Nagano 1998

Olympic Winter Games Nagano 1998 Official Torch

Aluminum silver and gold hexagaonal torch with silver shafts morphing into gold that open up with five red rings horizontally at top. The hexagonal shape is meant to resemble snow crystals. Text and pictograms alternate on shaft sides. Each side with three different texts, "Nagano 1998," "The XVIIIes Olympique D'Hiver Nagano 1998," and "The XVIII Olympic Winter Games Nagano 1998." Nagano Olympic emblem above and Olympic rings near red-rimmed torch bowl. Near base, a yellow, cotton rope is wrapped, representative traditional Japanese design, with tassels extending 9 inches in length. 21.7 inches high.

Designer: Akio Haruhara
Manufacturer: Tokyo Katsura Co.

Fuel: Propane. Combustion duration approximately 20 minutes.

The shape of the Nagano Olympic torch reflects the Taimatsu, ancient Japanese torches, made of pine branches with the silver color representing a snow-covered landscape.

Start date: December 19, 1997, Olympia, Greece
End date: February 7, 1998, Multi-purpose Stadium, Nagano Japan
First Torchbeaer: Vassilis Dimitriadis
Last Torchbeaer: Midori Ito
Number of Torchbearers: 6,916
Relay length: 1001.7 miles