
Last modified: 2023-06-10 by  zachary harden
 zachary harden
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 ![[Flag for Sapporo Olympics 1972]](../images/o/oly@w11.gif) image by Zachary Harden, 30 August 2017
image by Zachary Harden, 30 August 2017
Sapporo, Japan, 1972
The 1972 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XI Olympic Winter
Games (第十一回オリンピック冬季競技大会 Dai Jūichi-kai Orinpikku Tōkikyōgi Taikai),
was held from February 3 to February 13, 1972 in Sapporo, Hokkaido,
Japan. It is the first Winter Games to occur outside of Europe and
North America and it will be one of two Winter Games that Japan will
play host (Nagano was host in 1998). 
Zachary Harden, 30 August 2017
For the logo itself, the Nippon Design Council at
https://www.ndc.co.jp/works/sapporo-olympic_1971/ shows a brief
summary 
of what went into the logo. The designer Kazumasa Nagai, Graphic designer and 
Senior Executive Advisor of Nippon Design Center, was a part of the 1964 Tokyo 
Design Committee and participated in the contest to design the logo for those 
games. Using the winning design of Yusaku Kamekura as his template, he created 
an emblem that used the Hinomaru, a snowflake (both to symbolize winter but also 
similar to "First Snow" family crest (kamon) pattern, it represents traditional 
Japan) and the use of the Olympic Rings and "Sapporo 72" brought a feel that 
both 1964 Tokyo and 1972 Sapporo, while distinct events, were all together in 
the sense of a rising Japan. Also the logo was three separate parts that could 
be rearranged, which we will see in the flag, and makes the logo fluid according 
to the NDC. According to the Official Report of the 1972 Winter Games, this logo 
competition was closed to eight designers and Nagai's design was adopted at the 
fourth meeting of the Organizing Committee held in December of 1966. Like the 
1964 Tokyo Games, there was a graphic design manual that showed how the logo is 
supposed to be used.
For the flag, at
http://modspants.c.blog.so-net.ne.jp/_images/blog/_947/modspants/E69CADE5B98CE382AAE383AAE383B3E38394E38383E382AF21.jpg 
are two flag like objects present at this museum in Sapporo. However, looking at 
the Official Report and for any evidence of these flags or banners being used in 
the time frame, I have not found anything. From thumbnails of the official 
design guide, there are banners used but do not match anything at the museum. 
However, what is consistent is that the colors used for the three sections 
(white/red for the first section, blue/white for the second and white/blue for 
the third). I drew both flags and will present them here.
Zachary Harden, 
30 August 2017
The flags used at the opening can be seen at
http://publish.illinois.edu/undergradlibrary/2012/08/02/olympic-glory-illini-style/: 
Olympic Games, Japan, Hokkaido, and Sapporo. The Games flag is not even there. 
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg,, 18 October 2017
 
![[Flag for Sapporo Olympics 1972]](../images/o/oly@w11p.jpg) image located by Nozomi Kariyasu, 18 October 2017
 
image located by Nozomi Kariyasu, 18 October 2017
I found a Sapporo Olympic Games pennant on Yahoo Japan auction for sale.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 18 October 2017