Official 2020 Tokyo Olympics torch, used in the run from Olympia to Sparta, Greece, in March 2020 before the relay was shut down. 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. Complete with its original storage cylinder and tissue paper wrapping.
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 will be completed with the opening ceremony on July 23, 2021. An appealing torch representing the 'flame of recovery' and the resilience of the Olympic spirit.
