It has been five years since the Kumamoto earthquake occurred in 14 days.
Kumamoto Castle was severely damaged by the Kumamoto earthquake five years ago, including the collapse of the roof tiles and stone walls of the castle tower, and the collapse of the towers and walls of national important cultural properties.
After the earthquake, Kumamoto City has given top priority to the restoration of the castle tower, which is also a symbol of the castle, in order to encourage the affected citizens as a symbol of reconstruction.
As a result, the exterior construction of both the large castle tower and the small castle tower was almost completed by last summer, and the original heroic appearance was revived.
In addition, all construction work, including earthquake resistance and installation of internal exhibits, was completed last month and is scheduled to open to the public on the 26th of this month.
The exhibition has been completely redesigned, and the contents trace the history of Kumamoto Castle from the time of Kiyomasa Kato to the present day from the 1st floor to the 4th floor of the castle tower, and you can see the cityscape of Kumamoto from the 6th floor on the top floor.
On the other hand, restoration other than the castle tower is in the middle of the road.
Buildings such as towers and fences, which include important cultural properties of 13 countries in the castle, have all been damaged by collapse or damage, and so far only "Nagabei" has been restored.
In addition, about 30% of the stone walls in the castle have collapsed or moved, but there are still some places that remain untouched.
It will take more time for these restorations because it is necessary to carefully consider how to maintain the value as a cultural property while ensuring safety after conducting seismic surveys. ..
The restoration work for the entire Kumamoto Castle is expected to be completed in 2037, 16 years later.
The citizens of Kumamoto Castle have regained their brave appearance ...
Locals visited Kumamoto Castle, which was severely damaged by the Kumamoto earthquake and is undergoing restoration work, for walks on the morning of the 14th.
At Kumamoto Castle, the restoration work of the castle tower was completed last month, and while it has regained its original heroic appearance, the restoration work of Ishigaki and the Yagura, an important cultural property, is about to begin in earnest.
At Ninomaru Square, where you can see the castle tower, many people gathered from early morning to take a walk or do gymnastics.
A man in his 60s said, "I vividly remember that five years ago, the traffic lights in my house and in the city were broken and I was scared. Kumamoto Castle is special for Kumamoto people, and for myself, I took a walk and radio calisthenics. If you don't see Kumamoto Castle, the day won't start. "
A woman in her 70s said, "I was really shocked to see smoke coming out of Kumamoto Castle due to the shaking of the earthquake. I hope that the exhibition will resume in all areas while I am fine. Look forward to it. I'm doing my best every day. "