"Olympic Games Tokyo 1964 – National Stadium, Domestic Torch Relay Route & Competition Schedule (文部省)" Original Release Japanese Government Promotional Poster 1964 (Shōwa 39), Size (B1: 72.8 × 103.0 cm)
This is an original Japanese B1-format poster issued in 1964 by the Ministry of Education (文部省) in the lead-up to the Tokyo Olympic Games. Documented examples describe this work as an official Tokyo Olympics poster, printed at 728 × 1030 mm (B1), combining celebration and public-facing information in a single, highly legible composition.
Design
The poster is anchored by a sweeping photographic view of Tokyo’s National Stadium, with the monumental Olympic cauldron dominating the foreground—an image that immediately communicates the ceremony and spectacle of the Games. Above, the Olympic rings and the bold title 「オリンピック東京大会」 (“Tokyo Olympic Games”) establish instant recognition.
At right, a carefully structured “information panel” presents:
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Photographs and captions of key venues, including Komazawa facilities and the Yoyogi National Gymnasium (屋内総合競技場)
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A clearly drawn domestic torch relay route map (国内聖火リレーコース)
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A dense, functional competition-by-venue schedule chart (競技別会場日程一覧)
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The official imprint 「文部省」 (Ministry of Education), underscoring its governmental, public-information purpose
The result is a rare hybrid: part landmark photographic souvenir, part practical wall reference—exactly the kind of material that helped make Tokyo 1964 feel present in everyday civic life.
Historical context
The Tokyo Olympic Games (Games of the XVIII Olympiad) took place from 10 to 24 October 1964, and were notably the first Olympic Games held in Asia.
In Japan, Tokyo 1964 carried meaning far beyond sport—widely understood as a national presentation of post-war recovery and a new international outlook, with design and communications placed at the centre of that message.
Tokyo 1964 and the birth of modern Olympic “branding”
Tokyo 1964 is frequently cited as a turning point in how the Olympics were designed, communicated, and marketed. A formal design consultation framework was established early (from 1960), shaping a unified visual policy across posters, printed matter, objects, and venue communications. Under design critic Masaru Katsumi (勝見勝), responsibilities were assigned to leading creatives—most famously Yusaku Kamekura (亀倉雄策) for the symbol mark and posters, alongside figures such as Hiromu Hara and Sori Yanagi for other key elements. This coordinated programme is explicitly described as a model for later international events.
Equally influential was Tokyo’s systematic adoption of pictograms and graphic standards to communicate across languages—identified by the Olympic Studies Centre as a major shift beginning with Tokyo 1964, where simplified, standardized symbols formed part of a broader visual identity programme.
Condition
This poster is in excellent condition: colours remain vivid and the photographic detail is strong.
Please refer to the provided front-and-back photography, as the images show the exact poster being offered.
Authenticity
It is not a reproduction or later reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
