On Tuesday, August 25th, 2026, about 1,800 people gathered in northern Japan to pull the 360-tonne keep of Hirosaki Castle by hand. The castle keep had been moved in 2015 to allow repairs on its stone wall, which was damaged by an earthquake.

The moving process employs hikiya, a traditional technique that places buildings on rollers, enabling them to be shifted without dismantling. This effort aims to bring the keep closer to its original position. Participants were selected through a lottery system, and the moving operations are expected to continue until the end of August.

This event highlights the community's involvement in preserving Japan's cultural heritage through hands-on participation and traditional methods.

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