Restoring a region’s symbol – Kumamoto Castle
Kumamoto Castle, a much loved landmark for over 400 years, was extensively damaged in 2016 by a major earthquake. When restoration work began, a serious problem was soon encountered – how to recreate its traditional tiled roofs. Tiles made of fired clay are excellent insulators, but each tile is slightly different, potentially causing gaps. Tilers fix this by chiseling away a few millimeters, but for the castle, this was a huge task involving tens of thousands of tiles. We’ll see how the mighty efforts of these artisans have brought hope and revived spirits in the region.
Video by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe
Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net
Follow us:
Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook
Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram
Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter
DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion
Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital
Check out our Podcasts:
Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify
Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts
Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic
Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer
Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcher
Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein
#TheManilaTimes
#Japan
#KumamotoCastle
Kumamoto Castle, a much loved landmark for over 400 years, was extensively damaged in 2016 by a major earthquake. When restoration work began, a serious problem was soon encountered – how to recreate its traditional tiled roofs. Tiles made of fired clay are excellent insulators, but each tile is slightly different, potentially causing gaps. Tilers fix this by chiseling away a few millimeters, but for the castle, this was a huge task involving tens of thousands of tiles. We’ll see how the mighty efforts of these artisans have brought hope and revived spirits in the region.
Video by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe
Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net
Follow us:
Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook
Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram
Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter
DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion
Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital
Check out our Podcasts:
Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify
Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts
Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic
Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer
Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcher
Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein
#TheManilaTimes
#Japan
#KumamotoCastle
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 [Music]
00:09 Kumamoto Prefecture is located in the south of Japan on the island of Kyushu.
00:17 It has a population of about 1.7 million.
00:28 A major earthquake struck the region in 2016, causing enormous destruction.
00:33 The most notable victim was Kumamoto Castle, a greatly loved landmark built over 400 years ago.
00:45 Many parts of the castle, especially the massive central keep, suffered extensive damage.
00:55 But the biggest problem facing the restorers was recreating its traditional tiled roofs.
01:00 This type of roof consists of overlapping tiles, fitting together precisely to form a tight seal.
01:13 Made of clay, these tiles provide excellent insulation, keeping interiors cool in summer and warm in winter.
01:23 [Music]
01:28 Born into a family of specialists in this traditional craft, Shinya Tsueyoshi is the area's most expert roof tiler.
01:38 After the earthquake, he was asked to lead the team restoring Kumamoto Castle's tiled roofs.
01:52 It was a hectic time for Tsueyoshi, already inundated with orders from homeowners with earthquake-damaged roofs.
01:59 But he had a reason for saying yes to the castle job.
02:03 "I believed it was important to restore the castle in order to rebuild Kumamoto's self-confidence and belief in our future."
02:12 But this restoration turned out to be far more challenging than he expected.
02:21 Because they're made from clay, there are always slight differences between tiles after firing.
02:27 Look at that!
02:32 When one tile is fitted over the next, there's usually a small gap.
02:41 Tilers fix this by chiseling away a few millimeters of the surface.
02:48 [Music]
02:55 But Kumamoto Castle's roofs are vast, requiring tens of thousands of tiles.
03:00 Tsueyoshi's team had to chisel and adjust them one by one to ensure a perfect fit.
03:09 Tsueyoshi himself laid over 4,000 tiles.
03:15 [Music]
03:19 "The most important thing for me was just to give it my best try."
03:22 "Lots of locals, especially the elderly, came and told me how they were waiting to see the castle restored to its old beauty."
03:29 By October 2019, three years after the earthquake, the castle keep was ready to be opened again to the public.
03:40 [Music]
03:44 It was time to see the fruit of Tsueyoshi's years of effort.
03:48 [Music]
03:54 He and a teammate came to enjoy this special day.
03:58 "It really looks good."
04:05 It's an awe-inspiring sight. This castle has always been the symbol of Kumamoto, you know.
04:10 "My work here is done at last. The castle is restored and ready for people to visit and enjoy."
04:17 It's been a long wait for Kumamoto, but their castle proudly stands in all its strength again.
04:24 A fitting symbol for the restored spirit of a proud region.
04:28 [Music]
04:31 [Music]
04:35 [Music]
04:38 [BLANK_AUDIO]