A re-creation of Naha's Shuri Castle will be exhibited from April 24 at Tobu World Square in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture. The elaborate miniature castle constructed at 1/25 scale has been installed ahead of its first appearance at the Tobu theme park where dioramas of other famous buildings from around the world are also on display.
At one time a royal palace, the castle served as the political and cultural center of the Ryukyu Kingdom (1429-1879). It was burned down during the 1945 Battle of Okinawa, but it was later restored and the Seiden main hall and other core parts were opened to the public as Shurijo Castle Park in 1992. But the castle was again severely damaged by a fire that ripped through the grounds in October 2019.
The miniature exhibit spans a 120-square-meter site and will be the largest in the theme park's Japan Zone. It comprises 24 buildings, such as the Seiden hall, which stands at about 62-centimeters high, an about 36-centimeter tall Hokuden north hall and castle walls. A re-creation of Shuri Castle's Shureimon gate, which has been on display in the theme park since it opened, has been moved to the recreated castle's entrance. The mini-castle project's cost was about 100 million yen.
In 2000, "Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu," including the castle site, was registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. The main hall and some other parts are not included in the World Heritage site.
"Shuri Castle has been a candidate exhibit since the opening of our park. We made this exhibit in the hope that it would help reduce the shock the fire caused to people and will help toward the restorative work in the main hall," said Yukio Nemoto, the theme park's general manager. "I hope the new exhibit will make many people think about the beauty of Shuri Castle and the Kingdom of Ryukyu."
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