An impressive undertaking took place in northern Japan, where approximately 1,800 people joined forces to move a historic castle weighing 360 metric tons, as part of its restoration efforts.
The participants used ropes to pull the central tower of Hirosaki Castle, in Aomori Prefecture, managing to move it a little more than two meters toward its original location in two days.
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The castle had been moved away from its foundation so that restoration work could be carried out on a wall that had been damaged by a strong earthquake.
The participants were divided into groups of 80 people and, using 30-meter-long ropes, began pulling the massive structure, which had been placed on special rails. On Saturday, they managed to move it 1.13 meters, and on Sunday, another 1.09 meters.
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8,000 applications for 1,800 positions
Interest in participating in the operation was particularly high. Approximately 8,000 people applied for the 1,800 available spots—meaning more than four applicants for every spot.
Applications came not only from local residents but from all over Japan, as well as from abroad, including countries in Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America.
According to The Guardian, the historic building is being moved using the traditional Japanese technique known as “hikiya,” in which an entire building is moved on rollers without being dismantled.
This method was deemed necessary because the tower has been designated an important cultural asset of national significance and had to be preserved intact.
A similar operation had taken place in 2015, when the authorities had called on citizens for the first time to help move it. It was the first time this technique had been used with public participation, and also the first time a castle had been moved using this method in about a century.
A total of 4,100 people will pull the castle
The wall was completed in December 2024, after a total of 2,185 stones were returned to their original positions.
Following the completion of this phase, the authorities once again called on citizens to help return the tower to its original foundation.
By the end of August, approximately 4,100 people are expected to participate in moving the tower, covering a total distance of five meters. This process is primarily symbolic and aims to involve the local community in the project.
The remaining approximately 73 meters will be moved with the help of machinery by the end of the year.
Motoharu Nakata, 61, traveled from Hiroshima, on the other side of Japan: “I came for the relocation 11 years ago as well. It’s very moving to be able to participate again. There’s absolutely no other opportunity to photograph a castle—it was fantastic,” he told the Sankei Shimbun newspaper.
Based on current plans, the castle is expected to reopen to the public in 2033.
Source: Protothema.gr
