Running News Daily

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch Relay will start it's 121 day journey March 26, 2020

The concept for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch Relay across Japan will be "Hope Lights Our Way", uniting the Japanese people around messages of supporting, accepting and encouraging one another.

The Olympic flame is often associated with a message of peace and hope, as it is carried around the host nation, and as such has become one of the most powerful symbols of the Olympic Movement.

In 2020, the Olympic flame will not only symbolise the sunrise of a new era spreading the hope that will light our way, but will also serve to spread the joy and passion of the Japanese around the Olympic movement as the Games approach.

Upon its arrival in Japan, the Olympic flame will initially be put on display at various locations in the Tohoku region, to help underscore this message of hope in the areas affected by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

The Relay will travel to all 47 prefectures in Japan, showcasing the varied cultural and scenic attractions of each region.

The Relay will commence on March 26 2020 in Fukushima Prefecture, and start its journey southwards. The torch is likely to traverse the inland prefectures of central Japan against the backdrop of Japan's famous cherry blossoms, which typically bloom there in early April.

The Relay will then proceed southwest until it reaches the islands of Okinawa, the southernmost prefecture of Japan, in early May.

It will make its way back up to the north of the country, passing through Kyoto in late May, all the way up to Hokkaido, where it will arrive in mid-June. The Relay will then turn southwards again and complete its long journey in Tokyo after spending three days in each of the four prefectures outside of the capital that are hosting events during the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

The torch will traverse Japan for a total of 121 days. The precise route of the Relay will be firmed up during the coming months and announced in 2019, following approval by the IOC.

March 12 is the lighting ceremony in Olympia Greece and the Greek leg of the Tokyo 2020 Torch Relay will continue until March 19 when there is a handover ceremony in Athens, Greece.

The Flame arrives at Matsushima Airfield, Miyagi, Japan on March 20, 2020.