More castle news. Most are likely aware that the castle tower (天守閣, てんしゅかく) was destroyed by fire during the Seinan War in 1877; the current structure, composed of ferro-concrete, was built in 1960. Kumamoto City is currently in negotiation with construction giant Obayashi Gumi for restoration of the keep. Obayashi Gumi has provided a comprehensive proposal covering exterior, bridge, and wall work with one interesting twist: Making the keep barrier-free. The plan would be to install a ramp into the basement floors of both keeps and an elevator to the first floor of the small keep and the sixth of the large to enable barrier-free access to the panoramic viewing area. (The article does not mention if said elevator would stop at each floor, but it probably would.) The article notes that the keeps of Osaka, Nagoya, and Okayama castles - all reconstructed - are the only in Japan currently equipped with elevators.
Kato Kiyomasa would be impressed.
