title: 1998 Winter Olympics torch relay
text: # 1998 Winter Olympics torch relay
  
  The 1998 Winter Olympics torch relay was run from December 19, 1997 until February 7, 1998 prior to the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano. The route covered around 1,612 kilometres (1,002 mi) and involved over 6,916 torchbearers. Midori Ito lit the cauldron at the opening ceremony.
  
  ## Route
  
  ### Japan
  
  In December 1997, Midori Ito, silver medalist in figure skating at the 1992 Winter Olympics and Eishiro Saito, Chairman of the Nagano Olympic Organizing Committee, brought the Olympic Torch to Ryutaro Hashimoto, at the time the Prime Minister of Japan.
  
  ### Nagano Prefecture
  
  **Eastern Japan route**
  
  * 23 January: Kawakami, Minamiaiki, Minamimaki, Kitaaiki
  * 24 January: Koumi, Yachiho, Sakumachi, Usuda
  * 25 January: Saku, Karuizawa
  * 26 January: Miyota, Komoro, Kitamimaki
  * 27 January: Asashina, Mochizuki, Tateshina
  * 29 January: Wada, Nagato, Takeshi
  * 30 January: Maruko, Tōbu, Sanada
  * 31 January: Aoki, Ueda
  * 1 February: Sakae, Nozawaonsen
  * 2 February: Kijimaidara, Iiyama, Toyota
  * 3 February: Yamanouchi, Nakano
  * 4 February: Shinano, Toyono, Samizu
  * 5 February: Obuse, Takayama, Suzaka
  
  **Pacific Ocean route**
  
  * 23 January: Urugi, Neba, Hiraya, Namiai
  * 24 January: Seinaiji, Achi, Iida
  * 25 January: Shimojō, Anan, Yasuoka
  * 26 January: Tenryū, Minamishinano, Kami
  * 27 January: Takagi, Takamori, Matsukawa, Oshika
  * 29 January: Nakagawa, Iijima, Komagane
  * 30 January: Miyada, Hase, Takatō
  * 31 January: Ina, Minamiminowa, Minowa
  * 1 February: Tatsuno, Fujimi, Hara
  * 2 February: Chino, Suwa
  * 3 February: Shimosuwa, Okaya
  * 4 February: Ōoka, Ogawa, Nakajō
  * 5 February: Kinasa, Togakushi
  
  **Japan Sea route**
  
  * 23 January: Otari, Hakuba
  * 24 January: Miasa, Yasaka, Ōmachi
  * 25 January: Ikeda, Matsukawa
  * 27 January: Yamaguchi, Nagiso, Ōkuwa, Agematsu
  * 28 January: Mitake, Ōtaki, Kaida
  * 29 January: Kisofukushima, Hiyoshi, Kiso, Narakawa
  * 30 January: Shiojiri, Asahi, Yamagata
  * 31 January: Matsumoto, Hata
  * 1 February: Nagawa, Azumi, Azusagawa
  * 2 February: Misato, Horigane, Toyoshina
  * 3 February: Hotaka, Akashina, Shiga
  * 4 February: Ikusaka, Honjō, Sakakita, Omi, Sakai
  * 5 February: Sakaki, Kamiyamada, Togura, Koshoku
  