Society

Olympic torch relay route unveiled

Jun 02 (NHK) - Japan's Olympic organizing committee has unveiled a tentative torch relay route for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics that features cultural and scenic attractions around the country.

The route announced on Saturday showcases historical structures, cultural assets and symbols of hope for recovery from natural disasters.

They include a replica of a "miracle pine tree" that survived the 2011 tsunami, and Kumamoto Castle that was badly damaged by earthquakes three years ago.

Several World Heritage sites, such as Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima Prefecture, Mount Fuji, Himeji Castle in Hyogo Prefecture, and Kintaikyo Bridge in Yamaguchi Prefecture, are also featured.

The course includes venues used in previous Olympic Games, including the Hakuba Ski Jumping Stadium in Nagano Prefecture from the 1998 Winter Olympics and Komazawa Olympic Park in Tokyo used in the 1964 Summer Olympics.

The relay for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games will begin in Fukushima Prefecture on March 26 next year and will travel through all 47 of Japan's prefectures over a four month period, covering 857, or about half of all municipalities, in the country.

The organizing committee will announce the precise route in late December.

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