Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) president Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani declared the Games closed at Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium in Nagoya on Sunday, with the torch passed to Doha, Qatar, which is scheduled to host the next Asian Games in 2030.
17,000 athletes competed across 43 sports
The Aichi-Nagoya Games brought together about 17,000 athletes and officials, with 469 gold medals contested across venues stretching from Tokyo to Osaka.
The competition featured a record 43 sports, including debut appearances for padel, mixed martial arts, teqball and surfing.
However, the scale of the Games presented major challenges for organisers, who had initially planned a more streamlined event.
Accommodation and transport problems
One of the biggest criticisms centred on the decision not to construct a traditional athletes' village.
Instead, participants were accommodated in hotels, temporary wooden container units and a cruise ship as organisers attempted to control costs.
The organisers had planned for around 15,000 athletes and officials but registrations eventually reached about 17,000.
Some athletes reportedly waited as long as 12 hours to complete registration, while others encountered double-booked rooms or accommodation assigned to the wrong teammates.
Transport was another major problem, with shuttle buses sometimes failing to arrive or taking athletes to incorrect venues. Several competitions were delayed as a result.
South Korea's delegation was particularly critical, with its chef de mission reportedly giving the organisation an “F”.
There were also diplomatic and ceremonial mistakes, including the South Korean flag failing to appear for the national anthem after the country's men's football team won gold against Japan. Earlier in the Games, the North Korean anthem was mistakenly played for South Korea's men's hockey team.
Teenage stars light up the Games
Despite the organisational difficulties, the sporting action produced several memorable performances, particularly from a new generation of Asian athletes.
China's 13-year-old swimmer Yu Zidi was named the female MVP after winning three individual gold medals.
Her compatriot Zhang Zhanshuo, 19, made history by becoming the first swimmer to win seven gold medals at an Asian Games.
Japan's 17-year-old Shin Ohashi also captured attention by breaking the world record in the men's 200m breaststroke.
In athletics, 18-year-old Chinese javelin thrower Yan Ziyi won gold, while Thailand's 20-year-old sprinter Puripol Boonson claimed both the men's 100m and 200m titles and was named the men's MVP.
China tops the medal table
China finished at the top of the medal standings with 341 medals, including 169 golds.
It was China's best medal haul at an Asian Games held outside the country.
Japan finished second with 269 medals, including 83 golds, setting a new national record for gold medals at an Asian Games and surpassing its previous best from Hiroshima in 1994.
Poor crowds add to concerns
The Games also struggled to attract spectators at several venues.
Fewer than 1,000 people reportedly watched Japan's women's football semi-final against South Korea at a stadium with a capacity of 50,000.
Other venues were also sparsely attended, although organisers pointed to the distance between some competition venues and difficulties accessing them.
Despite the criticism, the OCA declared the Aichi-Nagoya Games a success and praised the organisers' cost-conscious approach.
Doha next in 2030
With the closing ceremony bringing the Games to an end, attention now turns to Doha, Qatar, which is scheduled to host the 2030 Asian Games.
However, the OCA could consider moving the event to 2031 so that it can potentially serve as an Olympic qualifying competition ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.
The Aichi-Nagoya Games will therefore be remembered for two contrasting stories: the remarkable emergence of a generation of young sporting stars and the organisational difficulties that overshadowed parts of Japan's hosting of Asia's biggest multi-sport event.