Hirosaki Castle: 1,800 volunteers manually move 400-ton tower

Approximately 1,800 volunteers in Aomori Prefecture, Japan, participated in a massive collective effort to manually move the historic Hirosaki Castle tower. The structure, weighing between 360 and 400 tons, was moved slightly more than two meters toward its original location using the traditional Japanese technique known as ‘hikiya’. This method involves placing the building on rails or rollers and pulling it with ropes rather than dismantling it.

The relocation is part of a long-term restoration project. The tower was originally moved in 2015 to allow for repairs to the stone walls, which had been damaged by a powerful earthquake. Following the completion of those wall repairs in late 2024, the city is now working to return the tower to its rightful place.

Interest in the event was exceptionally high, with approximately 8,000 people applying for the 1,800 available volunteer slots. Participants included residents from across Japan as well as international volunteers from Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America. While the initial phase relies on human strength to move the first few meters, heavy machinery will be used to complete the remaining distance of the approximately 78-meter journey. The castle is expected to remain closed to the public until 2033 as restoration continues.