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Travel News Shuri Castle in Okinawa destroyed in blaze

thomas

Unswerving cyclist
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14 Mar 2002
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This s very sad news. For reasons still unknown, Shuri Castle (首里城), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was destroyed in a fire Thursday morning. Fortunately, no one was injured but the buildings and the artefacts they contained were reduced to ashes.





A symbol of Okinawa's pain and identity is lost overnight (Asahi News)

shurijo01.jpg


shurijo02.jpg


Photo credit: Wikipedia CC BY 2.5
 
Yes, this is seriously uncool. But it has had a history of trouble such like that fire out of control situation. I think I remember it happened even before the trouble during the modern conflict on that island.

Well, I read it happened before WW2. I don't remember because I was around then, just in case any of you think I am THAT old.

It is a good thing that we don't think anyone was physically hurt, or worse. I write "don't think" because sometimes in a massive blaze such as this surprises surface later after they sift through the pieces left.

Anyway, a very uncool thing!
 
Didn't it take them 30 years to rebuild it?


Quoting Wikipedia here:
After the war, the University of the Ryukyus was established in 1950 on the castle site, where it remained until 1975. In 1958, Shureimon was reconstructed and, starting from 1992, the 20th anniversary of reversion, the main buildings and surrounding walls of the central castle were reconstructed. At present, the entire area around the castle has been established as "Shuri Castle Park". In 2000, along with other gusuku and related sites, it was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. However, only the castle relics such as stone walls and old piles before 1950 are officially designated as the World Heritage.
 
The previous reconstruction cost is about 23 billion yen, so the next reconstruction will be about the same cost.
However, in 2014, a color image of Shuri Castle before being destroyed by an American attack was discovered by an American document, so the color of the roof tile will be corrected.
Previously it was rebuilt for about 15 years, but now there is also a blueprint so it will be quicker to rebuild.
 




A project team consisting of national and international volunteers, academics, and private companies aims at collecting one million photographic and video images of Shuri Castle to create a virtual 3D model of the castle complex that will allow visitors to virtually explore the buildings and magnify objects.


 
Yesterday, 31 October, marked the third anniversary of the Shuri Castle fire. Renovation works are set to begin this month, with the groundbreaking ceremony on 3 November. A two-story, steel-framed building was built in front of the castle's gutted Seiden (Main Hall) ahead of the ceremony. The building, seen in the video below, will serve as a warehouse to store and process lumber, mainly Japanese cypress, that will be used to rebuild the main hall.



A glass wall will allow paying visitors to view the workers as part of the concept of "reconstruction on display," according to the Okinawa Commemorative National Government Park. On 11 October, 107 of the 535 pieces of wood needed to rebuild the hall were brought in from various parts of the country, mainly western Japan. The rest will be collected during fiscal 2022. A temporary roof will be built starting now on the site where the main hall existed. Construction work will be carried out beneath the roof. The new Seiden hall is expected to be completed in 2026.



Our very own イェンス visited the castle site in November 2020. Here are his photos:

 
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