Reconstruction Festival Begins at Shurijo Castle; Procession in Traditional Costumes Made at Full Scale

The Yomiuri Shimbun

21:02 JST, November 3, 2023

The Shurijo Castle Reconstruction Festival, aimed at raising awareness of restoration work on the castle’s main hall, began Friday in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture. Special guided tours of the construction site for the main hall, which was destroyed by a fire in 2019, and Ryukyuan traditional arts performances are being held through Sunday.

On Friday, the “ancient procession” was held at a normal scale for the first time in 6 years. The event recreates a historical procession where the king of the Ryukyu Kingdom visited three temples in Shuri to pray for peace and an abundant harvest.

Restoration work on the main hall began on Nov. 3 last year, and progress has been made on the pillars and frame. Work is scheduled to finish in fall 2026.