Tokyo 2020 unveils ‘cherry blossom’ Olympic torch
The organizers of the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo have chosen a Japanese motif — the cherry blossom — for their Olympic torch.
The design, unveiled on Wednesday, makes use of not only a traditional “Sakura-mon” blossom emblem but also the same aluminum extrusion technology used in the manufacture of the country’s well-known bullet trains. It will generate five flames from a cluster of petal-shaped cylinders.
“I think the torch is something special for all of us who love the Olympic Games and love sport,” said Tadahiro Nomura, a three-time gold medalist in judo who will serve as one of the torch relay ambassadors.
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Wednesday marked a year before the Olympic flame is due to arrive from Greece, beginning a long torch relay that will begin in the Fukushima area and travel through 47 prefectures over a span of 121 days.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for July 24 with competition running through Aug. 9.
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