Sapporo 1972 Winter Olympics Pennant

This commemorative textile pennant from the Sapporo 1972 Olympic Winter Games bears important design elements of the first Winter Olympics in Japan. They were also the first Winter Games outside Europe and North America.

The emblem of the Games can be traced in the central part of the pennant. It consists of three elements: the rising sun of the Japanese flag, a snowflake - based on an ancient Japanese symbol - and the Olympic rings.

Underneath the emblem, nine pictograms represent the sports contested in the Games. Their design was based on those of the Tokyo 1964 Summer Olympics, when pictograms were used for the first time in the Olympic Games. These stylised graphics aim for efficient orientation and communication with participants and spectators.