Photo/Illutration A woman who came from Okinawa city after hearing the news of the fire wipes away tears as she looks at the burned ruins of Shuri-jo castle on Oct. 31 in Naha. (Motoki Nagasawa)

NAHA--For more than 30 years, Koin Maeda had poured his heart and soul into restoring Shuri-jo castle from the devastation of war.

The 82-year-old lacquer work artist was a young child when the castle was destroyed in a fire during the 1945 Battle of Okinawa, and he had since spent much of his life engaged in the rebuilding effort that was completed last year.

But on Oct. 31, when he switched on a morning TV news program, any pride he had in his work was overtaken by horror. Main structures of the castle were engulfed in flames, and the raging fire was causing an eerie glow to emanate from the burning frames of the buildings.

Hoping he was having a bad dream, Maeda changed the channel, but every broadcaster was showing scenes of the symbol of Okinawa being destroyed.

“I remained stunned for a while after finding out that it was really happening,” he said.

Together with his wife, Sakae, 74, Maeda was involved in lacquer and design work on the interiors and exteriors of the castle’s structures, such as thrones and frames, during the restoration process. One of the designs, called Kinryu-goshiki-no-kumo, adorned the columns at the front of the Seiden main hall.

“The work was carried out with the pride of Uchinanchu (Okinawans). Now, it’s all gone,” Maeda said with tears in his eyes.

Shuri-jo castle was restored to its former state when it was the home of royalty and the center of politics and culture for the Ryukyu Kingdom (1429-1879).

The red-hued castle has been a huge tourist draw in Japan’s southernmost prefecture. But for locals, it has remained a symbol of their identity and history since the days before Japan annexed the kingdom in the Meiji Era (1868-1912).

Masahide Chinen, 75, who runs a confectionery shop that opened near the castle after World War II, was at a loss for words as he watched parts of the castle burning down.

He had closely followed the restoration process and prides himself on contributing to the work.

“The sorrow at losing the castle will only grow,” he muttered.

The fire broke out in the early hours of Oct. 31. Nearby residents watched helplessly from a safe distance as the flames spread around the castle located on higher ground.

Around Ryutan, a pond near the castle, many people were still looking at the ruins until nightfall.

Kie Tokeshi, 29, whose parents’ home is located nearby, saw the fire engulf one structure after another, leading to their collapse.

“(The castle) is a symbol of Shuri (part of current-day Naha) that was there when I was a child. I can’t believe it,” she said.

A 46-year-old woman said she could see the castle from her house and had visited the site once every two to three months.

After hearing about the fire, she went near the castle for a closer look.

“Shuri-jo castle is an important treasure. I was so sad watching the castle burning fiercely,” she said tearfully while looking at the ruins.

In 2000, remnants of the original castle were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

According to the Okinawa prefectural government, the registration includes underground remains covering 4.7 hectares.

But the structures that burned down in the fire, including the Seiden main hall, were not included in the World Heritage site listing.

The prefectural government said a stone foundation that was part of the registered remains had been exposed above the surface at some places. It did not know if those registered structures were damaged in the blaze.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.