Japan Recruited 1,800 People to Pull a 396-Ton Castle Back into Place, and the Video Is Wild
Get unlimited access to everything VICE has to offer.
Turn off all ads on VICE.com
Exclusive New VICE Documentaries
Member Exclusive Features & Columns
Turn off all ads on VICE.com
Exclusive New VICE Documentaries
Member Exclusive Features & Columns
Turn off all ads on VICE.com
Exclusive New VICE Documentaries
Member Exclusive Features & Columns
4 Magazines Delivered to Your Door
Japan Recruited 1,800 People to Pull a 396-Ton Castle Back into Place, and the Video Is Wild
Volunteers used ropes and a traditional building-moving technique to shift Hirosaki Castle after years of restoration work.
Share on X (Opens in new window)X
Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Facebook
Share using Native toolsShareCopied to clipboard
In 2015, an ancient Japanese castle was moved to repair a vital stone wall. With that repair finally completed, it needed to be moved back, so Japan recruited 1,800 people to essentially play tug-of-war with a castle.
According to The Guardian, the mission required volunteers to haul the 396-ton keep of Hirosaki Castle six feet back into its original position using a series of ropes, wheels, and a traditional Japanese technique called hikiya, where entire buildings are........
