Hundreds of volunteers pull 360-tonne historic Japanese castle back into place by hand
Around 1,800 volunteers in Aomori Prefecture, Japan, helped pull the 360-tonne keep of Hirosaki Castle more than six feet back towards its original position after renovation work. The effort matters because it uses a traditional method to preserve a historic structure while repairs are carried out, rather than dismantling or risking damage to the building.
The keep had previously been moved to allow reconstruction of an earthquake-damaged wall, with all 2,185 stones returned to their original locations. Teams are using the ancient hikiya technique, moving the intact building on rollers or rails; by the end of August, about 4,100 people are expected to have moved it more than 16 feet in total. The current three-storey keep dates from 1811, replacing an earlier five-storey tower destroyed by lightning in 1627.
In short
- Volunteers are hand-pulling Hirosaki Castle’s 360-tonne keep back into place.
- Traditional hikiya methods allow the historic building to be moved intact.
- More than 4,100 people are expected to help move it over 16 feet.
Explained simply
Hirosaki Castle stands in Aomori Prefecture in northern Japan. Its current three-storey keep was built in 1811, after an earlier tower was destroyed by lightning.
The castle’s stone wall was damaged in an earthquake, so the keep was moved to make room for repairs. The stones were put back in their original positions, and the building is being shifted using hikiya, a traditional method that moves structures intact on rollers or rails.
Moving the keep this way allows work on the wall while keeping the historic building together. It also shows how traditional building methods can be used to care for an old structure during repairs.