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

A procession of people in vibrant traditional costumes descends stairs in Shurijo Castle Park on Friday.
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.
"Society" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
Japan’s Maglev Shinkansen’s Partially Completed Station Unveiled; Station Will Be Only Underground Stop Between Shinagawa, Nagoya
-
Fukuoka City School Lunch Menu with Only One Karaage Fried Chicken Draws Criticism; Mayor Vows to Improve School Meals
-
2025 Expo Osaka : Expo Venue Hit by Swarms of Chironomids; Organizers Cooperating with Pest Control Companies, Others to Deal with Outbreak
-
Japanese Students at Harvard Worried by U.S. Move; 260 at Harvard Part of 13,500 Japanese Students in U.S.
-
Japanese Swords Banned from Tourist Programs, Putting Damper on the ‘Samurai Experience’
JN ACCESS RANKING
-
Aichi Rice Production Under Siege from Warming Climate; Record Heat Stunts Crop Growth, Causes Greater Pest Activity
-
Japanese Researchers Develop ‘Transparent Paper’ as Alternative to Plastics; New Material Is Biodegradable, Can Be Produced with Low Carbon Emissions
-
Japan’s Cooperation in Alaska LNG Development Project Emerges in Japan-U.S. Tariff Negotiations; But Industry Concerns Exist
-
Trump: Nippon Steel Will Part Own U.S. Steel, U.S. to Be in Control; Share Distribution, Other Details Remain Unclear
-
Japan’s Maglev Shinkansen’s Partially Completed Station Unveiled; Station Will Be Only Underground Stop Between Shinagawa, Nagoya