Supporting the reconstruction of Shuri Castle! Donated by a U.S. military personnel who has worked in Okinawa

Supporting the reconstruction of Shuri Castle! U.S. military personnel working in Okinawa donated November 2, 10:29

The fire that burned down the main building of Shuri Castle in Naha City was received with a shock even overseas, and in the United States, U.S. military personnel who had experience working in Okinawa rebuilt Shuri Castle. Fundraising activities are being conducted.

Mari Gregory, the wife of an American Marine Corps officer, is calling for fundraising to rebuild Shuri Castle near the US capital Washington.

Mr. Gregory lived in Okinawa for three years until the summer following his husband's work, but was shocked by the massive fire burned by Shuri Castle, which he had visited with his family, and donated it on the Internet. We opened a site to collect money.

We have been calling for cooperation with American soldiers and their families who have worked in Okinawa, and over the last day and a half, about 2,700 dollars (over 290,000 yen in Japanese yen) gathered.

The site also receives messages from people who donated money, and says, "Okinawa people always treated my family with respect and shared Okinawan culture."

Mr. Gregory says, “I am writing on the net how many people in the military are sad and angry. The military officials living in Okinawa feel Okinawa in the same way as their homes.” I want to expand the circle of support for rebuilding Shuri Castle.

U.S. forces stationed in Okinawa

On the other hand, the US forces stationed in Okinawa are calling on soldiers and their families to post photos of Shuri Castle before it was burned, along with a hashtag “Shuri Memories” on Twitter.

One who responded to the call, Colonel Bodyucci, Marine Corps, was a Japanese mother from Okinawa, with a picture taken with her mother 24 years ago, and her children four days before the fire broke out. I posted each photo I took.

Colonel Boducci said, “My mother was crying when I told my mother living in Texas about the destruction of Shuri Castle by phone. I realized how important Shuri Castle is for Okinawans.”