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Centuries-old Kumamoto Castle continues to battle intense earthquakes

Master Blaster Apr 16, 2016
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Two violent earthquakes and numerous strong aftershocks continue to rock the iconic 400-year-old castle, which has so far outlasted much younger structures.

On 14 April Kumamoto Prefecture was hit by a magnitude 7 earthquake, which caused widespread damage and claimed nine lives. Amidst the chaos, many looked towards the region’s cultural treasure, Kumamoto Castle, considered one of Japan’s top three castles along with Himeji and Matsumoto Castles.

Originally constructed in the late 15th century, with further expansions built in the 17th century by the Daimyo Kato Kiyomasa, many of the structures continue to stand in the same place today, thanks to quality engineering, regular upkeep, and a bit of luck.

After the initial quake hit, rumors quickly began to circulate that Kumamoto Castle had collapsed. However, news reports reassured the nation that aside from some damage to a stone wall, displacement of roof tiles, and loss of the shachihoko (tiger-headed, fish-shaped statues on the roof) the castle had held up.

【熊本城地震で「しゃちほこ」なくなる】
この地震で熊本城では天守閣の瓦がずれたほか、「しゃちほこ」が落ちてなくなっていることが分かりました。 https://t.co/ZAiqnA0SLN pic.twitter.com/yaMnoQpUNc

— ＮＨＫ生活・防災 (@nhk_seikatsu) April 15, 2016

https://twitter.com/kirima46/status/721189677894471680 https://twitter.com/kinisoku/status/721163767891890177

【特設：九州で強い地震相次ぐ】
熊本城に大きな被害が出ています。ＮＨＫのカメラが、石垣が崩れる瞬間を捉えました。映像を掲載しています。https://t.co/WPlVnliE8w #nhk_news pic.twitter.com/iUumQFl84P

— NHKニュース (@nhk_news) April 16, 2016

Comments paid tribute to the castle’s legendary strength that appears to still hold true today.

▼ “I heard from a friend in Kumamoto who said with a strange excitement, ‘It’s crazy, Kumamoto Castle didn’t even budge after an earthquake of seismic intensity 7. The building has been there for 400 years. Crazy! Seeing it brought back my courage. Kato Kiyomasa was really something.’ It’s good to hear that the castle gives strength to the people.”

連絡が着いた熊本の友人は｢震度7でもびくともしない熊本城てヤバイすね。あれ400年前の建物っすよ。ヤバイすよね。あれ観てたら勇気湧きます。加藤清正半端ねえっす｣と変なテンションでした。城が人に勇気を与えるなんて素敵な話ですね。

— RIDDLE崇尋【知識の闇鍋】 (@riddletkhr) April 14, 2016

▼ “Thankfully, the collapsed part of Kumamoto Castle was the roof of the Uto-yagura [main building] and a stone wall. After surviving 400 years of wind, snow, and wars the keep still seems safe. Kato Kiyomasa was amazing. I mean, the fortification skills of carpenters and masons 400 years ago…”

どうも熊本城の崩れた部分は新しく積んだ石垣や建築した天守の屋根が大部分のようで、それこそ400年風雪にもなんなら西南戦争の砲撃にも耐え抜いた宇土櫓は無事らしい。すごいな加藤清正、というか、400年前の大工さんとか石工職人さん、そして当時の築城技術。

— あきよ@マスターズスイマーで公認競技役員 (@akiyokoyanagi) April 14, 2016

And so the castle remained as a symbol of endurance for the people of Kumamoto as aftershocks continued to rock the area. Many began picking up the pieces not knowing the worst was yet to come.

Late last night a 7.3 quake hit the same area leaving many more dead and injured and causing further damage to property including several more collapsed buildings.

Kumamoto resident Noel Vincent went over to the castle to see what additional damage was done and broadcast it on his Periscope account.

https://twitter.com/NoelVincent/status/721108194202812416

News outlets confirmed that Kumamoto Castle’s Kita Juhachiken Tower and Higashi Juhachiken Tower structures have collapsed.

▼ Higashi Juhachiken (Kita Juhachiken is directly behind) before the earthquakes

▼ After the second major earthquake

Image: Twitter/@arakichi1969

▼ A map showing the currently damaged areas

https://twitter.com/arakichi1969/status/721177033745641474

While it is a sad cultural loss, the residents can hopefully still draw strength from the remaining 11 structures that make up the Kumamoto Castle complex. This disaster is far from over though. With more aftershocks and possibly worse looming for those in Kumamoto, we hope that, like their castle, the people of Kumamoto continue to stand strong and proud.

Source: Yahoo! News Japan 1, 2, Sankei News, Hachima Kiko (Japanese) Twitter/@NoelVincent, BBC News (English)
Top Image: Twitter/@arakichi1969