Overview
- Hiroshima City ended interior public access to the tenshu on March 22, citing aging of the reinforced‑concrete keep built in 1958.
- A 2019 assessment found the structure could fail in a strong earthquake, a risk that factored into the closure decision.
- Officials say no next step has been decided, though a wooden rebuild is under consideration and the keep will remain standing for now.
- The original main keep, begun in 1589, collapsed in the 1945 atomic bombing; a temporary wooden replica appeared in 1951 before the current version was completed.
- Large crowds visited on the final day, and the museum director voiced hope that the castle’s story will continue to be shared across generations.