Shuri Castle, a symbol of Okinawa's cultural heritage as well as its recovery from the scars of fierce World War II ground battles, was reduced to ruins in a predawn fire on Oct. 31, 2019. (Video released to Kyodo News through freedom of information request shows firefighters battling to control the blaze)
[Video courtesy of Naha fire department]

The ancient castle dates from and represents the Ryukyu Kingdom, which spanned 450 years until Okinawa was integrated into Japan in 1879.It was destroyed by fire during World War II but was restored, and along with its grounds, opened as a national…READ FULL ARTICLE