The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVIII Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Nagano 1998, was a winter multi-sport event held from 7 to 22 February 1998, mainly in Nagano, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, with some events taking place in the nearby mountain communities of Hakuba, Karuizawa, Nozawa Onsen, and Yamanouchi. The city of Nagano had previously been a candidate to host the 1940 Winter Olympics, as well as the 1972 Winter Olympics, but had been eliminated at the national level by Sapporo on both occasions.
Short track speed skating at the 1998 Winter Olympics was held from 17 to 21 February. Six events were contested at the White Ring.
The Big Hat is an indoor ice hockey arena in Nagano, Japan with a capacity of 10,104 seated spectators. Its official name is the Nagano Wakasato Tamokuteki Sports Arena. The arena was completed and officially opened on December 10, 1995.
Aqua Wing Arena is an indoor aquatics arena in Nagano, Japan. The arena is located in the Yoshida area of the city of Nagano, in Nagano Sports Park, 5 km northeast of Nagano Station. The closest station is Asahi Station on the Nagano Electric Railway, a distance of 1 km.
Makomanai Sekisui Heim Ice Arena (真駒内セキスイハイム アイスアリーナ) is an indoor ice skating arena in Minami-ku, Sapporo, Japan. It was built in December, 1970, holds 11,500 people, and has an area of 10,133 m² in total.
Australia competed at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. A total number of 24 athletes competed, participating in alpine skiing, biathlon, bobsleigh, cross-country skiing, figure skating, freestyle skiing, short track speed skating, and snowboarding, which appeared for the first time at the Olympics. Freestyle skiers Kirstie Marshall and Jacqui Cooper were some of Australia's best gold medal hopes, but both missed the aerials finals. Zali Steggall won Australia's first individual Winter Olympics medal, gaining bronze in slalom.
Nagano Olympic Stadium is a baseball stadium in Nagano, Nagano, Japan. It was used for the opening and closing ceremonies for the 1998 Winter Olympics. The stadium holds 35,000 people.
Nagano Olympic Memorial Arena, or M-Wave, is a covered speed skating oval in the city of Nagano, Japan. M-Wave, which opened in November, 1996, was constructed for the speed skating events at the 1998 Winter Olympics. It was Japan's first International Skating Union (ISU) standard indoor 400m double-track, and only second indoor track speed skating in Japan. The other, Meiji Hokkaido-Tokachi Oval, is located in Obihiro, Hokkaido.
Nagano is the capital and largest city of Nagano Prefecture, located in the Nagano Basin in the central Chūbu region of Japan. Nagano is categorized as a core city of Japan. Nagano City is the highest prefectural capital in Japan, with an altitude of 371.4 meters (1,219 ft). The city is surrounded by mountains, the highest of which is Mount Takatsuma (2,353 m), and is near the confluence of the Chikuma River - the longest and widest river in Japan - and the Sai River. As of 1 July 2023, the city had an estimated population of 365,296 in 160,625 households, and a population density of 438 persons per km². The total area of the city is 834.81 square kilometres (322.32 sq mi).
CC Amfi, also known as Nordlyshallen, is an indoor sports arena in Hamar, Norway. It is mostly used for ice hockey and is the home arena of Storhamar Hockey. It has also been used for short track speed skating, figure skating, handball, events and concerts. The venue has a capacity for 7,000 spectators and was built for the 1994 Winter Olympics, where it was used for short track speed skating and figure skating. Other major events held at the arena include the 1999 IIHF World Championship in ice hockey, the 1999 World Women's Handball Championship, the 2012 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships and the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics.
Mongolia competed at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan from February 7 to 22. Mongolia's team consisted of 1 cross-country skier, who was Dashzevegiin Ochirsükh, and two short track speed skaters, who were Battulgyn Oktyabri and Boldyn Sansarbileg.
The Spiral is a bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track located in Iizuna village, located north of Nagano, Japan. Used for the bobsleigh and luge competitions for the 1998 Winter Olympics, it is the first permanent bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track in Asia and the first of its type in the world with two or more uphill sections. It is officially referred to as the Nagano Bobsleigh-Luge Park in Japan.
Takafumi Nishitani is a Japanese short track speed skater. He won a gold medal on the 500 m at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano.
Hitoshi Uematsu is a Japanese short-track speed skater. He received a bronze medal on the 500 m at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano.
Iizuna Kogen Ski Area is a skiing area located in Nagano, Nagano, Japan. It is operated by Nagano City.
Kanbayashi Snowboard Park is a park located in Yamanouchi, Nagano, Japan. Constructed in 1995, it hosted the snowboarding half-pipe events for the 1998 Winter Olympics.
Kazakoshi Park Arena is an indoor arena located in Karuizawa, Nagano, Japan. Constructed in 1990 with an opening ceremony taking place in 1996, it hosted the curling competition for the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano. Because it was in Karuizawa, the town became the first venue to host events at both the Summer and Winter Olympics. At the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Karuizawa hosted the equestrian events.
Nozawa Onsen Snow Resort is a skiing venue located in Nozawaonsen, Nagano, Japan.
For the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, a total of fifteen sports venues were used. Nagano had attempted twice to host the Winter Olympics, losing out to Sapporo, host of the 1972 Winter Olympics. The third time, in 1991, Nagano edged out Salt Lake City to host the 1998 Games. The biathlon venue was adjusted in accordance with the Washington Convention over endangered species. The biggest venue controversy was at Happo'one resort on the length of the men's downhill and the battle that ensued to the point where skiing officials threatened to pull the event entirely before a compromise was reached three months before the Olympics. M-Wave has hosted three World Speed Skating Championships since the Olympics, while the Spiral has hosted a couple of world championships in bobsleigh, luge and skeleton.
The Sapporo Tsukisamu Gymnasium (札幌市月寒体育館) is an indoor sporting arena located in Toyohira-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaidō.
