# Hundreds of volunteers pull 360-tonne historic Japanese castle back into place by hand

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/hundreds-of-volunteers-pull-360-tonne-historic-japanese-castle-back-into-place-by-hand/
- Published: 2026-08-26T19:21:14+00:00
- Updated: 2026-08-27T02:33:16+00:00
- Original publisher: Fox News (publisher lean: Far right)
- Original article: https://www.foxnews.com/world/hundreds-volunteers-pull-360-tonne-historic-japanese-castle-back-into-place-by-hand
- Topics: Asia, World

## Key points

- 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.

## Summary

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.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.