Host city Nagano , JapanCountries visited Greece, Japan Distance 1,612 kilometres (1,002 mi) Torch bearers 6,916 Start date December 19, 1997 End date February 7, 1998 Torch designer Akio Haruhara No. of torches69,010
A torch from the relay The 1998 Winter Olympics torch relay was run from December 19, 1997 until February 7, 1998 prior to the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano . The route covered around 1,612 kilometres (1,002 mi) and involved over 6,916 torchbearers. Midori Ito lit the cauldron at the opening ceremony.[1]
In December 1997, Midori Ito , silver medalist in figure skating at the 1992 Winter Olympics and Eishiro Saito , Chairman of the Nagano Olympic Organizing Committee , brought the Olympic Torch to Ryutaro Hashimoto , at the time the Prime Minister of Japan .[2]
Nagano Prefecture [ edit ] Nagano city route commenced on 6 and 7 February before the opening ceremony
Eastern Japan route 23 January: Kawakami , Minamiaiki , Minamimaki , Kitaaiki 24 January: Koumi , Yachiho , Sakumachi , Usuda 25 January: Saku , Karuizawa 26 January: Miyota , Komoro , Kitamimaki 27 January: Asashina , Mochizuki , Tateshina 29 January: Wada , Nagato , Takeshi 30 January: Maruko , Tōbu , Sanada 31 January: Aoki , Ueda 1 February: Sakae , Nozawaonsen 2 February: Kijimaidara , Iiyama , Toyota 3 February: Yamanouchi , Nakano 4 February: Shinano , Toyono , Samizu 5 February: Obuse , Takayama , Suzaka Pacific Ocean route 23 January: Urugi , Neba , Hiraya , Namiai 24 January: Seinaiji , Achi , Iida 25 January: Shimojō , Anan , Yasuoka 26 January: Tenryū , Minamishinano , Kami 27 January: Takagi , Takamori , Matsukawa , Oshika 29 January: Nakagawa , Iijima , Komagane 30 January: Miyada , Hase , Takatō 31 January: Ina , Minamiminowa , Minowa 1 February: Tatsuno , Fujimi , Hara 2 February: Chino , Suwa 3 February: Shimosuwa , Okaya 4 February: Ōoka , Ogawa , Nakajō 5 February: Kinasa , Togakushi Japan Sea route 23 January: Otari , Hakuba 24 January: Miasa , Yasaka , Ōmachi 25 January: Ikeda , Matsukawa 27 January: Yamaguchi , Nagiso , Ōkuwa , Agematsu 28 January: Mitake , Ōtaki , Kaida 29 January: Kisofukushima , Hiyoshi , Kiso , Narakawa 30 January: Shiojiri , Asahi , Yamagata 31 January: Matsumoto , Hata 1 February: Nagawa , Azumi , Azusagawa 2 February: Misato , Horigane , Toyoshina 3 February: Hotaka , Akashina , Shiga 4 February: Ikusaka , Honjō , Sakakita , Omi , Sakai 5 February: Sakaki , Kamiyamada , Togura , Koshoku References [ edit ] External links [ edit ]
Olympic and Paralympic torch relays
Olympic
Paralympic