"Olympic Games 1964 Tokyo - The Official Poster Suite (Complete Set of Four in Original Tokyo 1964 Organizing Committee Tube)" Original Release Japanese Promotional Poster 1961

Tokyo 1964 — The Official Poster Suite (Complete Set of Four)
Yusaku Kamekura (art direction & layout); Osamu Hayasaki (photography); Jo Murakoshi (photo direction)
Organizing Committee for the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, Tokyo, 1961–62

Original first‑issue Japanese promotional posters (set of four) | Photogravure in colours and offset lithograph | Printed in Japan by Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. and Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.

Comprising

1. The Rising Sun and the Olympic Emblem (graphic flag with Olympic rings and “TOKYO 1964”) — design by Yusaku Kamekura; credit at upper margin “design: yusaku kamekura / printed in japan / toppan printing co., ltd.” (55 x 102cm)

2. The Start of Sprinters’ Dash — photogravure after a photograph by Osamu Hayasaki; credit lower right “Art Direction & Layout: Yusaku Kamekura | Photo Direction: Jo Murakoshi | Photograph: Osamu Hayasaki | Printed by Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. Japan.”  (c.73 x 103cm)

3. A Butterfly‑Swimmer — photogravure after a photograph by Osamu Hayasaki; credit lower right “Art Direction & Layout: Yusaku Kamekura | Photo Direction: Jo Murakoshi | Photograph: Osamu Hayasaki | Printed by Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. Japan.” (c.73 x 103cm)

4. An Olympic Torch Runner — photogravure after a photograph by Osamu Hayasaki; credit top margin “Art Direction & Layout: Yusaku Kamekura | Photograph: Osamu Hayasaki | Printed by Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. Japan.” (c.73 x 103cm)

Provenance & Accompaniments
— Retained rolled since issue; accompanied by the original Tokyo 1964 Organizing Committee mailing/storage tube, printed with the official emblem and address (Akasaka Palace, Minato‑ku, Tokyo) and bearing period manuscript notations (see photos). The tube provides direct evidence of official distribution.

Condition report
An exceptional, untouched set: vivid inks and fresh surfaces; no pinholes, tears, or repairs; never folded, linen‑backed, or mounted. Only the most minor handling ripples and faint, inevitable edge toning from long storage—consistent with nearly six and a half decades of storage. Please refer to the detailed images provided; they depict the exact posters offered. Minor light-stain to back paper only (yaketeru); no show-through to the display side.

Catalogue note
Issued beginning in February 1961, Yusaku Kamekura’s celebrated suite for the Tokyo Games married crisp modernist typography with daring colour photography—among the first Olympic posters to do so. The series was released in four designs: “The Rising Sun and the Olympic Emblem,” “The Start of Sprinters’ Dash,” “A Butterfly‑Swimmer,” and “An Olympic Torch Runner.” The first poster (the national flag and rings) appeared in a large inaugural distribution to seed excitement for the Games, followed by the three athlete images captured by Osamu Hayasaki under the photo direction of Jo Murakoshi.
Praised internationally for technical excellence in colour photogravure and bold, reductive design, the set helped define the visual identity of post‑war Japanese design and earned a number of accolades, including recognition at Milan.

Rarity & significance
Ultra‑rare in any state and exceptionally scarce as a full, unused set—let alone with the original Organizing Committee tube. These examples present with remarkable colour saturation and surface gloss, having been rolled and undisturbed for roughly 65 years. A museum‑worthy ensemble that encapsulates the design language of Tokyo 1964 and the emergence of Japanese modernism on the world stage.

Certification
Certificate of Authenticity included.