With ropes and chants, thousands move Japanese castle

In northern Japan, a group of volunteers gathered on Wednesday to move Hirosaki Castle, a 400-tonne fortified tower, back towards its original position. The castle, built in the Edo period (1603-1868), had previously been shifted 80 metres (262 feet) in 2015 to facilitate essential repairs to the stone walls supporting it. Engineers opted to reposition the three-storey wooden structure intact, hoisting it on metal rails to a temporary platform.

Since last Saturday, around 4,000 people, including some from overseas, have participated in the process, moving the tower a few centimetres at a time. Takahiro Kogawa, a local resident, described the experience as "like trying to move a mountain" as he exerted himself to help with the effort. Azusa Nimiya, a history and castle enthusiast, traveled from Shimane to contribute, calling it an "experience of a lifetime."

The municipality plans to deploy heavy machinery in September to complete the journey, with the goal of permanently installing the castle in November. Following additional restoration work on the copper roof and facades, the full reopening to the public is scheduled for 2033. Kensuke Hayasaka, the head of the restoration project, emphasized the significance of involving the public in physically experiencing history and passing it on to future generations.

The traditional technique for moving structures, known as "hikiya," has been used in Japan since ancient times.

Among the most enthusiastic participants was 82-year-old Katsumi Terada, who recounted participating in the movement 11 years earlier. He expressed relief at seeing the tower return to its base, stating he was "alive and well."