1998 Nagano Opening Ceremonies - Lighting of the Cauldron

This is the entrance of the Olympic Flame into the Olympic Stadium by Chris Moon and the Lighting of the Cauldron by Midori Ito. Hosted by ?Andrea Joyce & ?Jim Nantz. Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko watch the hand-off which includes:
Chris Moon, Makasaka Cheesa, Takanori Kono, Hiromi Sizuki and Midori Ito on Feb 7th 1998, Nagano, Japan.

[@HattieLovesCattie]

Bless her hear.You can see Midori Ito trying hard not to cry there.

[@Starrybluegal]

I remember this well. I was 19. I fancied the pants off Chris Moon. I wrote a letter to him and got a reply back! I was starstruck at the time to get a letter from someone who carried the Olympic Torch. I heard he's doing a major trek across the desert, I think he did it last year. I heard rumours back in 1998, that Princess Diana was going to carry the Olympic Torch for her charity with landmines - but she passed away the year before so I think that why Chris Moon did it for her. xx

[@Yuhon100]

It is true, it was supposed to be Princess Diana, but she passed away 6 months before the 1998 Nagano Olympics.

[@ardanor]

How subtle, elegant, and Japanese.

[@victormatavercosa]

Hope they get solemn, simple and beautiful like this in 2020

[@rayraygunner]

I remember watching this on tv when I was 10. I never forgot this moment. After all this time it still brings tears to my eyes every time I watch it.

[@RK831]

When Midori Ito lit he cauldron, looking on at 5:52 is the eventual gold medal winner of women's figure skating for that Olympics, Tara Lipinski.

[@ErikButterworth]

When Chris comes around with the Snow Children and presents the Olympic Flame to Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, it must have been a great honor for Chris to present the flame to Japan's Imperial Family. Chris must have felt so proud right there as he stood before the Emperor and Empress with the Olympic Flame before handing it off to one of Japan's Olympians to finish the relay and have Midori light the Olympic Cauldron. He even continued running with the Snow Children after handing off the Torch. Lucky guy, great show of respect there to symbolize Japan atoning for Pearl Harbor and everything else they did during WWII.

[@MsPlayfulspirit]

I screamed as soon as her music started. I knew who she was, and I was such a huge fan I cried ♥️

[@mlc2005]

LOVE Midori ITO!!!!!

[@selvianuradha2490]

Yes

[@apodino]

I remember this song from the Ceremony in Nagano. Its a beautiful song.

[@Yuhon100]

It is, the song that the children sang, I love hearing it, it is enjoyable to hear it.

[@pakkmann]

I find the inclusion of Chris Moon to be one of the most moving Olympic Ceremony moments ever. His book is great if you are interested.

[@JBluver18]

LOVE this opening ceremony. Can't wait for Tokyo in 2020!

[@Yuhon100]

Me too, I can't wait to watch Tokyo 2020, for the 2nd time they (Tokyo) host the Summer Olympics, just can't wait to find out who will be the final torchbearer, this is the last time opening ceremony were held in daytime.

[@danog7803]

That comment didn't age well

[@danog7803]

@@Yuhon100 hey I am from the future. No Olympics :D just Corona

[@selvianuradha2490]

Andhika aqil light the cauldron in 23 July

[@ShimaJiro2205]

I was relieved to know the video and the audio were normally transmitted from Japan to the United States.

[@sxymike12]

This is the first Olimpix opening ceremony I remember. I remember the music and the cloudy weather verry well.

[@hyacinthoides]

midori ito!

[@HamzooPineda]

Covid ruined what could have been the greatest opening ceremony in Tokyo.

[@brzydallo]

love 5:50 when they show Tara Lipinski for the "new era" (she doesn't know yet she'll be the youngest Olympic champion so far) just after Midori

[@user-nf1fl1qg4w]

the atmosphere is so calm.;;;

[@Vid7872]

Magnificent Midori!

[@pteleos]

very plain and beautiful ceremony! well done Japan

[@Yuhon100]

Yes, it is Japan hosted the wonderful Olympics that I will never forget, love the children sing "When children rule the world."

[@pabloguerrero7560]

Who else watched the infographics video about him

[@pikachick222]

that is so cute!!!

[@2exeexe]

クリスいつまでもお元気で。英雄です。

[@dianelightfoot531]

I cried then, I cried tonight

[@PinoThePizzaman77]

One of the best opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics

[@junkao8624]

My favorite one!

[@armandoenriquez1104]

After Japanese Athletes, this program is streaming and CBS Lighting of the Cauldron.

[@mellowboy23]

well that song eas really corny, but Midori Ito lighthing the cauldron with Puccinni's Madama Butterfly in the backgroud was amazing

[@jmwoods190]

Probably one of the best choreographed Olympic cauldron lightings ever. Right up there with Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and Pyeongchang 2018!

[@akawhippy]

they sound so adorable

[@blueyedlash]

Where's the first half of this video from the 1998 Winter Olympics? Like as in the beginning of the torch passing.

[@PJNinetySeven]

Tokyo Win Bid of Summer Olympics in 2020. Congratulations from Thailand.

[@tripleaxell]

was that tara lipinski at 5:52?

[@canadianmike711]

They sing and run at the same time

[@jmahrky]

yes it was in fact:)

[@apodino]

That was beofre the IOC awarded the winter and summer in blocks, they did it by olympics. CBS did the Winter olympics in 1992, 1994, and 1998. Its been exclusively NBC since.

[@Yuhon100]

I felt that CBS did much better than NBC, NBC have poor coverage when I watched last month's Olympics in Rio.

[@SonicBob94]

My Friend Nathan was born on (September 11, 1998)

[@rachaelsmith8764]

the snow children are super cute

[@selvianuradha2490]

I can't wait beijing 2022 and torchbearer

[@CamilleNadia]

Such a shame there was such a huge time difference--you knew the results of the night's events by the time you got up in the morning.

[@skorber]

the children are singing!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

[@ahmadfadhillahneezam9485]

What song it is? 0:40

[@ranelproductions]

2002 Salt Lake City?

[@ShimaJiro2205]

オリンピックは、太陽と共にあるべきです。 There should be the Olympic Games with the Sun. This text translates Japanese into English by computer.

[@UKenn78]

Not a bad way to light the cauldron of the last Olympics of the 20th century. This, Muhammad Ali in Atlanta, the Skijumper in Lillehammer, and the archer in Barcelona more than made up for that atrocity in Sydney when the cauldron malfunctioned.

[@Yuhon100]

Yes, this is a beautiful lighting of the Olympic cauldron.

[@spaceBoba]

wasn’t sydney two years later?

[@hanoi3335]

クリスムーンに感激

[@soloyuymaxwell]

Waa~! XD Asian children are so cute! -Squeeshes them-

[@julius923]

Sounds like your pretty rude...dude. Will you be booing your own olympics?