Hirosaki castle renovation works

Hirosaki, one of the 12 original Japanese castles, recently entered a period of 10 years of major renovation works. First, the water in the moat around the castle was drained, and starting in May 2015 (after Hanami), the 14 meters tall tower, weighing 400 tons, will be moved 70 meters away from the walls.

The tower will be moved without being disassembled, and the process will take about 3 months. In 2016, the tower will be re-opened to the public in its new position, where it will remain for the next 5 years...