Naha, Okinawa Pref., Oct. 31 (Jiji Press)--Final preparations are underway to reopen the main hall of Shuri Castle in Okinawa Prefecture in November, as Saturday marked the seventh anniversary of the fire that destroyed the landmark in the southwestern Japan prefecture.
The restoration of the main hall was completed in September. Work is now ongoing to finalize interior decorations, install guide plates, and implement measures to improve fire prevention.
The restoration project began in November 2022, with the total costs estimated at some 12 billion yen. A state-hosted ceremony will celebrate the project's completion on Nov. 22, and the main hall will be opened to the public the following day.
According to the Okinawa prefectural government, about 6.2 billion yen in donations had been received from within Japan and abroad by the end of September. These funds have been used to decorate the main hall's interior and preserve traditional artisan techniques.
The fire broke out in the small hours of Oct. 31, 2019, destroying nine buildings, including the main hall, before being put out some 11 hours later.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
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