Crowds Help Move 400-Ton Castle in Japan

Written by: Keya Gambhir

About 1,800 people in Japan recently came together to help move a 400-ton castle by hand. The volunteers pulled thick ropes attached to Hirosaki Castle’s keep, moving the massive structure several feet closer to its original location.

Hirosaki Castle is located in Aomori, a prefecture in northern Japan. Its keep is a fortified tower that once helped protect the castle. In 2015, the keep was moved from its original location so workers could repair a stone wall that had been damaged by an earthquake.

Moving a building as large as a castle might sound impossible, but workers used a traditional Japanese technique called hikiya. Hikiya involves placing a building on rollers or rails and moving it while keeping the structure intact. This means workers do not have to take the building apart before moving it.

The stone wall that needed repairs was rebuilt using all 2,185 of its original stones. Once the restoration work was completed, it was time to move the castle keep back toward its original location.

Thousands of people wanted to help with the unusual project. About 8,000 people applied for only 1,800 volunteer spots. People from Japan and other parts of the world, including Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America, applied for the opportunity.

The volunteers did not all pull at once. Groups of about 80 people took turns pulling on ropes that were nearly 100 feet long. During one day, volunteers moved the keep about four feet. On another day, they moved it about 3.5 feet.

Moving the castle by hand is only one part of the larger project. About 4,000 people were expected to participate in the manual move during the month. Together, they will move the keep about 16 feet by hand before machines take over for the remaining distance.

Some volunteers even helped move the castle in 2015. Mei Umetsu, who participated again this time, said she felt emotional about being able to take part in the project for a second time.

Hirosaki Castle has a long history. It was completed in 1611, but its original five-story keep was destroyed by lightning in 1627. The current three-story keep was built in the early 1800s. Today, it is one of only 12 surviving castle towers from Japan’s feudal era and the only one in the Tohoku region.

The castle is also an important tourist attraction. It sits in a park famous for its annual cherry blossom festival, which attracts about two million visitors. However, visitors will have to wait to see the castle in its restored location.

Once the keep is returned to its original base, more preservation work will begin. The entire structure will be covered during the work, and the castle is expected to reopen to visitors in 2033.

The project shows how an ancient technique can still be used to protect historic buildings today. Instead of taking Hirosaki Castle apart, workers are carefully moving it so future generations can continue to visit and learn about its history.