Kumamoto Castle 熊本城 (TOURIST SPOT)
KUMAMOTO – “Warning: No trespassing due to earthquake damage,” bears a sign at Kumamoto Castle, a popular tourist destination in the prefecture, while castle officials make rounds to prevent trespassers.
Strong earthquakes that hit the region last April not only destroyed homes, schools and offices but also cultural properties such as Kumamoto Castle, which was built in 1607 and attracts about 1.7 million tourists a year.
It was the first time the castle had been seriously damaged since it was burned down during the Satsuma Rebellion in 1877.
Visitors at present can only view the castle in limited locations, including Kato Shrine, where they can get closest to the collapsed tenshukaku (castle keep).
“Usually around this season, many tourist buses would arrive, bringing visitors speaking in many different languages, including Chinese, English and Korean. But there are less this year,” said Hideo Kawata, head of Kumamoto Castle’s administration department.
It will take decades to finish restoring the castle, Kawata said.
The worst damage is to the stone wall surrounding the castle, which is expected to take about 20 years to repair.
About 30 percent of the 79,000 sq.-meter wall is damaged, and a further 10 percent has completely collapsed.
To repair the wall, numbers will be allocated to each and every stone that is removed so they can be replaced in the same spot like a jigsaw puzzle.
The castle is also home to 13 important cultural properties designated by the central government, including the castle’s 11 scaffolds and a gate.
Of those, two scaffolds completely collapsed and the roof and walls of a scaffold gate have also been damaged.
But for tourists and history buffs, the damage to the keep may be the most shocking.
Although it’s not designated as an important cultural property, the keep, rebuilt in 1960 in concrete, is regarded by many as a symbol of the castle.