Stories from Kochi Prefecture! 🔥 🇯🇵
✅ Surfers meet torchbearers 🏄
Kochi Prefecture, which is known for its long coastline and sandy beaches, has one of the greatest surfing spots in Japan. But this afternoon, this beach in Toyo City became a spot for the torch relay. 🌊
As the torchbearers ran on the sand, they greeted local surfers who looked on before hitting the waves.
✅ NISHIYAMA Hiromu was a high school student when the Great East Japan Earthquake struck. As a member of the local baseball club in Kochi at the time, he and his teammates collected old baseball equipment, repaired and donated them to schools in Tohoku. ⚾️
Today he is giving back again, this time to his own community by carrying the torch with pride for Kigayama City, where he grew up. He paid homage to the beauty of Kochi and to the beautiful people of his beloved hometown.
As he carries the Olympic flame, he also sends a message of hope to people during the COVID-19 pandemic. ✨
✅ Carrying the flame for Para sport 🎯
Para archer UEYAMA Tomohiro ran with the Olympic flame to put a spotlight on Japanese para sports. 🏹
✅ Top photographer takes the spotlight in Kochi 📸
This isn’t the first time NOMACHI Kazuyoshi has held the Olympic torch in his hands. In fact, he was a torchbearer when he was in high-school during Japan’s first Summer Olympic Games in 1964!
Now, 57-years on, he is back carrying the flame for his hometown as a celebrated photojournalist. 💞
#Tokyo2020 #OlympicTorchRelay #HopeLightsOurWay
AloJapan.com