Japanese firm unveils the official torch for 2020 Olympics, which can keep its flame alive in heavy rain, 38mph winds, and was made with recycled aluminum from shelters used after the 2011 Fukushima disaster
- Shinfuji Burner Co. has revealed the official torch for the 2020 Olympics
- It was inspired by the cherry blossom flower and made with recycled materials
- The torch blends two different kinds of fire and can withstand wind and rain
Today in Japan, the official torch that will be used in the 2020 Paralympic Torch Relay leading up to the Summer Games in Tokyo was unveiled.
The torch was designed by Shinfuji Burner Co, has produced camping stoves, gas lanterns and a variety of other gas illumination devices.
The design features a central cylinder wreathed by five outer cylinders meant to evoke the five petals of the cherry blossom flower.
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The torch for the official 2020 Paralympic Torch Relay was unveiled in Japan, designed by Shinfuji Burner Co.
Each of the five outer cylinders will carry a flame that will mix together at the top of the torch, and the center cylinder will have a second blue flame made with a higher oxygen mixture that will allow it to withstand extreme weather.
According to a report in The Asahi Shimbun, the flame will be able to withstand winds of up to 38mph and rainfalls of up to two inches per hour.
‘It would be unforgivable if the flame were to die out during the torch relay,’ Shinfuji’s Hiroshi Yamamoto told The Asahi Shimbun.
‘I could not afford to relish the challenge and felt only pressure, but I have found the project very rewarding.’
The torch housing was made with 30 percent recycled aluminum taken from the temporary houses built to house people after the Fukushima disaster in 2011.
10,000 torches will be produced by Shinfuji, roughly one for each of the estimated 10,000 runners who’ll carry the Olympic flame.
They’ll take turns running segments of a course that will pass through all 47 of Japan’s prefectures before finally bringing it into Tokyo for the Opening Ceremony on July 24th.
Before settling on the final design Shinfuji created more than 100 different prototypes, using a small team of designers and engineers who were all sworn to secrecy.
The torch is made with 30percent recycled aluminum taken from temporary shelters created for people displaced during the 2011 Fukushima disaster
The design was inspired by the cherry blossom flower and blends two different types of flames to ensure it can stay lit in 38mph winds and rainfalls of up to two inches an hour
The team conducted final testing in an indoor baseball stadium with rain and wind machines.
The Olympic Torch Relay, will commence on March 26, 2020 in Fukushima Prefecture and continue for 121 days.
The torch weighs 2.5 pounds and is a little over two feet long.
