NAHA -- Great disappointment spread among local tourism officials on Friday, a day after a tragic fire destroyed Shuri Castle in Naha, one of the most popular sightseeing spots in Okinawa Prefecture. As the peak of the school excursion season approaches, travel agencies are busy dealing with the situation, such as by changing tour routes.
The area around Shuri Castle, which has been a symbol of the prefecture, is a tourist area visited by about 2.8 million people a year. Local tourism officials voiced concern over the impact of the fire.
Stunned tourists looked at the burnt-out structure Friday morning as they stood around Ryutan Pond next to the castle. Usually, they would have been able to see the castle's Seiden main hall from there.
A 57-year-old company employee from Joto Ward, Osaka, who had visited the castle with his wife two years ago, looked at photos he had taken with a smartphone at that time and said in disappointment: "I remember that I was impressed by the reconstructed castle and ornaments painted in a unique reddish orange. I need to accept what has happened by actually looking at the burnt-out site."
Managers of restaurants and other stores near the castle voiced concern over the future.
A beauty products store on the way to Okinawa Shurijo Castle Park from Shuri Station on the Okinawa Urban Monorail was crowded with students on excursions and foreign tour groups who come around this time every year to buy souvenirs. The 35-year-old store manager lamented: "Our busy season has just begun. We can only operate the business because of Shuri Castle. Who could have guessed this would happen?"
More than 400,000 students visit Okinawa Prefecture on excursions every year. According to the prefecture, the number of students peaked from October until December.
JTB Corp., a Tokyo-based travel agency that deals with school excursions at all 60 of its branch offices around the country, said Shuri Castle is included in the itineraries of most schools visiting the prefecture. Branch offices have already received inquiries from such schools about changing their itineraries, according to JTB.
According to the Yamanashi prefectural board of education, out of 29 prefectural high schools, 24 plan to conduct excursions between November and February next year. The Yamanashi Prefectural Hokuto High School, which plans to visit Okinawa Prefecture from Nov. 12-15, made arrangements with a travel agency to change the tour route. The high school's principal, who will accompany 206 second-year students, said: "Prior to the excursion, students deepened their understanding of Okinawa's history, including that of Shuri Castle. We are disappointed."
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Tourists visit Shuri Castle in Naha on Friday morning. The structure at rear is the Shureimon gate.
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