The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are now officially just one year away, and the city is already filled with festivities and surprises from every corner. The first round of ticket lottery for Japanese residents has come and gone, the venues announced, and now the medal design has been revealed.
Photo: tokyo2020.org
Over 400 entries were submitted to the nationwide contest and the winning design comes from Osaka-born Junichi Kawanishi, who is the director of the Japan Sign Design Association and the Osaka Design Society. This is Kawanishi’s first foray in designing for an international affair. His medal design stood out for its sleek aesthetic that references both Japanese and Olympic elements.
The ribbon adorning the medal is also inspired by Japanese tradition. Ichimatsu moyo, a navy and white checkered pattern popular in the Edo period, will be a main feature on the ribbon; the same design is also used in the Games’ official logo. The colours, on the other hand, are inspired by kasane no irome, a colour layering technique associated with the kimonos. These traditional elements are then fused with modern technology, where the tactile ‘silicone convex lines’ allow the wearer to identify if the medal is gold, silver or bronze just by touch.
Since the beginning, sustainability has always been a guiding force for the Tokyo 2020 Games. Just like the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, these medals will be made with recycled electronics. Last year, the public was invited to donate their unwanted cell phones and other small electronics, from which gold, silver and bronze will be extracted and made into 5,000 medals for the winning athletes. These medals will be made domestically by Japanese craftworkers.
For more information, visit the Tokyo 2020 official website.