Vandalism is neither limited to one or two countries, nor due to one or two reasons alone. But it is getting all pervasive and the worrying factor is that though the world is advancing in terms of all developmental parameters, the intolerance to the precious cultural and heritage resources is being raised alarmingly.
The latest example was at the royal mausoleum of Urasoe Yodore, a national historic site located at the Urasoe Castle Ruins in Urasoe, Okinawa Prefecture.
Vandals spray-painted graffiti on a mausoleum for Ryukyu Kingdom royalty here, known as “Urasoe Yodore,” officials said.
Letters of the alphabet and patterns were spray painted in black on the walls of the tomb.
Situated in a cave on a cliff northeast of Urasoe Castle on Okinawa, Urasoe yôdore is a mausoleum that holds the remains of three rulers from the 13th and 14th centuries, as well as one king from the Kingdom of Ryûkyû who was separated from the others by several centuries.
Before the island was split into three kingdoms, Okinawa was governed by a network of regional chieftains led by a head chieftain, or “king,” and the mausoleum was built in 1261, during Eiso’s reign.
There are shrines inside the tomb that are adorned with Buddha images and sculptures of a turtle and a crane, suggesting that Buddhism had a big impact on the kingdom. The shrines are registered as prefectural cultural assets. The mausoleum was built in a natural cave and is believed to be a prototype of traditional Okinawan tomb design.
The site suffered significant damage during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, but it was rebuilt by the Ryukyu Islands Government in 1955 with the help of architect Nakaza Hisao and Cultural Properties Protection Committee head Yamazato Eikichi.
The Urasoe Police Station of the Okinawa prefectural police started an investigation based on violations of the Cultural Assets Preservation Law.
There was graffiti on the west wall of Urasoe Yodore and inside the arched gate in front of the tomb.
A security camera installed by the board of education captured several people visiting the site on the morning of Oct. 3 writing graffiti on the walls and other surfaces.
Cover Image: Urasoe City’s Board of Education
