kamizono-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0052
Accessc Guide: https://nyc.niye.go.jp/wp/en/access-train/

<Nippon Seinenkan Hotel>
4-1 Kasumigaoka-machi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0013, Japan
Access Guide: https://nippon-seinenkan.or.jp/en/access.php

Registration Desk at the National Olympics Memorial Youth Center
The charted bus from the airport brings all team members to the NOMYC, where you are to complete registration, get your nametag, a IPhO2023 handbook, and a set of IPhO2023 goods (a cap, a T-shirt, a bag). For the students an insulated water bottle will be provided.
Students (contestants) have to deposit all their electronic devices with communication capability, mobile phones, personal computers, tablets, smart watches. Failure to comply with this rule may result in disqualification of the entire team. Those electronic devices will be handed back after completion of the theory exam on Thursday.
Those teams who have chosen to pay the participation fee in cash can do so here. We may ask you about the difference between the invoice and the amount of remittance.
There will be a Get Together from 17:00 on July 9 where light meal and beverage will be served. After the Get Together, the adult participants will be transported to the Nippon Seinenka Hotel by chartered buses.

Stay at the National Olympics Memorial Youth Center (Students)
All students are accommodated in Building A of the National Olympics Memorial Youth Center (NOMYC), the venue of IPhO2023. Each room is single occupancy. Several rooms constitute a unit with a shared bathroom.
There are no supply of amenities in the NOMYC except shampoo and soap in the bathroom. Do bring your own towels, tooth brushes, tooth paste, etc.
Because the NOMYC is surrounded by greens, you may be annoyed by mosquitos and other insects. You may want to bring insect repellant and anti-itch ointment, although the organizer also prepares some.
There are coin-operated washing machines and dryers. You may want to bring detergent you are familiar with, although you can buy detergent in the shop.
A nurse station will be set up within the NOMYC for emergency medical response. Standard stock medication and medical treatment will be provided, but oral medicine will not be prescribed. Therefore, those who suffer from chronic ailment and/or carry risk of disease should make sure to bring their own medication. In this connection, be warned that the control of narcotic drug is extremely strict in Japan.

Stay at the Nippon Seinenkan Hotesl (Adult Participants)
Adult participants (leaders, observers and guests) will stay at the Nippon Seinenkan Hotel unless arranged otherwise by themselves. We do our best to meet your request for room assignment, but depending on the availability, we may ask you for some adjustments, Standard hotel amenity supplies such as towels, toothbrushes, razors will be provided. Any extra payments, such as room service, laundry, contents of refrigerator, charged to your room has to be paid individually upon check-out.

[IMPORTANT] Extra Nights Stay
We have found that significant number of teams need accommodation for nights before July 9 and/or those after Jul 17. To meet such needs, we have secured rooms in the NOMYC, arrange the accommodation as follows:
<Early Arrivals>
Those teams who comes to Japan on July 8 (or July 7) will be accommodated in the NOMYC. On July 9, the adult participants move to the Nippon Seinenkan Hotel.
<Late Departures>
We ask all adult participants to check out the Nippon Seinenkan Hotel in the morning of July 17 (Mon) and go to the Closing Ceremony at the NOMYC. Those who stay for the night of July 17 (and possibly for the night of July 18 also) will be accommodated in the NOMYC. Any adjustment of room charges (i.e. surcharges for single occupancy) associated with this arrangement will be settled at the Registration Desk. We apologize for inconvenience and appreciate your kind understanding. 

As stated in the preceding page, there are no supply of amenities in the NOMYC, except shampoo and soap in the bathroom. So bring your own towels, tooth brushes, tooth paste, etc, if you are going to stay some nights in the NOMYC. .

Miscellaneous
There is no dress code in IPhO2023. Tokyo in mid July is generally hot and humid. The daytime temperature can be anywhere between 30 to 35 Celsius. The rainy season may or may not be over by mid July, so there is a chance of occasional rain.

Some may feel freezing in some of the air-conditioned rooms. It is advisable to bring something to wear in order to adjust to the room temperature.

Bring a pair of comfortable shoes for excursions and other activities. Those who suffer motion sickness should bring an appropriate medication, especially for the one-day excursions with long bus ride.

You are recommended to bring a folding umbrella or a compact rain wear in preparation of occasional rain

The electricity in Japan is 100 volts and 50 Hz (in Tokyo area). The power plug sockets are type A. Make sure to bring a suitable power adapter.

Tap water in Japan is safe to drink. Coin-operated beverage vender machines are everywhere.

COVID-19
Since May, the COVID-19 has been down-categorized as common infectious disease. Accordingly, there is no special border measures concerning COVID-19. Infection prevention measures such as wearing of a mask are left to the individual personal discretion.
Still, we have to exercise due precaution to prevent infections. The organizer will prepare antibody test kits in stock for quick check. If you notice changes in your physical condition, do notify the staff of IPhO2023 organizer and visit nurse station. 

International Board Meeting
The International Board Meetings will be held in the meeting rooms on the 8th floor of the Nippon Seinenkan Hotel. The main meeting room (Room Yellow) is for leaders only. Observers can watch the monitor screen in another meeting room (Room Blue), or on-line broadcast from the hotel rooms. In the latter case, the TV set in the hotel room can be used as external display for your PC. If you want to utilize it, bring an HDMI cable.
The OlyExams Tool will be used for discussions, voting, translating, marking and managing exams. We trust the leaders are already familiarized with the operation of the OlyExams Tool by doing the trial work of translating the General Instructions.
Access to the OlyExams system will be via a WiFi network. Leaders and observers are expected to bring their own personal computers. Make sure to bring your international power adaptor. The power outlet in the meeting room is 100 volts and the power plug socket is type A. 

Calculators
All contestants will use CASIO fx-82cw calculator to be provided by the organizer. CASIO company provides a web-based emulator of the calculator with which students can practice the usage of the calculator in advance. The access codes have been sent to the leaders of the participating countries/regions. We trust the contestants had chance to practice the usage. In the afternoon of July 10 (Mon), there will be a session where usage of the CASIO calculator fx-82cw will be explained, and students can give hands-on practices.

Distribution of Experimental Kits
To each participating country/region, we will present one set of the experimental kit used in the exam. If you want more, you can purchase either brand new kits at a price of 80,000 JPY/set which is an actual cost, or used kits at a much reduced price. The exact price of used kits cannot be predetermined because it should depend on their condition after use. The number of sets that can be purchased is subject to the availability.

Excursions
<For Students>
Half-day excursions within the city of Tokyo will take place on July 12 (Wed) and July 14 (Fri).
A1. Yokohama
A2. Asakusa and Ueno
A3. Odaiba
One-day excursions in Kanto (greater metropolitan) area will take place on July 15 (Sat.) and July 16 (Sun.).
B1. Hakone
B2. Tsukuba
B3. Nikko
B4. Kamakura

Description of the excursion courses can be found in the Excursion Guide attached to the Second Circular. Note that the choices of excursion courses should be made on a team base. Namely, all students of a team must go together with an attending student supporter. There should be no going off on one’s own. 

<For Adult Participants>
Half-day excursions within the city of Tokyo for leaders, observers and guests will take place on July 11 (Tue) and on July 13 (Thu), while students are sitting for the exams. The destination will be “Asakusa and Ueno” and “Odaiba and Toyosu (fish market)“.
Safe trip to Japan.  We look forward to welcoming you in Tokyo.

The Organizing Committee of IPhO2023