The Witches of the Orient (2021) - full transcript

Help!

What's happened to you?

A monster trapped me...

Don't worry.

You're very kind.

Thank you so much.

I'm freezing...

What's happening to me?

Ah, she's tricked me!

The monster...

it's her!



The Witches of the Orient.

There have been many tales over the years
about the Witches of the Orient.

But they have rarely
spoken in all that time.

With great kindness,

some of them agreed

more than 50 years
after their magical feats

to relive their moment in history.

Bon appétit!

It looks good!
It's rice with sweet chestnuts.

Oh really?

They're in season.

When was the last time we met?

Wasn't it in August?

During the shoot.



The 12th of August.

It was the Ancestors' Festival.

Back then I was living far away

and now I'm just round
the corner by comparison.

Tanida, have you come from Osaka today?

- I live in Kyoto now.
- In Kyoto?

She's living with her daughter.

Oh really?

- Yes, my other daughter's here.
- Here in Kyoto?

Aren't you living with
your youngest daughter?

Yuka's had an operation.

Oh? Is that so?

We're a little worried
but that's the way it is.

The newspapers said...

that some witches had come from Japan.

That's the first time we'd heard of it...

Witches! Honestly...
We didn't have hooked noses!

What rubbish!

Are you joking?

You mustn't make fun of people!

We didn't understand.

In Japan, saying that somebody is a witch
isn't very kind.

Witches have hunched backs
and pointed noses.

They do their tricks and things.

And nobody likes them.

Us? Witches?

At first we were surprised.

We were reminded that

witches were endowed
with supernatural powers.

So, in actual fact, that suited us fine.

My maiden name was Matsumura Katsumi.

I was witch number 7.

I was born in Osaka.

My parents were farmers.

Yes, they were real farmers.

I went to Shitennoji high school.

In Shitennoji.

It had the reputation of being the best
for volleyball.

And it also gave
a good all-round education.

Players like Matsumura Yoshiko

and Tanida

went there before I did.

My forebears, so to speak.

And they were really very good.

Nichibo had already taken them on.

And so, I was the next young one

to follow that lineage.

'It's your turn to join Nichibo.'

That's what they told me.

And so I was taken on.

At the time,

let's say...

Nichibo in Kaizuka
was the place for volleyball.

They were the strongest team in Japan.

We worked like everyone else
and on top of that,

we also had volleyball.

'Just because you play volleyball

doesn't mean you get
special treatment.'

That was coach Daimatsu's attitude.

We got up at 6am.

There were four women to a room.

But only one player in each room.

We did the cleaning together.

Then we went to the
factory together at 8am.

And then up until noon,

we worked at the factory.

After that, up until 1pm,

it was our lunchtime.

From 1.30pm,

we went to the gym.

The way it worked was that
the substitutes would get there first.

Starting with the youngest of them...
and that was me.

We numbered about a dozen
and we cleaned the gym.

We had to arrive before everyone else
to get it all ready.

We scrubbed the floorboards,

we pumped up the balls

and put up the net.

We had to do all of those things.

Those were the tasks of the youngest...
the substitutes.

Coach Daimatsu used to say:

'Even after three years,
a substitute is still a beginner

and has to do the work of a beginner.'

When we'd finished,

the senior players joined us in the gym.

They only came in
when the preparations had finished.

And then once we were together,

we started the taiso,

our muscle-strengthening exercises.

And then...

the captain came in.
She was always the last to arrive.

Captain Kasai made her entrance.

She got the balls and started the session.

She led it at the outset.

Between 5 and 5.30pm,
after he'd finished his work,

coach Daimatsu would arrive.

And at around 6pm,

he'd take over the training session
from the captain.

And then it was relentless training.

Right up until midnight, 1am or even 2am.

It was just him, Daimatsu, training us.

He did all of it by himself.

Snacks and the like were in the breaks.

And supper,

was after training.

So that could be at one, two or even three
in the morning.

We ate supper only after training.

So quite often,

we only had three or four hours of sleep.

About 30 minutes to the south of Osaka,

near the station of Higashi Kaizuka

there's a factory surrounded
by paddy fields.

On this site in November 1953 arose,

the Nichibo Kaizuka volleyball team.

The players get up at 6.30 in the morning.

At 8am, they're at work in the factory.

At 4.30 in the afternoon,

they get changed to go to the gym

to start their training.

They'll do that right up until midnight.

For these players, this is their
daily ritual. Day after day after day.

They often repeat this drill
two hundred times.

After winning all the domestic titles
in Japan,

the Nichibo Kaizuka
textile factory works team

is chosen by the Japanese
volleyball federation

to represent Japan at the 1960
volleyball world championships in Rio.

The team, containing Kinuko Tanida
and Emiko Miyamoto, lose in the final.

A few weeks after the defeat,
several new players are drafted in

and the squad leaves for
a three-month tour of Europe.

Kasai was nicknamed 'horse'.

Because her face was...

rather like a horse's face.

Isobe was nicknamed 'Achako'.

At the time there was
a famous comic called Achako.

He had a particular way of walking
and Iso walked like him.

She walked like this
with her toes pointing inwards.

That's why the coach
nicknamed her 'Achako'.

Status: Starter.
Profile: Receiver. Skill: Service.

I was 'Futen the dreamer'.

Why Futen?

Because I looked as if I was in another
world no matter what was happening.

I was always up with the clouds.
I was the dreamer.

Status: Starter.
Profile: Forward. Skill: Speed.

'Fugu Blowfish'.

Handa, 'the blowfish'.

Because it didn't take much
to get her angry.

Status: Starter.
Profile: Forward. Skill: Jump height.

'Pai the Mah-Jong tile'

a true white one.

Why?

As soon as I started training,
my cheeks went red.

It happens straight away.

It's all over my face.

If I've been applying myself
or not during training,

it's obvious.

In fact, when he spoke to us,
the sensei always used nicknames.

All those I've just told you,
Kasai, Miyamoto, Handa, Matsumura,

we used our own nicknames
when we were together.

Quite honestly, we wondered
how he'd come up with them.

It didn't bother us
at all that he gave us nicknames.

But if someone from outside the group
had addressed us in such a way

we'd have been furious.

Status: Substitute.
Profile: Setter. Skill: Strategy.

'Chabin the kettle'.

That was me. Matsumura Katsumi.

I always had a shiny face,

just like the metal kettles.

I guess it was obvious
that I'd be nicknamed 'kettle'.

A nickname is a lot shorter.

So rather than shouting Miyamoto,
you scream her nickname.

It helps get things clear.

'Pai!' is much shorter and punchier
than 'Tanida'.

It's more efficient if you're angry.

Status: Substitute.
Profile: Forward. Skill: Explosive.

'Chitro'.

When we were in Europe,

there was a drink called 'chitronada'.

You drank it from a glass
and it was slightly sparkling.

If you didn't drink it straight away,
it became flat and tasteless.

Maybe my dizzy look
reminded him of lemonade.

And so I became 'Chitro'...

So, Tanida, is this water?

I didn't say it wasn't.

It's water!

Who told you it was alcohol?

I offered you my glass of water

and then I passed it over to you.

That is just your kind of joke.

Yes, it's true.

Just like always.

I was right.

Thank you.

I remember your jokes...

It's a shame
that I didn't have your wits.

That's true.

I really don't know
what you're talking about.

'Restless'.

Hello.

It's Kanda.

It has been a long time.

How are you?

Yes, I'm fine.

And your mother? How's she?

She's not in great shape
but more good days than bad ones.

Oh really? It must be difficult.

As a matter of fact, yesterday,

Tanida, Handa,
Matsumura and Shinozaki,

all met up with me in Kyoto
at the Century Hotel.

And during lunch,

as usual,

we talked about all kinds of things
and we had such a good time.

We were so sad your mother wasn't there,

Miyamoto would have had a ball.

Kasai and Isobe are no longer with us,
and so we can't do anything about that.

How we missed your mother.

She would have loved
to have been with you...

The last time we saw her

was at Komazawa,

for the party at the gym.

Your mother was there and
she was on such good form.

And now, three years on...

It was just afterwards
that she started to go downhill.

It's true that your
mother often had falls.

If she hadn't had a fall, she'd be okay.

In any case,

my dear Saki,

it must be difficult for you
with your father and mother.

Take care.

Thank you very much.

My name is Matsumura Yoshiko.

Witch number 5.

I was a receiver.

A 'rolling' receiver.

My father was called up
for the second world war

and he died far away on a battlefield.

Yes, that was my father's lot.

My mother was a civil servant.

So my mother,

my older sister and younger brother

as well as me all lived together.

At the start we were:
'The Typhoon from the Orient'.

We swept away opponents in Bulgaria,

Romania, Poland and Czechoslovakia.

And because we crushed them,

it was said
that a typhoon had come in from the east.

But they also said that in the USSR

the typhoon would blow out.

That's what the media was saying.

But we won there as well.

It was at that moment,
after the 22nd match

after we'd beaten the USSR,

after the sweep of 21 matches

that we became
'The Witches of the Orient'.

In Japan, being a witch isn't exactly
what you'd wish for yourself.

But it seemed that abroad, in the USSR,

witches can pull off feats
that are impossible for ordinary people.

We only saw the
landscapes through windows.

But all that we saw,

was very different
from what we knew in Japan.

It was the same for the players

we were seeing in the flesh
for the first time.

When we were at high school,
we never went on foreign tours.

So when we saw them up close,

they seemed huge.

They really did.

For example,
we found Bulgaria really rustic.

Romania, on the other hand,
seemed really pleasant.

As for the matches themselves,

I played in some of them

and I was proud to have had
a part in the success.

I really was.

However, when we returned home
after 22 victories on the trot,

at Haneda airport,

a huge crowd of journalists
was waiting for us.

It was a big surprise.

All nine of us lined up.

But then...

there was one photographer.

We were there with Kasai,
Daimatsu, the starting team

and the three substitutes.

I was the youngest
so I was at the back... the 9th.

The photographer said that we were getting
in his way and that we should leave.

When I heard that,

after all that I had given
during the matches,

I flew into a rage.

It was then that I realised
that more than just featuring,

I had to play as part
of the starting team.

It was that photographer
who wised me up.

The three substitutes
were getting in his way.

He only wanted the starting team
and not the substitutes.

Even with the effort
we'd put into the 22 match winning streak,

we weren't considered
as a part of the success.

But what could I do
to become one of the six starters?

These six were absolutely brilliant.

They were installed
and it was impossible to get in.

Shortly after our return, my destiny
as a volleyball player was sealed.

Nakajima, one of the starting team,
decided to retire.

She was only 1m 63cm tall.

And coach Daimatsu
chose me to replace her in the team.

He brought me in.

And that's how I became
one of the starters.

But there were five older players.

I had just turned 20.

We had to play in the world championships

in Moscow.

There was a big chance

that if we lost to the USSR,

I'd be blamed.

People could have said:
'They would have won with Nakajima.

But they lost because of Matsumura.'

Journalists loved writing
that kind of stuff.

So, you can bet your life,

I did my very utmost

to knuckle down

and get into the best shape possible.

Wonderful!

That's the captain of the USSR team!

The favourite for tomorrow's final is,
without a doubt, the USSR.

How are the Japanese women
going to beat them?

The first line is like an iron curtain.

And even if we get through that,
the defence is infallible.

Receivers and attackers
can all jump really well.

Even if you don't take all that into
account, success seems difficult.

So, what's your plan
for the Japanese team?

Mr Okano? The plan?

Of no matter.

What are you saying?

The training session of the USSR team
is of little importance.

Whether it's their attack or defence,

nothing has changed.

They haven't got any new techniques!

That's rubbish.

You believe...

It's not important!

I'm going out to get some fresh air...

Which photograph do you want to use?

You choose. Pick a good one.

Mr Okano!

He says it's of no importance!
I don't get it!

October, 1962.

Moscow,
the former seat of the tsars,

has become the epicentre
of the volleyball world.

Some 400 players from 21 nations

have converged on the city

for the fourth world championships.

The USSR's
men's and women's teams

are the defending champions.

They will vie to retain their titles

in a stadium worthy
of Soviet ambitions.

And so the world
championships are upon us.

Never have there been so many contenders
for the ultimate prize.

35 teams from 22 countries
in Europe, Asia,

Africa and South America,
all gathered here to fight for the title.

However, the main threat in these
championships could be right here.

Remember these faces well.
These women from Japan

could pose the biggest obstacle to the
aspirations of the Soviet volleyball team

as they battle for the gold medal.

Everyone wants to know
their thoughts.

Especially those of the captain,
Masae Kasai.

'Tell us about your match
against the Soviet team

at the last world championships.'

"It was a life and death struggle.

In Brazil, the Soviet players
were better than our players.

But over the last four years,

we've dedicated ourselves
to preparing for the battles ahead.

And now we're ready."

It's a tough defeat for the hosts.

By contrast, the Japanese team
and their coach are in seventh heaven.

And if I had not witnessed their victory,

I would have probably thought
that these young women,

had not been successful.

It turns out that the joy of victory can

also manifest itself in this way.

The coach and players had fulfilled
their side of the bargain.

The Nichibo Kaizuka team
was the best in the world.

The story could end there.

However, volleyball had become
an event at the Olympics.

And for Japan, the Witches of the Orient

could be worth their weight in gold.

You go first.

Who goes next? It's Ryo's turn.

You need to make sure we get a good look
before you turn it back over again.

If you do it quickly like that,
we can't see anything.

Yes, that's the way to do it.

Right, your turn Ryo.

Which one?

My maiden name was Tanida.

Tanida Kinuko.

Witch number 3.

Let's get a good look...

I was born in Ikeda.

The town of Ikeda in Osaka prefecture.

My father was called Kamekichi.

Fude was my mother's name.

And for a living...

they sold milk.

I can't find it.

Ah, got it. A lucky break.

After the world championships?
I wanted to stop.

I had given so much
I didn't think I had any more to give.

I was exhausted. I'd had enough.

We all had the intention to stop
after the world championships.

However, the Olympic Games
came after the world championships.

And we were, let's say...
reminded of the Olympics.

We knew that the
executives in the

volleyball federation
wouldn't let us stop.

They made it very clear indeed
that we couldn't step away.

Despite all that, we were also clear.

We didn't want to go on.

But, in the end,

we all agreed to continue
until the Olympic Games.

There you go, you've got them all.

My maiden name was Shinozaki Yoko

and now it is Tamura Yoko.

I was witch number 10.

I was born in Tokyo
in an air-raid shelter.

My dad was a cook.

A chef.

My mother made Japanese clothing,

like kimonos.

I worked in the warehouse.

It was at a factory
that received supplies.

It was a textile factory.
So there was a warehouse

from where we would receive
these supplies.

I would check and sign them in

and I would stamp the invoices.

That was my work.

At the start, when it came to diving...
because I was ungainly,

I cracked a rib.

It hurt whenever I coughed.

It hurt if I lay on my back
when I was in bed.

I went to hospital

and they said that I'd bruised the rib.

I thought that I was
going to have to rest.

But the doctor said resting didn't really
make a difference for a bruised rib.

'It heals itself after about a month, '
he said.

'You don't have to stop training.'

'You can carry on!'

I wrapped a cushion around my ribs.

But whenever I jumped, it was
like I was getting an electric shock.

I ended up getting used to the pain...

Our coach used to say:

'Make good passes
so the attack is incisive.'

Most of the time we spent in training

was given over to making good passes.

The most difficult bit of training

was when there were two of us
in a line on the court.

And we had to score 10 points
in order to get substituted.

It didn't matter how
many attempts you made.

To get replaced,
you had to score 10 points.

For some, even if they had to dive
100 times, they never got to 10 points.

For others, they only needed 50 attempts.

It depended on how
sensei threw the balls.

You would receive the ball.

You'd receive the ball
sent over by the coach

and you had to send it upwards.

That was worth one point.

But for that,
you'd have to run to get to the ball

and not miss the receiving strike.

At that moment,

you had to be
in the best position possible

to send the ball back as high as possible.

Whatever position you were in,

you had to make sure
it was a useful set-up shot.

You had to programme your body
to always give an upwards pass.

If you messed up a pass,
one point was taken away.

You'd often reach 9 points
and think about getting to the end.

You'd be saying to yourself...
just one more point and it will be over.

But we were so tired and weakened

that there'd be one ball
that you couldn't deal with properly.

You'd lose the point
and you'd be back to eight points.

And if things got worse,
you'd drop to 7, 6 or 5 points.

You could even find yourself at minus 10.

At that point,
recovering took enormous willpower.

After that kind of collapse,
you really didn't want to mess up a pass.

No matter how exhausted we were
or how close to passing out

our bodies would come through.

Missing the pass was out of the question.

If you did,
it would come back to haunt you.

Just after I started,
finishing time was around 11pm.

But because we had to get to 10 points,

on bad days,
it would go on and on and on.

I remember one day...

just after finishing our bath, we
bumped into the workers arriving at dawn.

We said: 'Good morning'
and 'Good night' at the same time.

Training was as long as necessary.

A profoundly shocking experience

chilled by this fanatical striving

winners of 137 consecutive contests
since 1960.

They practise six days a week,
51 weeks a year.

His grim, wild-eyed
intensity is frightening.

Even in Japan,

they called Daimatsu 'The demon'.

That's what other people said.

Those who were overseeing our progress

would come to see us.

And after two or three visits,
they'd be struck by the way we trained.

They were very impressed

and said that our coach was a demon.

Was he really?

Training sessions were tough
and well-organised.

But that was as it should be.

It was due to the discipline and the
harshness that we became so strong.

It wasn't by fooling around that

we became a good team
and such powerful players.

We were all on board

and we accepted
the need for tough drills.

But now, if you look back,

of course you can think it was
tough but we didn't see it that way.

Not at all.

Yes, it was certainly rigorous.

And there were times
when I wanted to get away.

And moments when I wanted to quit.

But I couldn't.

Some people said it was all too much.

Teachers and parents of the pupils
also complained.

They wanted this kind of energy
to be spent on studies.

But really?
For the students, playing in a club

teaches them how to live
in a way that books can't do.

This forthright young teacher
is really embarrassing.

Anyway, I can't dismiss
the complaints of pupils' parents.

I'm just asking you
to take them into consideration.

But I've already warned you
that I would implement my methods.

Well, on that subject,
let's talk about these methods.

Not all the pupils have taken to them,
have they?

You need to ask yourself some questions.

Okay, it's agreed. And understood?

Do you think so? Do I look happy?

If the pupils no longer want me
as their coach,

I will resign in a heartbeat.

Following the exploits of the Witches...

there was a boom in manga, cartoons
and animés on women's volleyball in Japan.

At the forefront:
Chikako Urano's Attack no1 in 1968.

For the past 50 years,
all these stories have had a common theme:

The harshness of training

and the need for a 'secret weapon'.

Judo falls?

In the beginning,
we fell to the floor like in judo.

We fell like that... on the side
and then you got up.

First we trained on carpets,

then we went and did it on the court.

But I don't think

that the coach was thinking of judo
at the beginning.

It was more...

Daruma dolls.

Do you know of the Daruma dolls?

Darumas are roly-poly dolls.

They stand up straight away
if you push them.

And they inspired him.

Seeing those gave him the idea
of receiving the ball while rolling.

Well, that's what we were told.

To be the best in Japan,
new techniques were needed.

And to be the best in the world,

they had to be fine-tuned to perfection
so that we could beat anyone.

And so,

we followed his tactics to the letter

and spent as much time as necessary
learning his rolling moves

so that it became part of us.

There was nothing like: 'This hurts',
'This is difficult, ' or 'This is boring.'

We had chosen to follow the way
of the coach and we were with him.

He wanted us to trust him
and we trusted him.

And we did it...
it all came through training.

At the start it hurt a lot,

then less and less.

To protect ourselves during training,

so that we didn't hurt ourselves,

we came up with
all sorts of tricks and devices.

We used to put on cushions,

and bits of stuffing.

We also put pads on our shoulders

and when we received
the ball from the

coach, we pushed it
up as high as possible.

That was training.

We all had to get through that

and we did by adapting to the technique.

It was the same thing for sleep. We didn't
get enough. That's just the way it was.

Our bodies got used to it.

We forced them to get used to it.

It was us who forced them
to get used to it.

When we had our periods...
we talked about it within the group.

We kept that kind of thing in-house.
And when it was too hard,

we came up with little tricks
so we could get a bit more rest.

We'd cover for each other
if we needed a break

so Daimatsu wouldn't notice anything.

We looked after each other.

Daimatsu was famous for having survived
several months in the Burmese jungle

during the second world war.

Exhausted by hunger and lack of sleep,

all the men under his command
emerged alive from the ordeal.

Even if he did deprive
the Witches of sleep,

he took them out once a month

at his own expense

for a trip to the cinema.

When we were young,
we all looked at Daimatsu

and we all thought that we'd love to marry

someone like him.

Oh, he was charming
and looked distinguished.

He was handsome

and he spoke in such a wonderful way.

If he said: 'Imbecile!'

It didn't sound as if he was telling you
off because he spoke with such composure.

When he asked: 'What are you doing?'

Was he angry?

Perhaps he was or maybe not at all...

You never knew with him.

At that time,

several of us
didn't have a father at home.

Of the starting six in the team,

I didn't have a dad,

Isobe had lost both her parents,

and Tanida's father wasn't there.

Miyamoto didn't have her mother.

Only Handa

and Kasai had both of their parents.

Oddly enough,

he was the same age as my father.

And yet he could have also been

the kind of man you'd want to marry.

When I returned to a normal life
after volleyball,

I found everything surprisingly easy.

For example, at work,
when my colleagues were complaining

about being tired, or hungry,
or too hot or too cold,

I couldn't really understand it.

If I was a bit peckish,
it didn't bother me at all.

The heatwaves in the summer...
left me cold!

And I was never tired.

Everything seemed so easy.

I was convinced that
by making an effort,

I would arrive at my goal.

But I discovered that when it
comes to educating children...

it's not only a question of will.

I don't know what went on
before I arrived in the team,

but there was massive pressure.

What had changed was
that the gold medal was the target.

In Japan,

all our fans were convinced

that we were going to win the gold medal.

We felt this pressure
right the way through our training.

Just before the Olympics
we went to do a training camp in Wakayama.

It was even tougher
than our sessions at the factory.

And even though we were used to those,
we all lost weight during the camp.

Tokyo had been chosen
to host the 1940 Olympic Games.

There were no Olympic Games in 1940.

And now it's the closing ceremony
of the Olympic Games.

We formally declare
the closing of the 11th Olympic Games

and, as is the tradition,

we invite young people
from all over the world

to gather in four years in Tokyo

to celebrate the 12th Olympic Games.

On 26 May, 1959, Tokyo was selected
to stage the 1964 Olympic Games.

A chance to move on
from the second world war;

an opportunity to showcase
Japan's powers of recovery

and to project its new image to the world.

The stakes were high.

Two events were scheduled
to make their Olympic debut:

Judo,

and volleyball.

At that point,
recovering took enormous willpower.

It wasn't by fooling around that

we became a good team
and such powerful players.

We worked at the factory.

We all worked together.

I did my very utmost

to knuckle down

and get into the best shape possible.

There was nothing like: 'This hurts';
'This is difficult, ' or 'This is boring.'

Of course you can think
it is tough but we didn't see it that way.

Do you know of the Daruma dolls?

Darumas are roly-poly dolls.

They stand up straight away
if you push them.

Yesterday, for the first time,
the Syncom 3 satellite

transmitted images from Japan
to the United States for a TV programme.

The broadcast included
the rehearsal for the torch ceremony

and a message from the American president
Lyndon B Johnson.

He said: 'Both the United States and Japan
can be thanked for this magnificent symbol

of the cooperation that strengthens
the ties between our two countries.

'I hope to see this
satellite communication

system spread across the world.

'This system can contribute so much
to the understanding of peoples.

'It is a vital step on the path towards
establishing lasting peace in the world.'

After President Johnson's message,
Japan's foreign affairs minister,

Mr Shiina, replied.

He said it was apt
that the Olympic Games

a symbol of peaceful competition
between nations -

should be the first broadcast

from Asia to the United States.

Shiina also said he hoped

that the first broadcast
would strengthen ties

between the two countries.

October 10th, 1964.

And now in the stadium,
there is total silence

as spectators await the arrival of
the Olympic flame.

And here it is.

The torch was lit on 21 August 1964

in the presence of
King Constantine II of Greece.

In that ceremony at the ancient site
of the Olympics,

a high priestess wearing a white robe,
lit the flame in a bowl

which had been heated
by the rays from the sun.

And now, here is that same flame,
that has crossed continents.

It arrived yesterday in Japan
and spent its first night on Japanese soil

in a cauldron in front
of the Imperial Palace.

This flame is being carried by someone

who has been deemed
Japan's most worthy.

A 19-year-old student, Yoshinori Sakai,
has been anointed.

He is a first-year student
at Waseda University.

He was born on the day the atom bomb
was dropped on Hiroshima.

He was officially chosen on 18 August
as the flame bearer.

He was selected
because of his fluid stride,

physique and good looks.

His 17-year-old brother,

who is a student
at Meguro High School,

was chosen as the flame bearer

when the flame passed through
the city of Hiroshima.

It's Yoshinori Sakai who will light up
the vast National Stadium

and the flame will burn throughout
the Games in Tokyo.

The lighting of the flame at Olympia
and the subsequent torch relay

were introduced at the 1936 Olympics
in Germany.

The flame then went on to burn
for the length of the games

at the main stadium in Berlin.

October 23th, 19644:05 pm.

On the 23rd of October,
the judo final was just before ours.

It was between Kaminaga and Geesink.

I watched the final.
It was early in the afternoon.

I watched it.

And I saw Kaminaga beaten.

Geesink won the gold medal.

When coach Daimatsu
saw us in front of the TV,

he got angry.

'I told you not to watch that!'

He was livid that we were watching TV.

I still remember it.

We really believed
that we couldn't stay in Japan.

We talked about it in the team...

'We'll have to leave Japan
if we lose in the final.'

'Where will we go?'

Because we liked the Romanians,
we thought about Romania.

They'd invited us. 'If you lose,
come to us!' they'd said.

And we spoke about that.

Akio Kaminaga's defeat in the Kodokan,
the shrine of judo,

was a huge disappointment in Japan.

Several hours later,
Japan's five national TV

stations transmitted the
women's volleyball final.

More than 50 years later,
the broadcast remains

one of the most watched
events on Japanese TV.

On the big day,

we were confident of success.

When we went onto the court,
we weren't frightened.

We had trained so well

that we were certain that we could win.

It's 7.30pm on the 23rd of October.

The eagerly awaited
women's volleyball final

pitting Japan against the USSR
is set to begin.

The Japanese team:

Kasai, Miyamoto,

Tanida, Handa,

Matsumura and Isobe

are the best players.

The Soviet team has improved
since the world championships.

It's surprisingly true.

They're moving faster today.

Miyamoto smashes.

The ball's back to Japan's court.

An Isobe smash to the left!

And it's in!

Roschina to serve.

She's 23-year-old and stands
at 1 metre 69 centimetres.

She serves to the back of the court.

Isobe was a bit flat-footed there...

Tanida passes to the right...
Miyamoto...

The Soviets get the ball...

That's a bad pass
and it's with the Japanese.

Tanida takes,

Matsumura passes.

Isobe hits!
But that came to nothing.

The Soviets have the ball
and send it back.

The Japanese... in a good position,

Kasai... and Isobe smashes!

It's in! Strike's good!

In the gymnastics, Latynina,
from the USSR, has taken the gold.

Her compatriot Astakhova... silver

and Ducza from Hungary
collected the bronze.

As a Soviet won the gymnastics,

the women volleyball players
are obviously keen to claim gold too.

They lost the first set.
And now it's 1-1 in the second.

Mischak powers down a smash
but the Japanese manage to recover it.

Kasai passes and Tanida hits,

but the Soviets block.

The ball is back with Japan...
Matsumura.

Kasai...

Tanida... Smash!

The Soviets recover...

It's on their side...
Ryzhova... Ryskal and it's in!

Score.

The ball squeezed through the block
and went out over on the right.

Mischak...

Ryzhova...

Kamenek... hits!

But Isobe is under it...

Tanida...

Handa fires down...

Ryskal manages to retrieve it...

the ball is back with the Japanese...

Matsumura...

Kasai pats it into the space!

That little dink worked brilliantly!

The skipper Kasai

bamboozled the opposition
with that shot!

Superb play from the wily veteran.

The Japanese captain
showing all her experience there.

Isobe serves...

Soviets receive.

Ryskal smashes down...

Out! The ball is out!

One point for Japan
who take the set 15-8.

Second set to Japan.

You didn't see that coming.
Ryskal completely messed that up.

Ryskal has missed...

several smashes today.

Japan have won the second set
after that error from Ryskal.

First set, 15 points to 11.

And the second, 15-8.

It took 30 minutes for the opener.
24 minutes for the second.

Japan annihilating
the Soviet Union.

Japan are two sets to the good.

And you can't say they don't deserve it.

The Japanese are in great shape.

They're seeing the spaces really well.

Another point
from the service of Matsumura.

It's her third today.

The third for Matsumura,

and Ryskal still failing.

There was spin on the ball.

It must have changed direction.

Ryskal went to the right

and fell in front of the ball.

Matsumura sends over another serve.

Ryskal is again the receiver,
she knocks to...

Kamenek hits...

the Japanese have the ball...
Matsumura...

Miyamoto... Kasai
who pushes it back.

Soviets in with a chance here...

Ryzhova!

Isobe keeps it alive...
good play there...

Handa pushes it up...

Kasai with the smash!
And it's a winner!

Isobe did really well there.

Great pass from Handa
to set up the skipper.

That was a good strike
from Kasai.

Japan have three top
attacking players.

They're all so strong and versatile.

Miyamoto pushes
into the forecourt.

Mischak pushes it up.

Ryskal!

'The rollin' receive',
Japan's secret weapon!

The ball is back with the Japanese...

Kasai passes...
Isobe hits to the left.

It's in!

Japan have got the serve back.

Handa serves...

Gureeva receives...

Good pass.

Gureeva smashes!

But it's picked up by Handa.

And Tanida can hit...

The set-ups haven't been effective...

and the ball returns
to the Japanese court.

Tanida passes, Miyamoto hits!

The Soviets block...
Did someone touch the net?

No whistle.

The Japanese have the ball again...

Handa, Kasai,

and Isobe on the left!

But the Soviets get it back.

Ah, they just mistimed that!

The ball's with the Japanese now.

But it's too long.
It's a blow for the Soviets.

Another point to Japan.

They lead 10 points to 3.

October 23th, 19648:47 pm.

The ball's down in the Japanese court.

Another point to the Soviets
who are coming back. 13-8.

Japan's coach, Daimatsu,
has called for a time-out.

His players have 13 points.
They're attacking and defending well.

- That's true.
- Daimatsu won't have much to say.

He's just got to tell them
to finish the Soviets off.

And not to get worried.

Just keep on doing
what they've been doing, is that it?

- No need to get flustered.
- Exactly.

8:49 pm.

Japan have the serve.

Isobe with the delivery.

A few steps back, serves.

It's a good deep service.

She targeted Buldakova,

Ryzhova passes
but she totally missed it!

Japanese in with a chance here.

Kasai passes,

Matsumura hits! It looks good...

It is good!

Match point to Japan!

They're edging nearer to victory.

Just one more point
for the ultimate triumph!

8:50 pm.

The spectators
are on the edge of their seats.

Ryskal serves.

Handa receives,

Isobe sends the pass back,

and Matsumura hits!

It's a double hit and out!
That's good enough for Japan.

Mischak...

Mischak tried to push the ball up
but it didn't work.

It's 14 points to 10.
It's Japan's second match point.

Matsumura's got the ball.
She's served well today.

Will this be the decisive one?

She looks at the Soviet court.

She sends the ball high...

Mischak receives
and pushes the ball up...

Buldakova punches it down
for a quick one-two.

We thought that would be it
for the Japanese.

But Buldakova played smartly there.

8:54 pm.

Handa's going to serve.

She has chosen to stand
a good five metres behind the line.

The ball goes deep
into the Soviet court.

Ryzhova receives, then Roschina.

And Mischak hits.

Japan recycle it...

Tanida strikes back.

The ball is on the Soviets' court.

Ryskal is firing,

but Handa gets it.

Isobe with a new attack...

But there's a foul!
On the Japanese side!

It's an error.

It's a fault.

A point to the Soviets.

- What was it for?
- Probably for going over the net.

8:55 pm.

Japan have got the serve back.

This is their sixth chance.

Their sixth shot at glory.

It's Miyamoto with the lefty serve.

The ball will come back to
the Japanese side.

But there's been a fault at the net!

The Soviets reached over the net!

It's over!

The Japanese have won!

The players are jumping for joy.

The substitutes
are congratulating their coach.

The players are falling down in tears.

They're bawling their eyes out.

They're surrounding their skipper.

On August 6th, 1966.

Yashica beat Nichibo
Kaizuka three sets to two.

This defeat ends an
incredible succession of wins.

The record stands:

258 victories without defeat.