One of the top tourist destinations in Okinawa, Japan is the Shuri Castle which has been declared as one of the 11th UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000 in the year 2000. The castle has been formerly reconstructed by the Japanese government in 1945 after it was devastated during the World War II attacks. Nonetheless, the underground ruins of the original Shuri Castle were the ones considered as a world heritage.
However, after a fire broke out last October 31, 2019, portions of the renovated Seiden main hall, Hokuden north hall and Nanden south of the castle were destroyed. Just a few days earlier, these sites were utilized during a festival activity that re-created sceneries from a traditional Japanese tradition.
Less than a week after the unfortunate fire incident that destroyed the Shuri Castle in Okinawa, Japan last October 31, 2019, various campaigns and online fund raising activities were conducted by the Naha Municipal Government in order to raise funds to help rebuild the castle.
The local government seeks to fix and renovate the areas of the Shuri castle which were destroyed by the fire. This prompted Naha Mayor Mikiko Shiroma to initiate the online campaign. A couple of days after the fire incident, the municipality received more than one hundred million yen in donations.
As of last Monday, November 4, 2019, the said fund raising campaign has reached more than eighteen thousand people who donated a sum of over two hundred fifty million yen. According to Mayor Shiroma, “I am deeply moved by the feelings of people, sent from both within and outside of the prefecture, and I want to express my deep gratitude.”
She further remarked that the initial necessary fund to start reconstructing the Shuri castle has already been met. But they will continue to accept monetary donations to fully renovate the structure to its former glory.
Reference: Crowdfunding drive in Japan to help rebuild Okinawa’s Shuri Castle raises over ¥250 million
