The emblem of Sapporo 1972

Credit: IOC / Olympic Museum Collections

Japan's top eight designers put forward their ideas but it was Kazumasa Nagai's design that was chosen to become the official emblem of the Sapporo Games. It represents the combination of three independent elements- 1) the Rising Sun, symbol of Japan; 2) a snowflake (sketch of the coat of arms of an ancient Japanese family), symbol of winter; 3) the rings with the inscription "Sapporo '72".

(Credit: IOC. Click here for further information.)