Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu

On 31 October 2019, a fire occurred at the Shuri-jô site, one of the nine component parts of the property.

The State Party submitted a report on the status of damage to the property in January 2020 and an additional report in May 2020 on progress made with the recovery. The executive summaries of these reports are available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/972/documents/. These reports provide information on damage to the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, emergency measures, basic policies and a work schedule for recovery, as follows:

• The cause of the fire has not been identified yet, although the likeliest cause was the electrical system inside the replica Seiden (state hall);
• Most of the archaeological remains (99.9% of the area) were protected by layers of earth and were not directly damaged. Only two parts of the remains of the state hall, that are exposed for exhibition and research purposes, were damaged when the fire destroyed the above-ground replica structure;
• Nine replica structures, including the state hall, were completely destroyed, and two other replica structures were partially damaged by the fire. All these structures were constructed after 1989;
• Immediately after the fire, the State Party expressed its intention to recover the property and devised basic policies for recovery in December 2019, including establishing an advisory panel and three interdisciplinary working groups. The panel convened three times, and each working group held two meetings to discuss the reconstruction process of the replica of the state hall, measures for fire prevention and material procurement;
• Under the supervision of the Agency for Cultural Affairs (ACA), recovery has begun with emergency works, detailed scientific investigation on the extent of the damage to the remains and restoration of the damaged remains, in cooperation with local governments and related research institutes. Sand capping was performed to stabilize the environment of the damaged remains, the surfaces of the remains were reinforced using resin, and a temporary shelter was built to prevent further degradation. A plan for restoration was established including short-, medium- and long-term measures for recovery, monitoring and public access.

In March 2020, a report was issued by the advisory panel including recommendations for recovery, as follows:

• The reconstruction of the state hall will be done on the basis of extensive historical research and documentation of the destroyed structure;
• Measures for fire prevention must be installed, based on the “Fire Prevention Guidelines for National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties (Buildings)” established by ACA;
• The use of domestically sourced lumber for large elements and locally sourced lumber is strongly recommended, if these are available. Similarly, locally sourced materials should be used for the distinctive red roof tiles, relying on local artisans and traditional techniques;
• The protection of the archaeological remains is an essential part of safeguarding the World Heritage property during the recovery works and must be guaranteed.

The State Party established a schedule for reconstruction of the replica of the state hall: construction work would start in 2022 and be completed by 2026. In due course, the advisory panel will continue its discussions on the reconstruction process of other replica structures.

A temporary walkway and observation deck were set up with explanatory boards, enabling visitors and local residents to see the progress of the recovery works. Local communities are invited to join the recovery process, i.e. through volunteer activities. The State Party has planned to develop traditional techniques so that local craftspeople can offer their skills to reconstruct the replica structures.

An on-site UNESCO Advisory mission had been scheduled for March-April 2020 but had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, an online meeting with the Japanese authorities, the World Heritage Centre and the international heritage expert took place on 5 June 2020, with a view to continuing discussions on the ongoing and planned restoration works for the property. The Director of the World Heritage Centre also underlined the principles for recovery and reconstruction which were highlighted in the 2018 Warsaw Recommendation on Recovery and Reconstruction of Cultural Heritage.

In the immediate aftermath of the fire, the State Party has promptly undertaken the necessary emergency measures to contain the damage and made subsequent commitments to recover the state of conservation of the property based on recovery policies and a long-term plan, including the participation of multiple stakeholders.

The property is composed of nine component parts, but the fire damaged only the Shuri-jô site. As almost all archaeological remains at Shuri-jô site are protected by layers of earth, direct damage from the fire was very limited.

The restoration works of the archaeological remains have progressed, and interventions have been implemented under the technical supervision of ACA and local government experts. The restoration plan for the archaeological remains should continue to be implemented in consultation with experts, according to the national law and regulations.

The replica structures devastated by the fire are significant elements of the property and were reconstructed in the past following the surveyed plans and photographs of the actual architecture as documented before its destruction by fire during wartime, and in strict accordance with the findings of  excavations covering a wide area. It is therefore important that the reconstruction of the replicas be done rigorously to restore the authenticity of design, form and artisanship that existed before their destruction in the fire.

Whilst comprehensive fire prevention measures are planned, the recovery should also envisage reducing risks from other hazards to which the site may be exposed, such as earthquakes, typhoons and landslides.

It is recommended that the Committee request the State Party to continue its efforts for the reconstruction of the state hall and to integrate appropriate measures to reduce risks from fire and other hazards in the reconstruction plan for new replica structures, while avoiding any negative influences on the OUV of the property. Risk reduction measures should also be introduced in the immediate surroundings of the property to prevent risks from outside of the property.

The Committee may wish to request the State Party to undertake a comprehensive recovery of the Shuri-jô component site and the surrounding landscape, including all movable and immovable elements, based on the available historical records and the documentation of the site before the fire.

In view of the current situation, it is recommended that the Committee request the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM Reactive Monitoring mission to the property to assess the damage caused by the fire and the proposed restoration works to be undertaken, as well as to examine other aspects of the state of conservation of the property.

Finally, it is recommended that the Committee further encourage the State Party to continuously facilitate the involvement of all stakeholders, including local communities, in the recovery process of the property.