Video footage taken on March 18 in Naha shows workers reconstructing the iconic Shuri-jo Castle, which was destroyed by a 2019 fire. (Video by Koichiro Yoshida)

Photo/Illutration Carpenters reconstruct the roofs of Shuri-jo castle’s main hall on March 18 in Naha. (Koichiro Yoshida)

NAHA--Five years after a devastating fire, the roofs of Shuri-jo Castle’s main hall are taking shape as reconstruction progresses on the iconic landmark here.

The roofs, which curve gracefully upward at each corner, will be ready for tile and paint in June at the earliest. The reconstruction is expected to be completed by 2026.

The castle’s Seiden main hall is being restored inside a protective enclosure. Visitors can observe the ongoing reconstruction project up close, as the site is partly open to the public as a tourist attraction.

“This is a rare opportunity to witness the reconstruction of the building,” said Hiroyoshi Aragaki, head of the government office that oversees the national park where the castle complex is located. “I hope the public viewing of this site offers insight into the heritage and spirit of the people who built the Ryukyu Kingdom.”

The early morning blaze on Oct. 31, 2019, destroyed seven buildings including the Seiden main hall, and damaged two more. The reconstruction of the three-story main hall started in 2022.

Featuring a complex framework of 513 pillars and beams, the building will measure 29 meters in width, 21 meters in depth and 15 meters in height.

The castle served as the royal palace of the Ryukyu Kingdom (1429-1879) and the headquarters of its government. Learning from its history of repeated blazes, the new building will be equipped with sprinklers, fire doors, and other fire protection measures.

A team of 35 heritage building specialists is leading the reconstruction project. The team includes carpenters in their 20s, still learning the craft, and three women, who are the first female carpenters to work on the castle’s reconstruction.

At a workshop in the neighboring city of Uruma, artisans are also re-creating the pair of dragon sculptures that once adorned the main hall’s front staircase.

Carved from fine-grained sandstone from Yonagunijima island in the prefecture, the sculptures are currently in the rough carving stage.

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