1st Massive Pillar Erected in Rebuilding of Famous Okinawa Landmark

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:41 JST, September 5, 2023

NAHA — The first of the massive pillars that will form the frame in the rebuilding of the main hall of Shuri Castle in Naha was erected on Monday with the media allowed on site to observe the procedure.

It marked an important step forward in the reconstruction of the historic site, which was destroyed in a fire in October 2019. The work is scheduled for completion in the autumn of 2026.

The pillar-raising is being done in a temporary building called a “suyane” that blocks wind and rain, allowing for the work to continue smoothly.

A crane was used to erect the pillar, which is made from a Japanese cypress tree produced in Nara Prefecture. It measures about 7.2 meters in height and about 0.4 meters in diameter, and weighs about 500 kilograms.

The one erected on Monday is positioned near a throne in the center of the first floor of the main hall. The frame of the hall, consisting of a combined 513 pillars and beams, is expected to be finished by the end of this year.