A year after Okinawa's historic Shuri Castle was destroyed by fire, rebuilding plans confirmed
Just days before the one-year anniversary of the fire that destroyed Okinawa's historic Shuri Castle, Governor Denny Tamaki announced plans to rebuild and reopen the site by 2026.
The fortifications built in the 12th century made Shuri the centre of politics, diplomacy and culture in the Ryukyu kingdom, which was formally annexed by Japan in 1879.
The castle was in 1925 designated a national treasure before being destroyed during the fight for Okinawa in the closing stages of World War II. Much of the site was reconstructed, although archaeological work and rebuilding continues in some parts.
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That project was undertaken using original plans and photos of the structure dated from 1712, which will be used to again rebuild it, this time fitted with fire detection equipment, alarms and automated sprinkler systems.
The Unesco World Heritage Site, which dominates the hill overlooking Naha, was undergoing renovations before a blaze broke out in the main hall around midnight on October 31 last year. The fire, suspected to have been caused by an electrical fault, engulfed six wooden buildings that covered more than 4,00 square metres.
Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki. Photo: Kyodo alt=Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki. Photo: Kyodo
"This devastating fire brought sadness and shock to the people of Okinawa, but in the months since we have received warm words of support from around the world," Tamaki said on Thursday.
"With the support of well-wishers from at home and abroad and the financial support of the government of Japan, together we are on schedule to complete the restoration of the main chambers of the castle by 2026 and to open up to visitors once again."
In the year since the fire, the debris from the gutted buildings has been removed and structures that escaped serious damage have been preserved. Scaffolding covers much of the site and the main courtyard, paved with graceful red-and-white designs, remains covered by protective planking and sheets.
Clearing the site has uncovered new foundations of limestone and a fan-shaped stairwell from an earlier structure. Careful examination revealed buildings were burned down on at least three previous occasions.
One of the most recognisable symbols of the castle were two pillars of sandstone from the outlying island of Yonaguni carved into the shape of dragons with their tails coiled around the base.
Positioned either side of the main steps up to the Seiden main hall, they stood 3.1 metres tall and each weighed 1.5 tons. Both sustained serious damage in the blaze.
Smoke and flames rising from Shuri Castle last year. Photo: AP alt=Smoke and flames rising from Shuri Castle last year. Photo: AP
The heat fissured the stone and broke them into a number of pieces. The damaged pillars are now being restored in a temporary structure within the grounds, where restorers have injected chemicals into the cracks to repair them. Local artisans have been crafting new versions of the pillars that will stand on the site of the originals, which will be preserved.
Aladdin Suzuki, who works in marketing for a leading local hotel chain, said the fire had stunned local residents.
"It was a shock but I saw very quickly it brought people together," he said. "Shuri Castle is the symbol of Okinawa and when people saw it burning to the ground, that really served to unite them.
"This is still quite a small community. It's a place where everyone knows each other, so the good thing that has come out of this disaster is that people are connected in a shared aim, to see the castle rebuilt."
This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
