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Flame Lit at Snowboarding Venue (February 7)
The Stadium for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies was not the only place where the Olympic flame was ignited on February 7, the day the Nagano Games opened. Each venue had their own flames lit, including Togari, which lies on the Olympic Road linking downtown Yamanouchi with a number of competition venues.Some 2,000 people gathered around the stand in Togari to watch Yamanouchi Mayor Shigeki Nakayama light the flame amid a big round of applause. Even though the flame wasn't as big as the one in the main stadium, it was a thrilling moment just the same.
Before the flame was lit, third and fourth graders at the Yamanouchi Minami Elementary School formed an Olympic ring using the flags of countries around the world. These Olympic symbols made people feel that the Olympics had finally arrived.
At the same time that the flame was ignited, candle ornaments made by students of Yamanouchi Middle School were also lit. The decorations, which were placed alongside the Olympic Road, were made by filling the bottom of clear plastic bottles with snow and inserting candlesticks. They made for a beautiful sight, as the bottles were shaded many different colors.
(Report from Yamanouchi Middle School: Y.A. and T.O.)
Students place candle ornaments made with plastic bottles.
The candles burn brightly against an early evening sky.
Children holding flags form an Olympic ring.
Mayor Nakayama lights the flame at Togari.