The Olympic Torch Relay will arrive in Nagano, Japan on April 26, 2008. The proposed route will begin at a vacated lot, formerly a municipal building, and follow an 11 mile route through the city.
Temple pullout
On April 18, 2008 the famous Zenkoji temple, which attracts over six million visitors a year, announced it would not be taking part in the torch relay ceremonies. Originally planned to be the starting site for the Nagano leg of the relay, monks at the temple said they would not be able to welcome the torch, citing concern for the treatment of Buddhists in Tibet. Since the announcement the temple has reportedly received hundreds of supportive letters and phone calls, but has also been vandalized with spray painted graffiti. Japanese police are investigating the vandalism incident to determine if it was related to the temple's stance on the Olympic Relay.
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References
Fast Facts
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Scheduled to arrive on April 26, 2008
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Planned to follow an 11 mile route through Nagano
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Originally planned to begin at the Zenkoji temple
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Monks at the temple canceled their plans to welcome the torch
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Relay will now begin at an emptied lot in the city
