Rugby World Cup 2019™, Japan event took place from September 20th　to November 2nd, 2019 when the event ended with an impressive success. The medals that were presented as a token to praise the honour and deliver the appreciation to the representing team members who have fought top level world class matches were designed and produced in a joint collaboration of 6 party members (Living National Treasure Master Minori Yoshita of Kinzangama, Yamato-Kisho Company, Tokyo Cup Company, The Dainippon Silk Foundation, Ryu-Kohboh Company, and Tokyu Agency Inc.) and commissioned by Rugby World Cup Ltd.

The original designs for the gold, silver and bronze medals have been created under the direction of Master Minori Yoshita, whose technique of overlaying extremely thin gold leaves to express distance, has won him recognition as a Living National Treasure in 2001.

The front of the medal features the Webb Elis Cup placed in the centre over a background of the Rugby World Cup 2019 unity graphic design, “the Rising Sun” that features the sun rising over the pinnacle of Mount Fuji.

The reverse side shows the event logo surrounded by Master Yoshita’s cherry blossoms that encircle and bless this honourable event.
Mount Fuji had always been a divine mountain to the Japanese people and subject to religious following and the ribbon holder of the medal is thus shaped after a “Torii” which is a gateway to Shinto shrines.

The medal ribbon is a hand-woven KUMIHIMO ribbon crafted from 100% pure Japan-produced silk and made by Tokyo Metropolitan Traditional Craftsman Mr. Takashi Fukuda who has been certified this year as a Master Craftsman of the Current Era. The flexible and durable features of KUMIHIMO have been treasured in Japan since it’s ancient times and has traditionally been used for noble attire sash belts, samurai armours and decorative cords used in expensive tea ceremony utensils.
Only 0.38% of silk used in Japan are domestically produced. The Dainippon Silk Foundation had called upon nationwide silk farms and this precious silk thread used for the medals have been donated by Japanese silk farms throughout the country including farms located in Kumamoto, Saitama and Iwate prefectures which are host cities of Rugby World Cup 2019.

Rugby World Cup 2019™ takes place outside of the British Commonwealth for the first time in Rugby history and medals for such a unique event have to be very special. This concept lead to the design of the participants medal SAKURA, which was based on an original design made by Master Minori Yoshita, who is certified as a Living National Treasure with his skill on “yuri-kinsai”, a traditional art form in Japan.

Cherry blossom is a symbolic flower in Japan, loved and cherished by all.
The blossoming of these flowers start from the southern most regions of the country in March and gradually progresses to the northern regions covering the vertically long nation, symbolizing the end of the cold and arrival of the warm spring season.

The medal is placed on a hand-woven KUMIHIMO sheet crafted from 100% pure Japan-produced silk. The flexible and durable features of KUMIHIMO have been treasured in Japan since it’s ancient times and has traditionally been used for noble attire sash belts, samurai armours and decorative cords used in expensive tea ceremony utensils.
Only 0.38% of silk used in Japan are domestically produced and this precious silk thread used for the medals have been donated by nationwide Japanese silk farms including farms located in Kumamoto, Saitama and Iwate prefectures which are host cities of Rugby World Cup 2019.