The 1964 Tokyo Olympics

The 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games were significant. It was the first held in an Asian city and was to prove transformative for Japan. The Games enabled a shift in international perceptions of Japan following World War II, presenting the host nation as modern, peaceful, democratic, and open to visitors.  

Sixty-four New Zealanders were selected to compete at the Games, across 11 sports. The 1964 NZ Olympic team reads like a who’s-who of New Zealand sporting giants. Les Mills, Don Oliver, Peter Snell and Murray Halberg are just four household names still recognisable to this day who competed at the Games in Tokyo. NZ athletes would go on to win a total of 5 medals, 3 gold and 2 bronze and finish 12th equal on the medal table. 

Wong’s photographs show many great moments on the field at the Games but it's his candid snaps that give us real insight into what it was like for the New Zealanders there competing. Amongst his images of athletes vying for gold are ones of them enjoying the hospitality of the host nation, meeting locals, shopping, putting out their laundry and having fun at training sessions. 

During his time photographing in Tokyo, Wong would use a portable darkroom set up in the boot of a car. There he would develop his negatives and prints. The photographs and accompanying captions were then scanned onto a transmitter and sent by wire, where they would be received in New Zealand ready for publishing in the next day’s newspapers.   

Auckland Museum acquired Tong Wong’s collection of negatives from the 1964 Games along with a selection of photographic prints made during his career as a photojournalist. The collection was generously gifted by Tong Wong’s family in 2023 and consists of 1622 negatives, 92 proof sheets and 463 prints. Further examples of Tong Wong’s photographs can be viewed on Auckland Museum’s Collections Online.