Kumamoto Castle: BBB and Everyone's Castle

2021/07/05

Symbol and heartbreak

If a symbol of a city or town occupies a part of one's life or inner self, then if it is damaged or lost, one may feel as if a part of their own body has been injured, or as if a hole has been opened in their heart.

Therefore, I think it is a natural feeling to want to repair it immediately when the symbol of the city where one lives is damaged.

Kumamoto Castle, which suffered tremendous damage in the Kumamoto earthquake five years ago, is one of those symbols. Many people must have been pained to see the state of Kumamoto Castle immediately after the disaster.

As a "symbol of reconstruction" today, Kumamoto Castle continues to make progress toward restoration while working together with citizens and people who rush to help with repairs.

I visited Kumamoto City at the timing of the complete restoration of the Kumamoto Castle's main tower and the first public opening of its interior since the disaster. It takes just over 30 minutes to travel from Hakata to Kumamoto by using the Kyushu Shinkansen. By the way, the Kyushu Shinkansen, which runs north-south through the western side of Kyushu, opened between Hakata and Kagoshima ten years ago.

First of all, I want to convey my impression of Kumamoto Station. The station building was just renovated a few years ago and is equipped with new and interesting souvenir shops and restaurant facilities. As soon as you leave the station, you'll see a complex building adjacent to it that houses national brand stores, which was completed not long ago and exudes a dazzling atmosphere. The design of the station building's exterior was created by architect Tadao Ando. The building is said to express the strong and beautiful imposing presence of Kumamoto Castle's stone walls known as "mushagaeshi." I think the upgrade of Kumamoto Station undoubtedly contributed to its enhancement.

Furthermore, the population of Kumamoto City exceeds 700,000 people. It is the third-largest city in Kyushu, following Fukuoka City (about 1.5 million) and Kitakyushu City (just under 1 million). Kumamoto was once the largest city in Kyushu during the Meiji era. You can catch a glimpse of that history by looking out of the window of the streetcar and observing the cityscape.

BBB in Kumamoto

By the way, have you ever heard of the term BBB (Build Back Better)? It was used as a campaign slogan for the Democratic Party during the US presidential election last year. Now, it is known worldwide as the policy slogan of the Biden administration, which aims to rebuild a pandemic-weakened America.

In recent years, natural disasters have been rampant worldwide, and the human and economic damage caused by the pandemic has been severe. The BBB slogan has become applicable in any part of the world where the situation calls for rebuilding better after a crisis.

BBB (Build Back Better) has been used among experts in administration and disaster recovery in Japan for some time, representing the idea of "better reconstruction" or "creative reconstruction." These words express the philosophy of not only restoring the situation that existed before the disaster, but also creating something better for the future through the process of reconstruction.

The restoration of the historical cultural assets that have been loved by the citizens for 400 years involves uncovering ancient building materials and techniques, inheriting the good things while creating "better things" suitable for the new era.

Therefore, I imagine that the restoration of Kumamoto Castle requires an incredible amount of wisdom and energy from many people.

High Spirits for Recovery

Now let's get into the main topic. It is predicted among experts that the complete restoration of Kumamoto Castle will take at least 20 years. It has been five years since the disaster, and I would like to report on the progress of the restoration currently underway.

I visited Kumamoto Castle on a hot day during a break in the rainy season, with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius. Despite the scorching sun, there was a sense of tension due to it being the first general opening after the completion of the main tower. Even though we were outside, the reception and guidance staff were quick and efficient, and we were able to tour the castle comfortably.

“The reopening of Kumamoto Castle provides a great opportunity to experience the progress of the recovery from the Kumamoto earthquake. The castle is not only a symbol of recovery, but also a source of support for the hearts of people. We want to make the reopening a positive event that will encourage people to move forward in difficult situations," said Mayor Kazufumi Onishi ahead of the public reopening.

Governor Ikuo Kabashima of Kumamoto Prefecture has also been promoting the concept of "creative reconstruction" and working towards the recovery of the entire prefecture.

With the enthusiasm of the staff who want people to see the current state of Kumamoto Castle, and the leader who has a high vision for the reconstruction, it's not just me who can feel the high spirits of those involved in the castle's reconstruction while inside the castle.

"An aerial corridor"

First, let me explain about the "special tour pathway," which is a newly installed aerial corridor that leads from the southern entrance to the castle tower. Currently, there are many dangerous areas inside the castle, and visitors cannot freely move around. Therefore, this pathway was created as a new tour route that takes into consideration the safety of visitors.

In addition, it seems that the design of this pathway also intends to give visitors a glimpse of the restoration process on the site.

The walkway is over 5 meters high and about 4 meters wide. It has a wooden floor and a very simple structure of pipes supporting the framework, similar to the rails of a roller coaster but wider and with smaller height differences. The walkway snakes around and allows you to walk slowly while enjoying the views on both sides. Some people walked quickly under the blazing sun, but I fell for the design and ended up taking my time walking.

Compared to walking on the ground, the view from the elevated walkway naturally becomes higher, allowing for a wider angle of the turrets, gates, and stone walls within the castle. As I walked, I suddenly felt like a camera operator on a crane at a movie set, floating up and down while shooting. The distant view of the castle tower and the neatly stacked stone walls of the "mushagaeshi" (literally "warrior return") looked even more three-dimensional. The panoramic view of the castle from both a far and near distance was spectacular, and I felt like I had experienced something unique that I might never have the chance to experience again.

Looking in a different direction, you can also see the restoration of the collapsed stone walls and buildings under reconstruction. Simply walking slowly along the 350-meter-long corridor allows you to see the multitudes of restoration progress happening at different speeds. I felt the sentiment of both the workers and supporters to move forward together in the restoration effort.

However, I heard that even this passageway will be dismantled in 20 years after the completion of this project. It is a very regrettable story for visitors, as it has received positive feedback. Personally, I think this elevated walkway is a legacy that should be preserved for the future. Rather, if the walkway could be extended to encircle the entire castle like a roller coaster, allowing visitors to enjoy the castle from various heights and angles, it would be even better.

In any case, just by seeing the elevated walkway, I felt like I caught a glimpse of a practical example of creative restoration.

The resilience of Iidamaru

Let's get back to the topic at hand, as it seems we got a bit carried away with the discussion of the aerial walkway.

Many people may remember the appearance of the Iidamaru five-story turret of Kumamoto Castle immediately after the earthquake, when it was braced with only cornerstones to prevent the collapse of the entire building. It was a sight that caused concern and left a deep impression on many.

I recall watching a documentary on NHK about the restoration work on this building. Through the program, the dedication of the technical staff to the restoration effort was conveyed. The program reported that the technical team tackled the unprecedented construction work with high aspirations, and despite the technical challenges and risks, successfully completed the initial stages of the restoration.

Through such examples, as well as the restoration process itself, I speculate that breakthroughs in new ideas and technologies are occurring in various places.

Undoubtedly, the noble cause of restoring Kumamoto Castle as a symbol of reconstruction has raised the spirits of those working on the site, leading to new forms of creativity. Currently, the Iidamaru five-story turret is undergoing dismantling work on the building and stone walls.

A majestic castle tower

After taking some time to finally exit the aerial corridor, a path leads to a square where you can see the entire castle tower.

The first impression of the castle tower was bright, which may have been due to the weather. Over the past five years, large-scale restoration work has been carried out with scaffolding, but it was so well completed that there was no trace of it.

Perhaps for the citizens of Kumamoto who were saddened by the appearance of the castle tower immediately after the earthquake and continued to watch the restoration process, seeing the reborn appearance of the tower may make them feel truly refreshed and uplifted. I imagined this as I looked up at the tower multiple times.

Actually, I visited the castle once on a school trip when I was a child. At that time, the entire castle had a strong black image and gave off a somewhat scary impression that kept people at bay.

However, the castle in front of me now was quite the opposite, with white dominating over black, giving it a bright and clean appearance. It was also more approachable and exuded a sense of elegance, causing a drastic transformation in my perception of the castle's aura from negative to positive.

While chatting with the on-site engineers, I heard that as the plaster became more seasoned, the overall texture of the tower might change, but personally, I hoped that the current impression would continue to last.

Once inside the castle tower, I could see the newly visible seismic structure. I felt that the culmination of invisible technology was distributed throughout the entire building. I also noticed the meticulous workmanship on the interior. I should also note that the view of the city from the top of the tower, after climbing the slightly cramped staircase, was exceptional.

The exhibits that conveyed the history of the castle were also extensive and packed with information. It would probably take a full day to absorb everything. Among them, the area displaying the damage and restoration process drew the largest crowd. I imagine many locals were there, and I could feel a strong sense of relief and satisfaction that the castle had finally been restored to its former glory.

Transparent scaffolding and words of encouragement

It should be noted that during the construction of the castle, I found it interesting to learn about the process of creating the scaffolding that would initially cover the entire tower. In a typical construction site in the city, the exterior walls or sheets cover everything, making it impossible to see what is happening inside. However, in this case, it was decided to make the scaffolding visible from the outside by using transparent netting, so that the silhouette of the tower could be seen even if it was somewhat indistinct. It seems that this decision was reached through careful discussion among those involved, considering who the castle was for and what the purpose of the restoration was.

By the way, it is usual for construction sites to be scolded by passersby for being noisy and disruptive. However, at the construction site of Kumamoto Castle, people were encouraged with cheers of "Keep it up" and "Thank you". It seems that this special place as a symbol of recovery also inspires the high spirits of visitors.

The Restoration Lord

Lastly, I would like to share that I learned about a new donation scheme called "Fukkou Joushu" (Reconstruction Castle Lord) that is being used to supplement the restoration costs.

This scheme issues a "castle lord certificate" that comes with benefits that can be used in local tourism facilities, and can be obtained by making a donation of at least 10,000 yen per person. The naming may be a bit peculiar, but already more than 110,000 people have participated, and the total amount donated has exceeded 2.6 billion yen.

I think this is a fresh initiative where citizens and supporters are taking the lead in supporting their own castle.

According to the initial plan, it is expected that the cost will exceed 60 billion yen over the 20-year period until full restoration.

Before the pandemic, it seems that 2 million tourists visited Kumamoto Castle annually. With such a track record, I feel that it is possible to build a sufficient financial foundation to support the restoration plan by simultaneously improving both the hardware and software aspects, as well as devising funding strategies.

Everyone's Castle

To conclude my report, I would like to summarize what I have felt and understood through this visit.

Firstly, I was able to feel the high spirits of the people involved in the restoration of Kumamoto Castle and the passionate feelings of the citizens who support them.

The collective effort of citizens and stakeholders towards a common good of better reconstruction will remain as a legacy that will continue to thrive.

Moreover, I believe that the attempt to create the next 400 years from the previous 400 years of restoration has already begun.

By providing a clear vision for better and creative reconstruction, making Kumamoto Castle a symbol of reconstruction that draws people in, and incorporating an open restoration process to support people's hearts, Kumamoto Castle has successfully transformed into "everyone's castle."

I think that attempts to utilize historic buildings and cultural assets as symbols of towns are being made in various places.

Will the challenge of Kumamoto Castle have an impact on many regions in the future?

I look forward to the future developments.

Finally, personally, I have another reason to want to visit Kumamoto again, which is its local cuisine. I enjoyed Ichimonji Guruguru, karashi renkon, and dagojiru for lunch. Food has the power to attract people too, and I want to visit Kumamoto again in the near future.