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© KYODOMain buildings of castle at World Heritage site in Okinawa destroyed by predawn fire
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Chip Star
Tragic. Time to rebuild it again.
Yubaru
Please, the "ancient castle site" would be more accurate, as you accurately explain why in the very next paragraph!
And quite beautifully as well!
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191031_09/
The main building looks like it was totally engulfed here! What a loss!
Yubaru
Not restored, that was done a long time ago. There is upkeep, and maintenance done, but just about the entire castle was fully restored years ago.
Yubaru
The picture you saw from Kyodo is not recent, that was a few years back when they were repainting and doing minor repair work!
voiceofokinawa
That's shocking news. Was the cause of the fire arson, a short circuit or natural ignition? That's all I want to know and as soon as possible.
GW
Sad & unfortunate no matter how the fire started......
therougou
This is terrible. They're still putting out the fires now. They said the restoration finished just this year.
Guy on the news says it might have been an electrical problem.
Halwick
Tragic, utterly tragic. I hope the irreplaceable artifacts were saved.
Wouldn't surprise me if it was arson. The next questions are who and why.
Yubaru
There have been unsubstantiated reports that due to the time the fire started there has been speculation that it may be arson.
However, there are also substantiated reports that there were people in the castle area until late last night, making preparations for the yearly Shuri Cultural Festival that happens every year around November 3rd, Culture Day, here in Japan. Police and the authorities are investigating the circumstances and interviewing the people who were there late last night.
I am keeping my fingers crossed that it WASNT arson!
Yubaru
Is the main building of this castle usually referred to as a temple?
No, it isnt, however it was on occasion used for some Shinto rites. It was called the "Seiden"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shurijo
ano
I was thinking about going to Okinawa next year & visiting Shuri was in the plan. Guess I'm a bit late to see it.
Do the hustle
its a shame the new structure didn’t include any anti-fire systems.
kurisupisu
Glad to have seen it before this tragedy...
DaDude
Look, all of the reports are scarce and hearsay so since you are right around corner from there, please get us some first hand info and pics. Shuri Castle to Japan is like Notre Dame to the World. I love walking around the castle.
rainyday
This is terrible news. I've visited Shuri Castle a couple of times and it was absolutely beautiful. This wasn't one of those ugly concrete reconstructions like Osaka or Nagoya castles, but one which had been painstakingly carried out with original materials, this is a huge loss.
ChellO
Oh shame. We visited from Brisbane last month. Lovely place. Sad to see it destroyed.
nandakandamanda
Shocking and sad news. What a waste. It had all been so painstakingly rebuilt in wood, a wonderful structure.
Joe Blow
I've been considering Okinawa a lot recently and Shuri Castle...sigh.
nandakandamanda
Photo from above of the aftermath.
https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20191031-00491399-okinawat-oki.view-000
nandakandamanda
And the Seiden before it burned down.
https://www.okinawatimes.co.jp/articles/gallery/491399?yahoo=y&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=http&utm_campaign=link_back&utm_content=related&ph=2
Speed
What's up with the media? When I turned on the news this morning, the top news was Koike confronting the IOC guy and after about 10 minutes coverage of that they finally got to the Shuri Castle fire!
Does the media, which are all in Tokyo, think they're the all and end all of Japan?
YuriOtani
This news is much more important in Okinawa than the Japanese homeland. It was such a lovely place. I wonder how many irreplaceable treasures were destroyed?
William Bjornson
Sad. Given Human nature, sometimes the historical preservationist is more Sisyphus than savior. It must be heartbreaking for those involved with its preservation. Ganbatte! Namida no ato...
kohakuebisu
Sad loss. Glad there were no injuries. It was a rebuild, so it can be rebuilt again.
The wall repairs for Kumamoto castle are slated to cost over 600 million USD, so I'd expect a similar rebuild cost here.
Kapuna
I pray that the rebuild includes a fire sprinkler system, especially if they use wood.
presto345
About that, I am surprised apparently there was no such system installed.
Do the hustle
Quite the cultural tragedy. Hopefully, the next incarnation will include fire retardant building materials and an extensive sprinkler system.
These temples are made from pine and cedar, both of which are highly combustible woods with high oil content. The fire was obviously very intense due to the extent of devastation. It is quite fortunate nobody was killed in the fire.
nandakandamanda
There was a sprinkler system apparently and a plentiful water source nearby for firefighting, which they sadly could not reach because of the intensity of the flames.
presto345
No sprinklers had been installed, the fire department said.
nandakandamanda
Yup, just seen that on the news, as opposed to what I heard earlier. Good spot, presto345! (Even sadder when it could have been preventable.)
nandakandamanda
Most of our local castle was bombed and burned to the ground by allied bombers in 1945. When they go, they go. Sad.
Fire, one of the four things to be very afraid of in Edo Period Japan.
englisc aspyrgend
Shocking and sad.
Unbelievable that a wooden structure was not fitted with comprehensive sprinkler systems, especially after the experiences at other world heritage sites around the world (Notre Dame, Yorkminster, Windsor Castle spring to mind).
At least there are records to assist the rebuilding programme.
1glenn
Is it legal to make major constructions in Okinawa that do not have sprinkler systems?
rgcivilian1
Well from the old timers in former Ryukyu this is about the 4th time this castle has burned down so it is nothing new to the older locals. What they did find offensive is that the rebuilt castle incorporated Japanese and Chinese culture when it didn't have any of that in the originals pre WWII. These people are true bona fide blue blood Ryukyu Kingdom generation upon generation with no mixing of Japanese or Chinese in the bloodline.
Jtsnose
It is important to keep good documentation of such historic structures, as is done by governments in the U. S. and Europe. This means having students and professionals create accurate architectural & engineering drawings, in case the buildings or structures are destroyed to facilitate in rebuilding.
Jtsnose
See, also, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Council_on_Monuments_and_Sites
TheLongTermer
when I visited this castle back in the 90s I was told the original one was destroyed by the IJA, and this one was a model.
Still, it was a unique and beautiful castle with Chinese influence, much more exotic looking than the mainland castles, which all look pretty much the same.
The cause is suspicious.
WA4TKG
Damn, just left Okinawa a year or two ago, never went to see it.
kdotson1965
I am no expert, but for it to have burned so hot, spread so fast, and burn for so long; I will be very surprised if it is ruled an accident instead of arson. I too am saddened by it loss, this is a place I very much have liked to visit on my next trip to Japan.
Richard Burgan
This is a terrible loss for Okinawa. Various castle buildings have burned over the the long history. At lease 5 major fires and of course it was used as the Japanese Military headquarters in WWII and thus completely destroyed in the fighting. There were fire sprinklers on the outside but not mandated on the inside by the Japanese fire code for historical sites, since it was not an original building. (Are you kidding me?)
I really hope that Okinawa will turn this heartbreaking tragedy into a positive and humanistic rebuilding success. It would be great to see a prefecture wide fire safety education campaign that teaches adults and children about fire safety and brings smoke alarms into every home. Rebuilding the entire Shuri-jo complex will take a long dedicated effort but it must be done.
Already Okinawa Kenjinkai Clubs around the world are starting money raising efforts toward rebuilding.
Richard Burgan
By the way the fire happened on World Uchinanchu Day, October 31, 2019. (Uchinanchu is the Okinawan Language word for People of Okinawa)
Jeff Huffman
About that, I am surprised apparently there was no such system installed.
I was wondering about that. I've been in a half dozen or so castles and never noticed whether there were sprinklers. Mei-jo and Osaka-jo are structurally cement since being rebuilt after WWII. From the photo accompanying this article, it looks like the exterior walls at Shuri are concrete as well.
mike1492
Sad to see. Hope it's rebuilt.
TakCWAL
What the...
OH COME ON!
liarsnfools
What a shame. We visited just after its restoration and could feel the great pride of the Okinawan people.
Yubaru
Do you understand the difference between "restored" and "repainted"?
It was repainted and that is the photo you saw on Kyodo. It was restored in 1992, not last year!
And it will be restored again, in probably another 20 years or so!