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Gorgeous Photos Show What The Last Tokyo Olympics Looked Like In 1964

Over 50 years ago, Tokyo hosted its first modern Olympics. It looked very different from the games today!

By by Pia Peterson

BuzzFeed News Photo Editor

Posted on July 29, 2021, 8:12 pm

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{ "id": 127489568 }

{ "id": 127489618 } Don Uhrbrock / Getty Images

Balloons float over the stadium at the opening of the Summer Olympics.

{ "id": 127489611 } Al Fenn / Getty Images

Torches that had been carried by runners on different routes around Japan are joined into one at a pre-Olympics ceremony outside the Imperial Palace.

{ "id": 127489909 } Bettmann / Bettmann Archive

Local practice at the Komazawa National Stadium prior to the opening of the Olympic Games.

{ "id": 127489705 } AFP via Getty Images

Japanese Olympic torch runner Yoshinori Sakai from Hiroshima raises his arm after lighting the Olympic torch during the opening ceremony.

{ "id": 127489724 } Bettmann / Bettmann Archive

The German team marches onto the field during the opening ceremony.

{ "id": 127489631 } Pictorial Parade / Getty Images

Aerial view of the Meiji shrine and Olympics site in Tokyo.

{ "id": 127489643 } Bettmann / Bettmann Archive

One of Japan's top runners, Saburo Komizo of Chuo University, works out with a remote-controlled running pacer in Tokyo's national stadium.

{ "id": 127489610 } Al Fenn / Getty Images

Start of the 10,000-meter run at the 1964 Olympics.

{ "id": 127489644 } Keystone / Getty Images

Ginko Abukawa-Chiba of Japan performs her floor exercise during the women's artistic team all-around gymnastic competition.

{ "id": 127489734 } Mondadori Portfolio / Mondadori via Getty Images

Two Italian cyclists talk to some Ethiopian athletes.

{ "id": 127489645 } Keystone / Getty Images

Gold medalist Henry Carr of the United States salutes the crowd with silver medallist Paul Drayton (left) and third-place bronze medallist Edwin Roberts of Trinidad and Tobago after winning the men's 200-meter competition.

{ "id": 127489654 } Keystone / Getty Images

Alfred Kornprobst of the Unified Team of Germany competes in the men's lightweight weightlifting competition.

{ "id": 127489652 } Keystone / Getty Images

Gold medalist Peter Snell (center) of New Zealand celebrates with silver medalist Josef Odlozil (left) of Czechoslovakia and bronze medal–winning compatriot John Davies on the podium for the final of the men's 1500-meter race.

{ "id": 127489673 } - / AFP via Getty Images

American runner Bob Hayes practices starts with New Zealand's Doreen Porter.

{ "id": 127489676 } AFP via Getty Images

Japanese runner Yoshinori Sakai from Hiroshima carries the Olympic torch during an opening ceremony rehearsal.

{ "id": 127489678 } AFP via Getty Images

Photo of the Olympic torch before the commencement of the Olympic Games.

{ "id": 127489708 } Keystone / Getty Images

Kenneth Sitzberger of the United States competes in the men's 3-meter springboard diving competition.

{ "id": 127489717 } Keystone / Getty Images

Laszlo Felkai of Hungary puts the ball past goalkeeper Bruno de Hesselle of the Netherlands during their men's water polo tournament Group B match.

{ "id": 127489719 } Keystone / Getty Images

The start of the men's individual cycle road race.

{ "id": 127489720 } Bettmann / Bettmann Archive

Henri Chaumartin of Switzerland performs in the team dressage finals with teammate Gustav Fischer, who placed second.

{ "id": 127489622 } Keystone Features / Getty Images

The Yoyogi National Stadium Olympic Village, where the athletes would live for the duration of the Games.

{ "id": 127489682 } EPU/AFP via Getty Images

Pigeons fly over the national delegations taking part in the Olympic Games parade during the opening ceremony at the Olympic Stadium.

{ "id": 127489568 }

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  Pia Peterson is a photo editor at BuzzFeed News, and is based in Brooklyn.

  Contact Pia Peterson at [email protected].

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