When we talk about Japan, one of the most common associations is Samurai warrior. Where samurai warriors in fantasy appear, there are places of exceptional beauty, and castles of architectural planning unseen to our eyes. From the first day I arrived in Japan, one of my biggest dreams was to visit a traditional Japanese castle. At that time, I did not know that during the Meiji period in the 19th century, many castles were destroyed as an archaic legacy of old Japan. Many castles were burned during the vicissitudes of the historical March. Also, during the Second World War, Japan lost many of its beauties. Circumstances led to the fact that I managed to visit four of the five most important castles in Japan to this day. In this article, I will briefly introduce each of the mentioned castles.
The five most beautiful castles in Japan
At the top of the list is the beautiful Himeji Castle. First of all, it is a wonderful monument of Japanese history. The castle is beautiful. Once upon a time, I happened to see a documentary about Himeji Castle on the Discovery Channel. Second, Himeji is a real miracle for being able to survive despite all the adversities of war. The stories about the castle being sold at auction in its time, the castle that didn’t explode when an incendiary bomb was dropped on it, the castle that was not even affected by the Great Hanshin Earthquake are all worth it.
So if you are going to visit Kyoto, Himeji is quite close, so my advice is instead of going to Nara or Osaka, but to spend one day at Himeji Castle and the traditional Japanese garden next to it. It is also convenient to visit the castle if you are traveling to Hiroshima.
In the second place on the list, the choice is much more complicated. However, I decided to give this honorable place to Kumamoto Castle, which is located in Kumamoto Prefecture, on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu. This is the only castle I haven’t had the chance to visit yet. However, the stories and reviews I heard from acquaintances make me think that the castle is worth visiting. It is not easy to reach it. In principle, you should plan a trip around the southern island of Shikoku, including visiting the port of Nagasaki, visiting the metropolis of Fukuoka or going to the Beppu hot springs resort, which also has quite a lot of connections with Lithuania. Kumamoto Castle is a huge architectural complex of era of war. Unfortunately, the castle itself suffered a lot during the 6.2 magnitude earthquake that occurred in 2016. April 14 The earthquake completely destroyed some structures. So now it is said that the repair and restoration of the entire castle is planned to be completed by 2036.
In the third place of the list, somewhat unexpectedly, I decided to assign Nagoya Castle, also known as the Golden Castle. As in the old days, the castle is geographically very convenient, i.e. halfway between Tokyo and Kyoto. Although the castle itself was actually completely burnt down during the Second World War, it has been partially rebuilt today, so you can feel as if you are walking through the labyrinths of Sengoku period history. On the grounds of the castle, the Okura Museum displays important cultural treasures, such as the fusuma paintings of the Honmaru Palace.
One of the most important prides of the castle is the golden shiachi. There are two golden Shachi (金鯱 kin-shachi) on either end of the castle’s highest roof. In Japanese mythology, these beasts are tiger dolphins or carp, which are believed to rule the rain. More than several tens of kilograms of real gold were used to make these shiats. Even in Tokyo, in the seemingly safe Japan, the aforementioned shiashi was stolen more than once, twice and not three times. These circumstances alone make Nagoya Castle worth a visit.
In fourth place is the traditional castle of the plains of Matsumoto. It is located in Matsumoto city, Nagano Prefecture. It is easily accessible from Tokyo by car or train. It is one of the twelve surviving original tenshukaku fortresses in Japan. Matsumoto Castle was the very first one I visited while living in Japan back in 2004. The castle is located in a very beautiful natural environment surrounded by the Japanese Alps. So, if you are already going to Matsumoto, you should also plan trips to other nearby places of interest: the Japanese Alps, as well as the famous wasabi horseradish fields.
Finally, in fifth place is Shuri Castle in Okinawa. This is the most difficult castle for the traveler to reach as it is located in the tropical Japanese islands of Okinawa. So if you don’t plan to go to Okinawa, you won’t be able to see Shuri either. Another important nuance is that a few years ago the main buildings of the castle burned down during a huge fire. However, bearing in mind that Shuri is the political, economic and religious center of the former Ryukyu kingdom, I think it is worth visiting under the right circumstances. The castle itself is quite different from other Japanese castles. And nothing strange, because Okinawa itself became part of Japan not so long ago. In general, I will describe Okinawa’s relationship with Japan, tourist attractions and my impressions in other articles.
Himeji Castle
Himedži pilis (姫路城) – japonų pilies kompleksas esantis Himedži mieste, Hiogo prefektūroje. Pilis laikoma geriausiu išlikusiu japoniškos pilies architektūros prototipo pavyzdžiu kurį sudaro 83 patalpų tinklas su pažangiomis feodalinio laikotarpio gynybinėmis sistemomis. Pilis dažnai vadinama Hakuro džio arba Shirasagi džio (“Baltojo erelio pilis” arba “Baltojo garnio pilis”) dėl savo skaisčiai baltos išorės ir tariamo panašumo į skrendantį paukštį.
Himeji Castle (姫路城) is a Japanese castle complex located in Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture. The castle is considered the best surviving prototype of Japanese castle architecture, consisting of a network of 83 rooms with advanced feudal defense systems. The castle is often called Hakuro-jo or Shirasagi-jo (“White Eagle Castle” or “White Heron Castle”) due to its bright white exterior and supposed resemblance to a bird in flight.
Himeji Castle was built in 1333. The castle was built and rebuilt many times by Japan’s most famous warlords. For nearly 700 years, Himeji Castle has remained intact, even through the bombing of Himeji in World War II and natural disasters, including the 1995 earthquake. Hanshin Earthquake.
Himeji Castle is the largest and most visited castle in Japan. in 1993 it was one of the first to be registered in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Along with Matsumoto Castle and Kumamoto Castle, Himeji Castle is considered one of the three main castles of Japan.
Unfortunately, many Japanese castles were destroyed during the Meiji period (1868-1912). Himeji Castle was no exception. It was abandoned and some of the castle’s corridors and gates destroyed to make way for Japanese army barracks. The entire castle complex was slated for demolition due to government policy, but it was saved thanks to the efforts of an army colonel. A stone monument in Nakamura’s honor was erected in the castle complex at the first gate, the Hishio Gate (菱の門, Hishinomon).
Finally, Himeji Castle was sold at auction. in 1871 Himeji Castle was bought for 23 Japanese yen (about ¥200,000 or US$2,258 at today’s exchange rate) by a resident of Himeji who wanted to demolish the castle complex and build on the land. However, it was estimated that the cost of demolishing the castle would be too high, so the castle was saved again.
In 1945, at the end of World War II, Himeji was heavily bombed and although much of the surrounding area was burned to the ground, the castle remained intact. In 1945, at the end of the Second World War, one incendiary bomb was dropped on the top floor of the castle, but it did not explode. in 1995 In January, Himeji City was severely damaged by the Great Hanshin Earthquake, but Himeji Castle again remained largely intact, showing remarkable earthquake resistance.
Himeji Castle is the largest castle in Japan. It is an excellent example of Japanese castle architecture, with many defensive and architectural elements typical of Japanese castles. It is sometimes said that the curved walls of Himeji Castle resemble giant fans, but the main construction materials are stone and wood. Throughout the building’s architecture, the coats of arms of feudal families (家紋, kamon) are embedded, representing the various rulers who have lived in the castle throughout its history.
Himeji Castle complex is located in the center of Himeji city on a hill that is 45.6 m above sea level. The castle complex consists of 83 buildings such as warehouses, gates, corridors and turrets. Koko-en (好古園), a Japanese garden created in 1992, is connected to the castle complex. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the city of Himeji. When you visit Himeji Castle, don’t spare time to visit this wonderful Japanese garden. A wonderful view of the pond, small gardens throughout the complex will certainly not leave you indifferent.
From east to west, the length of the Himeji castle complex reaches 950-1600 m, and from north to south – 900-1700 m. The area of the castle complex is 233 ha.
The main fortress (大天守, daitenshiu) at the center of the complex is 46.4m high, rising 92m above sea level. Together with the main fortress, three smaller subsidiary fortresses (小天守, kotenshiu) form a group of towers. The area of the basement of the main fortress is 385 m2. Inside the basement there are special rooms not found in other castles, including toilets and a kitchen corridor.
The main fortress has two pillars, one in the east and one in the west. The diameter of the base of the eastern pillar, 97 cm in diameter, was originally made of a single spruce. The base of the 85×95 cm western pillar is made of Japanese cypress.
The area of the first floor is 554 square meters. The first floor is often called the “room of a thousand rugs” because its area is more than 330 tatami. Weapon racks (武具掛け, bugukake) are installed on the walls of the first floor to store rifles and spears. At one time, there were as many as 280 rifles and 90 spears in the castle. On both the third and fourth floors, near the north and south windows, there were platforms called “rock-throwing platforms” (石打棚, ischiuchidana) from which the defenders could observe or throw objects at the attackers. They were also equipped with small closed rooms called “warrior hideouts” (武者隠し, musha-kakushi), where the defenders could hide and kill the attackers who entered the fortress unexpectedly. The area of the last, sixth floor is only 115 square meters. m. The windows of the 6th floor now have iron bars, but in the feudal period the panoramic view from the windows was unrestricted.
Like many other castles, Himeji is associated with many local legends. While walking around the castle complex, you should notice the Okiku Well. According to legend, Okiku( a maid) was falsely accused of losing the family’s valuable utensils, so she was killed and thrown into a well. Even today, her spirit still visits the well at night, gloomily counting the dishes.
It is also said that Himeji Castle is inhabited by a spirit called Osakabe-hime. She lives in a castle tower and avoids people. In some legends, she takes the form of an old woman wearing a ceremonial twelve-layer kimono. She can read people’s minds and control smaller ones into animals.
The legend of the “Old Widow’s Stone” is another folklore story associated with the castle. According to legend, Toyotomi Hideyoshi ran out of stones while building the original three-story fortress. An old woman heard about the lack of stones, who gave him a millstone in her hands, although she used the latter for her own purposes. It is said that the local people were so inspired after hearing this story that they donated many stones to Hideyoshi thus speeding up the construction of the castle. To this day, the supposed stone can be seen covered with wire mesh in the middle of one of the stone walls of the castle complex.
Matsumoto Castle
Located in Nagano Prefecture, Matsumoto Castle (松本城, Matsumoto-jo) is one of Japan’s most important historical castles, along with Himeji and Kumamoto Castles. Because of its black exterior, the building is also called the “Castle of Crows” (烏城, Karasu-jo).
16th century The fortress, completed at the end of the 19th century, has preserved its original wooden interior and exterior stones. It is listed as a National Treasure of Japan and is one of the twelve original castles in Japan that have survived.
Matsumoto Castle is a plains castle because it is not built on top of a hill or between rivers, but on a plain.
In 1872 the new Meiji government ordered the destruction of all former feudal fortifications. Most of the castle’s structures were demolished, and the outer grounds of Matsumoto Castle were auctioned off for redevelopment. When word spread that the tenshu was to be demolished, an influential Matsumoto figure, Ichikawa Ryozo, started a campaign to save the building, along with Matsumoto residents. Their efforts were rewarded when the tower was purchased by the city government.
in 2011 June 30 Matsumoto Castle was damaged by a magnitude 5.4 earthquake. About ten cracks appeared in the inner wall of the main tower due to the shaking.
There are talks of plans to restore the soto-bori (outer moat) that has been reclaimed for a residential area.
It is important to mention that on the second floor of the main fortress there is a weapons museum with a collection of rifles, armor and other weapons.
Kumamoto Castle
Kumamoto Castle (熊本城, Kumamoto jiō) is a Japanese hilltop castle located in the city of Kumamoto on the southern Japanese island of Shikoku. The castle fortress (天守閣, tenshiukaku) was built in 1960. a concrete reconstruction was built, but some auxiliary wooden buildings remain from the original castle. Some of the buildings in the Kumamoto Castle complex have been declared Important Cultural Properties
The history of Kumamoto Castle began in 1467. 1601-1607 Kijomasa greatly expanded the castle, turning it into a castle complex with 49 towers, 18 tower gates and 29 smaller gates. 1610 the length of the castle complex from east to west is approximately 1.6 km, and from north to south – 1.2 km. The castle fortress is 30.3 m high.
In 1877 during the Satsuma Rebellion, the castle was under siege. The fortress and other parts of the castle burned down. 13 buildings of the castle complex were not damaged, they have been declared important cultural values. 1960 the fortress of the castle was reconstructed using concrete. 1998-2008 restoration works of the castle complex took place, during which most of the 17th century buildings were restored. of barrels.
The characteristic curved stone walls and wooden overhangs were designed to prevent attackers from penetrating the castle. Rock and stone throwing holes were also used as a deterrent.
Nearby San-no-maru Park is home to Hosokawa Gyobu-tei, the former residence of the Hosokawa clan, daimyo of Higo Province during the Edo period. This traditional wooden mansion is home to a famous Japanese garden.
In 2006 The Japan Castle Foundation has included Kumamoto Castle in the list of the 100 most beautiful castles in Japan. In 2007 December 7 a large-scale renovation of the inner palace was completed.
The castle was badly damaged during the 6.2 magnitude earthquake that occurred in 2016 April 14. This event is basically similar to 1889. Kumamoto earthquake which also damaged the castle. The stone wall at the foot of the fortress partially collapsed, several ornaments of the castle fell from the roof of the fortress and shattered. The following day, on April 15, the castle suffered even more damage after a 7.3 magnitude earthquake completely destroyed parts of the castle. Although the fortress itself withstood the earthquake with minor structural damage, two castle turrets were badly damaged and partially collapsed, many of the outer walls at the base of the fortress collapsed, and the castle roof was damaged. Fallen roof tiles were actually specially designed with earthquakes in mind. The tiles were used to prevent them from falling off the damaged roof in the event of an earthquake, preventing it from weighing down and collapsing into the interior of the building. It is estimated that it will take decades for the castle to fully recover from the earthquake damage, which overturned 60 years of previous restoration work.
The repair and restoration of the entire castle is planned to be completed by 2036.
Nagojos Castle
Nagojos pilis (名古屋城, Nagoya džio) Japonijos pilis, esanti Nagojoje.
Nagojos pilį pastatė Owari domenas 1612 m. Edo laikotarpiu. Nagojos pilis buvo vieno iš svarbiausių Japonijos pilių miestų Nagoja džiuku centru, pašto stotis Minodži kelyje, jungiančiame du iš svarbiausių Edo kelių – Tokaido ir Nakasendo. Nagojos pilis tapo šiuolaikinės Nagojos branduoliu. 1930 m. Imperatoriškoji namų ūkio ministerija perdavė jos nuosavybę miestui. Nagojos pilis buvo sugriauta 1945 m. bombarduojant Nagoją Antrojo pasaulinio karo metais. Nuo 1957 m. vyksta pilies rekonstrukcija ir remontas.
Meidžio (名城), dar vienas sutrumpintas būdas vadinti Nagojos pilį, naudojamas daugelio Nagojos miesto įstaigų. Istoriškai pilis taip pat buvo vadinama Kindžio (金城), kas reiškia “Auksinė pilis”.
Antrojo pasaulinio karo metais pilis buvo naudojama kaip Tokai rajono kariuomenės štabas ir Nagojos karo belaisvių stovyklos administracijos patalpos. Dėl šios priežasties JAV buvo vykdomi Nagojos bombardavimai iš oro. 1945 m. sausį per oro antskrydžius buvo sunaikinta Sarumeno arbatinė. Gegužės 14 d. per oro antskrydžius visiškai sunaikinta pagrindinė tvirtovė ir mažoji tvirtovė, Honmaru rūmai, šiaurės rytų bokštelis ir kiti pastatai. Tų pačių metų birželį dalis Honmaru rūmuose išgelbėtų paveikslų buvo perkelti saugoti į Haiho šventyklą Tojotos mieste.
Nagoya Castle (名古屋城, Nagoya-jo) is located in Nagoya.
Nagoya Castle was built by the Owari Domain in 1612. During the Edo period. Nagoya Castle was at the center of one of Japan’s most important castle cities, Nagoya Juku, a post station on the Minoji Road, which connected two of Edo’s most important roads, the Tokaido and Nakasendo. Nagoya Castle became the core of modern Nagoya. 1930 The Imperial Household Ministry transferred its ownership to the city. Nagoya Castle was destroyed in 1945. during the bombing of Nagoya in World War II. Since 1957 reconstruction and repair of the castle is underway.
Mei-jo (名城), another shortened way of referring to Nagoya Castle, is used by many institutions in Nagoya. Historically, the castle was also called Kin-jo (金城), which means “Golden Castle”.
During World War II, the castle was used as the headquarters of the Tokai District Army and the administration facilities of the Nagoya POW Camp. For this reason, the aerial bombing of Nagoya was carried out by the United States. in 1945 in January, Sarumen’s tea house was destroyed during air raids. May 14 the main fortress and the small fortress, Honmaru Palace, northeast turret and other buildings were completely destroyed by airstrikes. In June of the same year, some of the paintings rescued from Honmaru Palace were transferred to Haiho Temple in Toyota for safekeeping.
The reconstruction of the destroyed Honmaru Palace began only in 2009 and were completed in 2018. In 2009, plans were also announced to completely restore the wooden main towers, which were destroyed during World War II. The budget for the reconstruction of the main towers was estimated at billions of yen. After negotiations with the country’s authorities, the plan was approved, and in 2017 In July, the city officially launched a fundraising campaign. in 2019 The necessary hinoki wood has begun to be collected in the forests of Gifu Prefecture
The city plans to continue restoring the Honmaru and Ninomaru structures.
The essential architectural elements of Nagoya Castle are as follows.
Nishinomaru Enokida Gate
The Nishinomaru Enokida Gate (西之丸 榎多門) is used today as the main entrance (正門 seimon) to the castle. The smaller front gate to the south was called the Kabuki Gate (冠木門 Kabukimon), and a rectangular barbican tower was built on the surrounding stone walls. Together, these structures formed a square where the enemy could be surrounded. The gate formed an important part of the castle’s defense.
Near this gate you can meet various street artists, as well as street artists depicting samru or ninjas. Do not miss the opportunity to take pictures with the Japanese warriors
Kaya tree
An old Kaya tree grows near the Nishinomaru-enokida gate to the north. Its height is 16 meters. A more than 600-year-old tree grew here even when the castle was being built. It is the only natural monument in Nagoya declared by the government. It is said that the first feudal lord of the castle, Tokugawa Yoshinao, decorated his lunch tray with nuts from this tree before going to battle in Osaka and later during the New Year holidays.
Warehouses
Behind the Kaya tree is the former site of warehouses and rice warehouses (米倉 komegura). These were six elongated buildings arranged parallel to the so-called cormorant’s neck-shaped moat. After World War II, it was home to the Nishinomaru Exhibition Hall, which was replaced by two buildings remodeled in the appearance of former warehouses to house new exhibition spaces. The new Nishinomaru Okura Museum displays important cultural treasures such as the fusuma paintings of the Honmaru Palace. It also presents the history of the castle.
Honmaru Palace
Honmaru is a recently rebuilt castle palace. They include the main residential palace of the Owari rulers and two main towers. R8 may be restored using original methods and materials.
The palace is divided into various spaces, but five main zones can be distinguished.
Omote Shoin (表書院 Main Hall)
Taimenjo (対面所 Reception Hall)
Jorakuden (上洛殿 Shogun’s Accommodation)
Kuroki Shoin (黒木書院 Inner Reception Hall)
Yudono Shoin (湯殿書院 Bathing Room)
When it comes to Nagoya Castle, one of the prides of the castle is the golden shiachi. On either end of the castle’s highest roof are two golden shiachi (金鯱, kin-shachi). In Japanese mythology, the shiachi are tiger dolphins or carp that are believed to rule the rain. Therefore, in traditional Japanese architecture, they were used as a talisman to protect against fires. They first appeared in the Muromachi era (1334-1400) and were also a symbol of the ruler’s authority.
The original chess was formed from a roughly hewn block of wood on which sheets of lead were placed. Copper was placed over the lead before the final layer of gold was applied, which was produced by striking gold coins into thin sheets. The core of golden shiachi is made of hinoki cypress.
During the Edo period, when the Owari clan experienced severe economic hardship, the gold shahi were melted down and remelted three times. When in 1827 this was recast, the purity of the gold was greatly reduced.
After the Meiji Restoration, there was a tendency to abandon old Japanese history and its artifacts. At that time, the gold coins were presented to the imperial government. in 1871 they were taken out of the main fortress and taken to Tokyo.
One of these was exhibited in 1873. At one world exhibition held. However, when the movement for the return of shiachi to Nagoya began in 1878. the golden shiachis are brought back to Nagoya.
An interesting incident happened in 1937, when a thief climbed onto the scaffolding and stole some of the golden fish scales. He was later captured in Osaka. City leaders took responsibility for this incident. Since the Meiji era, the golden shiatsu has been stolen three times.
It was destroyed by fire during the Second World War. The second generation gold shachi were minted at the Osaka Mint and minted in 1959. March. transported to the castle. Both of these were temporarily lowered from the top of the castle and briefly displayed on the castle grounds in 1984. in September on the occasion of the Nagoya Castle Exhibition and again since 2005. March 19 until June 19 At the “Expo 2005” exhibition.
The Northern Shachi is a male, its height is 2.621 m, its weight is 1,272 kg, of which 44.69 kg is gold, it has 112 scales. The Southern Shiachi is a female, its height is 2.579 m, its weight is 1,215 kg (including 43.39 kg of gold), 126 scales. Both are covered with 18 carat gold plate with a thickness of 0.15 mm.
Shuri Castle
Shuri Castle (首里城, Shuri-jo) is located in Okinawa Prefecture. From 1429 to 1879 it served as the palace of the Ryukyu Kingdom. Later, the castle was very neglected. in 1945 it was almost completely destroyed during the Battle of Okinawa. After the war, the castle was transformed into a university campus. Since 1992 the central citadel and walls were largely reconstructed in their original location based on historical records, photographs and eyewitness memory. in 2000 Shuri Castle was included in the world heritage list as part of the values of the Kingdom of Ryukyu. Unfortunately, however, in 2019 October 31 in the morning, the main buildings of the castle yard were again destroyed by fire.
The date of construction of the castle is not clear, but it is obvious that it was already in 1322-1429. it was used as a castle. It is believed that it, like many other castles in Okinawa, was probably built during the Gusuku period. At that time, King Shio Hashi united the three principalities of Okinawa and founded the Ryūkiū Kingdom. He used Shuri as his residence.
Since 1429 Shuri was the royal estate and administrative center of the Ryukyu Kingdom for 450 years. It was the focus of foreign trade, as well as the political, economic and cultural center of the Ryukyu Islands. According to records, the castle burned several times and was rebuilt each time. Under Sho Nei, samurai forces from the Japanese feudal estate of Satsuma captured Shuri in 1609. May 6 The Japanese soon withdrew and returned Sho Nei to the throne two years later. From then on, the Ryukyu Kingdom was a vassal state under the suzerainty of Satsuma, and remained so for about 250 years.
18th century In the 1950s, Commander Perry invaded Shuri Castle twice, but both times he was refused an audience with the king. in 1879 the kingdom was annexed by the Japanese Empire and the last king, Sho Tai, was forced to move to Tokyo. in 1884 he was “elevated” to the rank of marquis of the Japanese aristocracy. The castle was later used as a barracks for the Imperial Japanese Army. The Japanese crew withdrew in 1896. Many tunnels and caves were built under the castle.
in 1908 The city of Shuri bought the castle from the Japanese government, but did not have the funds to restore it. Despite the decay, historian George H. Kerr described the castle as “one of the grandest castles in the world”.
Shuri Castle functioned not only as a base of political and military control, but was also considered the main religious shrine of the Ryukyu people. The castle used to have 10 utaki (temples), and a large area on the southwest side of the citadel was occupied by a temple called Kyo-no-uchi. Although the Noro (celebrants) performed several nature rituals (as is sometimes the case in Shinto), the content of the rituals and the layout of the interior of the sacred grounds remain unclear. After the war, limited religious observances continued in the area, usually involving the placing of incense sticks on previously sacred sites. However, the restoration of the castle stopped religious traditions, so although this castle was resurrected, it was destroyed as a place of worship.
During the Second World War, the Japanese Imperial Army set up its headquarters in the dungeons of the castle, and in 1945 in the beginning, they created complex defensive and communication lines in the regions around Shuri and throughout the southern part of the island. Japanese defenses concentrated in Shuri Castle from 1945. April 1 withstood a massive American attack until May. Starting on May 25, as the last part of the Okinawa campaign, the American warship “Mississippi” shelled it for three days. But the Japanese staged a clever retreat a few days earlier, abandoning Shuri and forcing the Americans to start a new battle in the south again. The capture of the castle was a strategic and psychological blow to the Japanese and an important stage in the campaign.
in 2019 October 31 in the morning, a large fire broke out in which the main hall, Seiden, as well as the adjacent buildings to the north and south, Hokuden and Nanden, burned down. Six buildings of the castle, covering a total of about 4,200 square meters, were completely burned
This fire was the fifth time that Shuri Castle was destroyed in 1453, 1660, 1709 and 1945. After the fire, Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki said that Shuri Castle was “a symbol of Ryukyu Kingdom, an expression of its history and culture” and vowed to rebuild it. From 2020 February 10 restoration work is underway.
