Remains of burnt-down Shurijo shown to media

November 6, 2019

Naha, Okinawa Prefecture--Shurijo, a celebrated castle in Naha in Japan's southernmost prefecture of Okinawa that mostly burnt down in a fire on Thursday, was shown to the media on a limited scale on Monday for the first time since the incident.

The base of the "Seiden" main hall of the castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site, lay exposed, with the wooden building reduced to ashes. A burnt smell remained, with debris scattered about the "Una" inner garden in front of the Seiden hall and part of the roof of the fire-hit "Hoshinmon" gate charred black.

Shurijo flourished as the center of politics, diplomacy and culture of the Ryukyu Kingdom, which existed for 450 years from 1429.

Reporters were allowed to enter at a point some 50 meters from the near side of the Hoshinmon gate, which leads to the Una garden.

Seen through the gate, besides the bare concrete base of the Seiden hall, were the 4.1-meter "Dairyuchu" dragon-shaped pillars and their bases, which stood recognizable on both sides of the front steps of the Seiden hall.

Part of the roof tiles of the Hoshinmon gate remained, but the upper part of the gate was damaged by the fire, with black timber appearing to stick out into the air.

The roof tiles of the "Hokuden" northern hall, where a banquet for national leaders was held at the time of a Group of Eight summit in the Kyushu southwestern region and Okinawa in 2000, were completely wrecked.

On-site inspections at the fire scene were also conducted on Monday by police and fire authorities. Jiji Press