SoftBank Team Japan have become the fifth America’s Cup team to launch their America’s Cup Class (ACC) yacht, the incredible foiling catamaran the Japanese team will race in their historic challenge to take the America’s Cup to their home in Japan as the first Japanese winners of the oldest trophy in international sport.
The yacht, named “Hikari”, was unveiled at the team’s base in Bermuda in front of a crowd which included team members, guests from Bermuda, Japan and around the world. The name “Hikari”, which means “flash of light” was chosen from over 430 entries by fans in a competition run throughout Japan by SoftBank Corp in the lead-up to the yacht’s unveiling.
After pouring a ceremonial “masu” (a traditional measuring cup made of Cyprus to serve sake) of Hakkaisan Sake over the bow of the new yacht, Tatsuro Kurisaka, Vice President of the Communications Division of SoftBank Corp., revealed the name to the public for the first time and then, with the crowd looking on, Shinto Priest Kai Guji then performed a Japanese Oharai purification ceremony for the new boat.
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