A fire broke out overnight at Shuri Castle in Okinawa, a World Heritage Site. Unfortunately the reports on Japanese media this morning are saying that the castle is completely gone. No reports on the fire source so far.
Obviously this is a big hit to the area and the nation as a whole. I'm sure they will look to rebuild at some point in the future (they did after World War 2) but it will take some time for everyone to process.
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/10/30/asia/shuri-castle-fire-intl/index.html
These pictures were taken last July (2019) when my girlfriend and I visited Okinawa.
https://preview.redd.it/h4673kembac51.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0e89d649bd4b6e9047def145a1ae6e4b33e32378
https://preview.redd.it/24njo9cmbac51.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b3530c41e45fb822405481654378751cc2d5b16a
https://preview.redd.it/gdotslembac51.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=657aeea5df69f790faff8895d0ce3ca623fe3a42
https://preview.redd.it/a0ezckembac51.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bd8e1be4421a45d5908225dbbe1936f55b92b54c
https://preview.redd.it/hr7vvbcmbac51.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=825983238b66d7e0da678b59653a9744bd0ae6a0
This last picture, we were told that people would think it was photo-shopped; normally there are thousands of tourists in that courtyard, but that day it was a bit rainy; keeping a vast majority of folks away.
The exclusivity of the photo to begin with, made us feel blessed to have such a beautiful shot.
Only a few months later in October 2019, the 500 year old once-seat of the Ryukyu dynasty tragically caught fire: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-50244169
It happened to be one of the most beautiful monuments that I'd ever experienced. You could feel the history in the walls, the furniture created enough of the image that you felt immersed in an ancient place if you closed your eyes for just a moment; the honor of that place and time reverberating beneath your feet and above your head.
Incredibly more than the value of my experience, I cannot imagine how devastating this must have been to the people of Okinawa, of that culture. Sadly, this is not the first time they experienced such desolation, since the castle was almost completely destroyed in WW2; the building in our shots being a reconstruction.
This is my first reddit post. If I can improve this in any way, please don't hesitate with feedback.
Thank you :)
