Monuments under renovation

A non-exhaustive list of monuments under construction on the archipelago

Touring the countless mythical monuments of the archipelago is at the top of the list for many visitors, but be aware of closures and obstructed views due to renovations.

In Japan, many wooden monuments are regularly the subject of work: temples, shrines, castles, the Japanese government takes great care of its material heritage. A necessity which can then sometimes disappoint more than one tourist, since the renovations generally last several years! In order not to find yourself with your beak in the water during your stay, here is a no list of monuments still under construction today.

Château de Hirosaki

Château de Hirosaki

Ph.L

  • Toshogu Shrine (Nikko)

Toshogu Shrine is one of the most visited places in Nikko as it houses the tomb of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the original shogun of the Edo period (1603-1868). Unfortunately, the shrine closed its doors to the public in 2007 for a major renovation. Although the maintenance on the Yomeimon Gate was completed in March 2017, additional renovation is expected to continue through March 2024.

Read also: Nikko Toshogu, the shogun's mausoleum

Yomeimon gate, Nikko Toshogu

En plein cœur de la capitale, le sanctuaire Meiji-jingu semble loin du centre ville.

En plein cœur de la capitale, le sanctuaire Meiji-jingu semble loin du centre ville.

Carlos Donderis

Aichi

  • Nagoya Castle

Built by one of the branches of the Tokugawa family, Edo (1603-1868), Nagoya Castle is the pride of the capital of Aichi. Although the current castle is not directly affected by the works, a reconstruction of its dungeon has been underway since 2009. The reconstruction will take end by 2022, but the current dungeon will be demolished next year. If you wish to witness in its original form, then it's now or never!

Read also: Reconstruction of Nagoya Castle

Nagoya-jo

Nagoya castle amid the cherry trees.

Wikipedia

  • Enryakuji temple (Kyoto)

Located a stone's throw from Mount Hiei, Enryakuji is one of the most important temples in the country as it housed the neighborhoods of the Tendai branch, one of the major branches of Japanese Buddhism. With its dreamy decor and countless maple trees, it is one of the most visited temples in Kyoto. That said, it will take a lot of patience to admire it up close since the main building of the temple is under renovation until 2026 (but you can still access the interior of the building).

Le temple enryakuji, sur le Mont Hiei

Enryakuji temple on Mount Hiei

Yu-Jen shih flickr

Kofukuji à Nara

Kofukuji à Nara

Wikimédia

Chugoku

  • Itsukushima shrine in Miyajima

The great torii of Itsukushima shrine in Miyajima is one of the most recognizable places in the archipelago. But its location in the sea of Hiroshima Bay also makes it very fragile because the base of its pillars erodes with the tides.

Renovation work on the famous Miyajima torii began in June 2019. During this work, the red torii gate is covered with scaffolding. It will remain so until the end of the work, completion of the renovation has been delayed and has not been set yet. In addition, renovation works are currently conducted on the western side of the complex 

To read: Itsukushima shrine

Torii of Itsukushima Shrine

Torii of Itsukushima Shrine.

DR

Le Torii du sanctuaire d'Itsukushima à Miyajima est en travaux.

Le Torii du sanctuaire d'Itsukushima à Miyajima est en travaux.

Office du Tourisme Hiroshima/Okayama/Kobe/Shimane/Okinawa

Château de Kumamoto

Château de Kumamoto

Wikimédia

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