Official Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics torch, constructed of recycled aluminum from temporary housing used after the Fukushima, Japan, disaster in 2011. Designed by Tokujin Yoshioka and inspired by Japanese cherry blossoms, the torch measures 28″ long and 4.5″ at its widest point. Finished in a 'sakura' rose-gold color, the torch has a fluted design featuring five petal-shaped columns around the tip, with the "Tokyo 2020" wreath emblem and Olympic rings on the front. The five separate flames from the ‘flower petals’ come together as one at the center of the torch to give off a brilliant light known as the ‘Path of Hope.’ The torch is missing its bottom cap. Includes its original storage cylinder.
The Olympic flame was lit in a traditional ceremony in Olympia, Greece, on March 12, 2020, and the relay continued for one day, traveling through Amaliada, Pyrgos, Kyparissia, and Kalamata, before arriving in Sparta. On March 13th, the Hellenic Olympic Committee announced that the remainder of the relay would be canceled to avoid attracting large crowds amidst the coronavirus contagion. The handover ceremony took place at Panathenaic Stadium in Athens on March 19th, and the flame was subsequently flown to Japan, where it remained lit for a year in anticipation of the postponed Games. The relay resumed in Japan in March 2021, and was completed with the opening ceremony on July 23, 2021. An appealing torch representing the 'flame of recovery' and the resilience of the Olympic spirit.
