Japan revealed the 2020 Olympics official torch design. Designed by Tokujin Yoshioka, the beautiful rose gold beacon is made to resemble Japan’s most celebrated national flower: the cherry blossom (or sakura).
Yoshioka incorporated the sakura motif into the design using a single sheet of aluminum metal. In fact, it’s made using the same cutting-edge technology as Japan’s shinkansen bullet trains. Yoshioka also pays homage to the heroic efforts of those who had to rebuild their lives after the devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2011—around 30% of the 71cm-long, 1.2kg torch is made from recycled aluminum that was used for temporary housing units. Yoshioka reveals, “Cherry blossoms drawn by kids in the disaster-hit area inspired me.”