Changes

===Destruction and Restoration===

===Destruction and Restoration===

Extensive repairs were made to Shuri castle in 1928-1933, while retaining the form it held since 1712.<ref>Interview with Matayoshi, 107.</ref> These were overseen by [[Ministry of Education]] engineer [[Sakatani Ryonoshin|Sakatani Ryônoshin]]<!--阪谷良之進-->, with the construction work itself led by ''[[miya daiku]]'' (shrine/temple carpenter) [[Yanagita Kikuzo|Yanagita Kikuzô]].<!--柳田菊造--> An underground headquarters for the 32nd Army was constructed below the castle in 1944, however, leading to its destruction in the 1945 Battle of Okinawa. The University of the Ryukyus was then established on the former site of the castle and remained there for many years, until, after decades of popular movements and pushes to see the castle rebuilt, the university moved and reconstruction finally began on the castle in 1992, on the 20th anniversary of the reversion of Okinawa to Japanese sovereignty following the US Occupation.  

Extensive repairs were made to Shuri castle in 1928-1933, while retaining the form it held since 1712.<ref>Interview with Matayoshi, 107.</ref> These were overseen by [[Ministry of Education]] engineer [[Sakatani Ryonoshin|Sakatani Ryônoshin]]<!--阪谷良之進-->, with the construction work itself led by ''[[miya daiku]]'' (shrine/temple carpenter) [[Yanagita Kikuzo|Yanagita Kikuzô]].<!--柳田菊造--> An underground headquarters for the 32nd Army was constructed below the castle in 1944, however, leading to its destruction in the 1945 Battle of Okinawa.<ref>Construction began in March 1944, but the underground headquarters was actually only used for a brief period in 1945. The 32nd Army began using it as their primary headquarters in March 1945. Some 1,000 officers, soldiers, student conscripts (the Iron & Blood Corps), and civilians came to live together in the underground headquarters at that time. However, only two months later, on May 22, 1945, the military command decided to withdraw to Mabuni in the south of the island, as a stalling tactic to attempt to delay any potential Allied invasion of mainland Japan. Much of the rooms and tunnels were intentionally caved-in as the army abandoned the headquarters on May 27. Allied forces gained control of Shuri on May 31. Explanatory plaques, Shurijô Castle Park.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/49599089013/sizes/k/]</ref> The University of the Ryukyus was then established on the former site of the castle and remained there for many years, until, after decades of popular movements and pushes to see the castle rebuilt, the university moved and reconstruction finally began on the castle in 1992, on the 20th anniversary of the reversion of Okinawa to Japanese sovereignty following the US Occupation.  

This was a long process, however. The Shureimon gate was the first portion of the castle to be restored, in 1958. Ten years later, in 1968-69, the main gate at the nearby [[Engaku-ji]] temple, along with the Benten-dô (Benten Hall) and Tennyo-bashi (Tennyo Bridge) at the [[Ryutan|Ryûtan Pond]] were restored. The Ryukyu Government<ref>The civilian government of Okinawan elected representatives governing alongside the US military government during the Occupation.</ref> decided upon a plan in 1970 to restore the castle and various cultural assets (artifacts) lost in the war. The same year, the national government of Japan reached a cabinet decision regarding the reversion of Okinawa to Japanese authority (i.e. the end of the Occupation), and made clear its support for the restoration of the castle and cultural assets. The following year, funds were explicitly set aside for the restoration project within the budget of the Ministry of State for Okinawa and the [[Northern Territories]]. In 1972, the US Occupation ended and Japanese administration of Okinawa prefecture was resumed; the site was then named a "Historical Site" (''shiseki'') under the [[Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties]],<ref name=okahashi2/> and an official Okinawa Promotion and Development Plan that year explicitly included discussion of a plan to restore the castle and associated cultural assets. Work then began on restoring other portions of the castle compound and surrounding areas, with the Kankaimon being restored over a two-year process from 1972-74 and the royal mausoleum at [[Tamaudun]] in 1973-76. An "Association for Realizing the Restoration of Shuri Castle" (''Shurijô fukugen kisei kai'') was established in 1973, and work began on the castle's Kyûkeimon gate in 1976. The Second Okinawa Promotion and Development Plan, put out in 1982, explicitly discussed matters including determining the extent of the grounds that should be made a public park, and the areas that should be made areas for historical and cultural preservation.<ref name=shimpo1992>"Shurijô fukugen no keii" 首里城復元の経緯, ''Ryukyu Shimpo'', 1 Nov 1992.</ref>

This was a long process, however. The Shureimon gate was the first portion of the castle to be restored, in 1958. Ten years later, in 1968-69, the main gate at the nearby [[Engaku-ji]] temple, along with the Benten-dô (Benten Hall) and Tennyo-bashi (Tennyo Bridge) at the [[Ryutan|Ryûtan Pond]] were restored. The Ryukyu Government<ref>The civilian government of Okinawan elected representatives governing alongside the US military government during the Occupation.</ref> decided upon a plan in 1970 to restore the castle and various cultural assets (artifacts) lost in the war. The same year, the national government of Japan reached a cabinet decision regarding the reversion of Okinawa to Japanese authority (i.e. the end of the Occupation), and made clear its support for the restoration of the castle and cultural assets. The following year, funds were explicitly set aside for the restoration project within the budget of the Ministry of State for Okinawa and the [[Northern Territories]]. In 1972, the US Occupation ended and Japanese administration of Okinawa prefecture was resumed; the site was then named a "Historical Site" (''shiseki'') under the [[Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties]],<ref name=okahashi2/> and an official Okinawa Promotion and Development Plan that year explicitly included discussion of a plan to restore the castle and associated cultural assets. Work then began on restoring other portions of the castle compound and surrounding areas, with the Kankaimon being restored over a two-year process from 1972-74 and the royal mausoleum at [[Tamaudun]] in 1973-76. An "Association for Realizing the Restoration of Shuri Castle" (''Shurijô fukugen kisei kai'') was established in 1973, and work began on the castle's Kyûkeimon gate in 1976. The Second Okinawa Promotion and Development Plan, put out in 1982, explicitly discussed matters including determining the extent of the grounds that should be made a public park, and the areas that should be made areas for historical and cultural preservation.<ref name=shimpo1992>"Shurijô fukugen no keii" 首里城復元の経緯, ''Ryukyu Shimpo'', 1 Nov 1992.</ref>