NARA, Sep 11 (News On Japan) –
Kofukuji’s Five-Story Pagoda, a National Treasure in Nara, opened a part of its large-scale restoration to the media with an illustration of roof tile elimination. The venture contains analyzing whether or not some 60,000 tiles could be reused.
The demonstration confirmed craftsmen dismantling tiles by hand on the pagoda’s topmost roof.
Standing about 50 meters tall, the pagoda is roofed by roughly 60,000 tiles weighing round 200 tons. Aging has triggered widespread cracks and misalignment, and this would be the first full reroof because the Meiji period, a span of 125 years.
Deputy Chief Priest Ryoshun Tagawa mentioned the restoration will take about 10 years, including, “We will carry out as much repair as possible to ensure this tower is passed on to future generations.” Tagawa mentioned the temple will assign an identification quantity to every tile and decide its suitability for reuse.
Source: KTV NEWS