Completion of the Restoration of Himeji Castle

On March 18, the restoration of the donjon of Himeji Castle (designated as a National Treasure), which began in June 2009, was finally completed, and the commemorative ceremony was held on March 26. This was the first major restoration since the last one, known as the Shōwa Restoration, was completed in 1964. The operation this time focused on the replacement of approximately 75,000 roof tiles, the reapplication of the castle’s signature white plaster that required approximately 100 tons of plaster, and the anti-seismic reinforcement. A part of its restored donjon was reopened to the public on March 27 after five years of lengthy work. (Japanese)