The Rugby World Cup trophy has begun a tour of Japan to mark 100 days to go until the start of the 2019 tournament ©Getty Images

The Rugby World Cup (RWC) trophy has begun a tour of Japan to mark 100 days to go until the start of the tournament.

The Webb Ellis Cup is due to visit all 12 host cities as well as Kyoto, before arriving at Tokyo Stadium for the opening match between Japan and Russia on September 20.

Japan is the final stop of an international trophy tour that saw the Cup visit 19 countries.

World Rugby also marked the 100-day countdown by unveiling the official countdown clock in Tokyo, while the locations of the fanzones have been announced.

There will be two each in Sapporo, Odori Park and Station South Plaza; in Tokyo, at Sports Square and Chofu Station; at Sumpu Castle Park and Entetsu Hall in Shizuoka Prefecture, and in Tennoji Park and Hanazono Cuo Kouan Baseball Stadium in Osaka.

Fan parks are also planned in Kamaishi, Kumagaya, Yokohama, Toyota City, Kobe, Fukuoka, Kumamoto and Oita.

The Webb Ellis Cup has embarked on a 100-day tour of the country and will visit all 12 host cities ©Getty Images
The Webb Ellis Cup has embarked on a 100-day tour of the country and will visit all 12 host cities ©Getty Images

The 2019 tournament marks the first Rugby World Cup held in Asia, with World Rugby claiming more than 80 per cent of available tickets have already been sold.

A record 400,000 international visitors are anticipated to arrive in Japan between September and November, while World Rugby says more than 100,000 fans have purchased tickets through official travel agents – surpassing the total sold for England 2015.

World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “Rugby World Cup 2019 will be a very special global celebration of rugby that has fans and players at heart.

“With 100 days to go I am confident that Japan 2019 will be a game changer on every metric – the most socially and economically impactful, the most transformational, the most-viewed and engaged and, we believe, the most competitive Rugby World Cup to date.

“Rugby World Cup is about bringing people together to celebrate rugby, its values and to have fun and I am predicting a truly spectacular event on every level. 

"It has been wonderful to see this event fully embraced by the people of Japan from Sapporo in the north to Kumamoto in the south.

“From the stadia to the fanzones and across the host cities, we are looking forward to a unique festival atmosphere as the world’s best players bid to win rugby’s greatest prize.”