The fire burned down six buildings. Police and the local fire department have wrapped up their investigations without being able to determine what caused the blaze. Castle officials canceled last year’s festival due to the fire. This year, visitors expressed hope that the castle will be restored soon.

After the fire, people have donated more than 5 billion yen to the Okinawa prefectural government and other entities. The Japanese government plans to rebuild the castle’s main hall by 2026. The underground ruins of the castle’s original structure have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.