News Controversy over Nagoya Castle and access for the disabled

To make it a tourist attraction, the castle needs to meet modern earthquake and fire standards, which require technologies that were unavailable when the original castle was built in the 17th century. In addition, with or without an elevator, the original designs of the castle will inevitably need to be altered to accommodate emergency exits and other regulatory requirements. "It's an illusion to believe that you can reconstruct a truly 'authentic' Nagoya Castle," said Yoshihiro Senda, a professor of castle archeology at Nagoya City University. Senda criticizes the mayor's apparent double standard about what constitutes a historically "authentic" building. "Why can modern technologies be used to make the castle tourist-friendly but not to make it accessible to all?" Senda said. The Cultural Affairs Agency said a reconstructed Nagoya Castle would be considered a replica rather than a cultural treasure, even if it is rebuilt exactly to the original design specifications. It will be classified as a public facility, like a history museum that serves the purpose of promoting culture and tourism, said the agency. People with disabilities and their supporters want an elevator installed in the castle because a new keep, which will cost 50.5 billion JPY (USD 344 million) of taxpayers' money, should be a public property of the community.

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