Hirosaki Castle tower moved by 1,800 people using traditional technique

Approximately 1,800 people gathered in Aomori Prefecture, Japan, to manually move the 360-ton main tower of Hirosaki Castle using a traditional technique known as ‘hikiya’. The operation aimed to return the historic structure to its original position after it was moved in 2015 to facilitate repairs on a castle wall damaged by an earthquake.

Using the hikiya method, which involves placing a building on rollers to move it without disassembly, participants pulled 30-meter ropes in alternating teams of 80 people. Over the course of the weekend, the tower moved approximately 2.22 meters, contributing to a total displacement of 3.64 meters over a five-day period.

Kensuke Hayasaka, head of the Hirosaki Parks and Green Spaces Division, noted that the event saw massive public interest, receiving roughly 8,000 applications for the 1,800 available spots. Participants included residents from across Japan as well as international volunteers from Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America. The castle tower is classified as a nationally important cultural property.