"I cannot believe we are finally here", International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons said as he invited Emperor Naruhito to make the short opening declaration.

Such is the grandeur of an Olympic Opening Ceremony that the challenge for producers was to put on a show with a distinctive Paralympic imprint.

Most will surely feel that they achieved their objective.

In previous years, the ceremony has included personalities as diverse as Jose Carreras, Liza Minelli and Professor Stephen Hawking.

This time, the cast was predominantly Japanese, drawn from auditions which attracted some 5,500 from across the country.

In order to make sure it was safe for those with disabilities to take part, some 12 accessibility coordinators were included in the cast.

As with the opening of the Paralympics in previous years, there were inevitably variations on set pieces seen a few before at the Olympic Opening Ceremony.

A month ago, there had been a performance of "Kiyari", a traditional Japanese work song chanted by firemen.

This time, the first big number was "Karakuri" a dance sequence inspired by Japanese mechanised puppets, in which the show directors described performers as "anthropomorphised screws and springs."

The setting for the ceremony was established as a "Para Airport", described as a hub for aircraft, and most importantly, where change begins.

Many of the cast wore blue work suits reminiscent of "Super Mario."

In the opening sequence, as they set about "moving the pumps, springs, and levers, which all begin moving together, gradually setting the Karakuri machinery in motion."

The "Winds of Change" had been the central theme of a ceremony to open what Parsons had hailed as the "most transformative sports event on earth."

He promised that "the outstanding legacy is a new perception of disability."

Thirteen-year-old schoolgirl Yui Wago, who has upper and lower limb dysfunction, made her debut in the parable of the "Little One-Winged Plane."

It might well prove to be the start of a showbusiness career for her. She had never acted before, but was plucked by show producers from public auditions to take the starring role.

"We were mesmerised by her natural ability, despite her lack of performing experience," show producers said.

Episodes of the story ran through almost the entire ceremony.

"The airplane only has one wing. I also can’t use my left hand much either. That was something we had in common," Wago said.

"On the other hand, the little airplane doesn’t have the courage to fly, whereas I’m the type to just give things a go."

Other cast members represented planes which were able to "fly" despite the obstacles they faced. 

These included Moeka Machida who has learning difficulties, Yusuke Matsuzaki who had undergone an above-knee amputation, burlesque performer Chibimoeko suffering from congenital achondroplasia, Ken Kanokozawa who is deaf, Yuta Itani who suffers from cerebral palsy and 69-year-old Mitsuko Takeuchi who went blind and used mobile smartphone technology to help guide her performance. 

All had overcome their problems to participate in the Ceremony.

The finale used light projection and theatrical effects to show how the plane finally "musters her courage and streaks down the runway at full speed. Before long, she takes off into the night sky, her wing shining brightly. We have wings!”

It brought back recollections of Australian Nikki Webster who was the same age as Wago when she was handed a starring role in the Sydney 2000 Olympic Opening Ceremony. Webster also "flew", although in her case it was through the air on a high wire. For Webster it was the prelude to a career in the music industry.

The 1964 Tokyo Games had featured some new musical compositions and today, the ceremony had Ikiru, a song specially written to accompany the entry of the Paralympic Flame. This was performed by an ensemble featuring performers with impairments.

It also featured sounds of the trees of the regions affected by the earthquake and tsunami in 2011.

Since the last Paralympic celebration on Japanese soil back in 1998, the three "Tear Drops" emblem on the flag had been replaced by the three "Agitos."

These had been represented by 10 metre balloons during the Tokyo 2020 Ceremony.

As at the Olympic opening, flagbearers had included essential workers in tribute to those who had been at the forefront of the pandemic.

When the flag reached the stage, it was raised by the Japanese Self Defence Force to the strains of Hymne d’Avenir, (Hymn to the Future), the official Paralympic hymn written by French composer Thierry Darnis which had been adopted by the International Paralympic Committee in 1996. 

This had been re-arranged for Tokyo by Shuta Hasunuma.

Rain had begun to fall as the ceremony reached its climax.

For some, this will have brought back memories of the ceremony at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana Stadium in 2016.

Then, Brazil’s first Paralympic champion Marcia Malsar briefly lost her footing and dropped the Flame on the slippery surface, but recovered to cheers from the crowd.

Happily there were no such mishaps here. A Flame lit at Stoke Mandeville where the Paralympics had first been established as "Paraplegic" Games in 1948 was united with those kindled at ceremonies across Japan’s 47 prefectures. 

There had been some 1070 Torchbearers, participants deliberately brought together with those they did not previously know.

When it reached the Stadium it was carried in groups of three. This was to "give everyone an opportunity to reflect on a new partnership between humans."

Whereas the Cauldron had been positioned on a platform designed to symbolise Mount Fuji for the Olympic Opening ceremony, this time it was on a much lower and more accessible stage for the three final lighters.

Wheelchair tennis player Yui Kamiji, boccia player Shunsuke Uchida and powerlifter Karin Morisaki formed the final trio to set the Cauldron alight.

As with the Olympic Flame, the Cauldron will also burn at the Yume no Ohashi bridge.